The reopening of State Highway 25A by 20 December is an early Christmas present for our region, says Coromandel MP Scott Simpson.

“I’m delighted that NZTA has announced repairs to SH25A are well-ahead of their schedule and the route is expected to reopen in time for Christmas and summer holidaymakers to visit the Coromandel.

“By the time the highway reopens it will have been 11 long months of disruption, heartache and financial anxiety for our region.

“I was very critical that it took six months for work to get underway, but I couldn’t be happier with the efforts of the contractors and the workers on the ground. To be in a position to reconnect our communities and fully reopen the Coromandel in time for Christmas is only possible because of their professionalism and hard-work.

“This year has been brutal for local businesses, but I’m hopeful that today’s news will be a much-needed boost as they prepare for summer. While the Peninsula has remained accessible, a fully operational SH25A is a signal to the rest of the country, and the world, that we are back in business.

“We were already looking forward to enjoying another the classic Coromandel summer and a fully reconnected Peninsula will make it all the more sweeter.”