This week we experienced the pleasure of driving on the new Transmission Gully expressway into Wellington. It was brilliant. The expressway is transport planning at its best.

Driving home, the only time we experienced congestion was on State Highway 29. It is a tragedy that our region has been left so far behind with our roading network on SH29. And SH2. We live in this beautiful place where we have the best port in NZ, how on earth could politicians have let us down so badly?

It was a treat listening to Bay of Plenty MP Tom Rutherford delivering his maiden speech in Parliament and when he referred to SH29 becoming a Road of National Significance I did what you shouldn’t do in Parliament – I clapped. Thrilled to hear our newest MP calling for action on our highways. He will go a long way reflecting the needs of his community. I look forward to Simeon Brown, our new Minister of Transport, driving decisions which will meet the transport needs of both congested SH29, and SH2 which is years overdue for four-laning to Omokoroa and beyond.

With this decent forward-thinking Government, we expect action from our local MPs Tom Rutherford, Sam Uffindell, and Cameron Luxon to drive those decisions relentlessly.

Margaret Murray-Benge, Bethlehem.