The Government has changed.

The former Transport Minister took Te Puna to Ōmokoroa roading development off the 10-year plan and has lost his parliamentary seat, and with the new Government hope is here again.

We now have Transport Minister Simeon Brown who is actually interested in decent roading networks.

He knows the issues and action must get underway as State Highway 29 and State Highway 2 are both now roads of national significance.

Our MPs Sam Uffindell, Tom Rutherford, Scott Simpson and Cameron Luxon must keep the pressure on their development, and we must hold them to account.

We’ve endured congestion and delays and it has been torture for too many users for too long.

As well, we need houses as this sub region is far too expensive for too many to own their own home.

We have an opportunity to get it right, and the time is right.

Actually it has been for a long time but no one listened.

We have the best export port in the country and improved access to it is fundamental if we want to improve our exports which we must do, if we want to improve our standard of living.

Margaret Murray-Benge, WBOPD councillor, Bethlehem.