Press Release Delays by Council Threaten Key Link
to Eastern Suburb
August 2007
Christchurch 2021 council candidates, Yani Johanson and Linda
Rutland, are very concerned nine years have elapsed since the
Council first learnt that Ferrymead Bridge was highly vulnerable
to earthquake and tsunami damage and yet the project to replace
the bridge is still not underway.
In 1998 the Lifelines Project identified that the suburbs east
of the bridge would be potentially stranded without essential
services or a transport link should the bridge be hit by such
a natural disaster. Funding of $3.7 million was allocated for
the bridge’s replacement in 2002/03 and 2003/04 and the
construction start date set for August 2002. Nine years later
and the bridge’s construction is still not underway.
The two candidates question why such an important life link has
not taken priority under the council’s capital works programme.
“We want to know what has the council being doing to progress
this matter. “
The current incumbent councilor stood for election in 2004 on
a platform of completing the road and reconstruction of the bridge
.
“The council is aware of the essential nature of this
project and yet they have allowed the funding for it to be reallocated
elsewhere such as the Blenheim Road deviation. We believe the
bridge link is vital for the community’s survival in a disaster;
it is totally unacceptable that it has been delayed so long, Rutland
and Johanson said.
