9 May 2013

Call for bridges to be strengthened

9:37 pm on 9 May 2013

A Southland trucking company says New Zealand's economy is being held back because rural bridges can't take the weight of some fully-laden trucks.

The manager for Transport Services Southland manager says his company has to use extra trucks to transport goods, simply because some bridges can't take the weight of one full one.

Wayne Williamson says the Government wants the transport industry to be more efficient, but that's impossible if bridge weights mean they have to double the number of trips they make.

The organisation responsible for the region's economic development, Venture Southland, says it wants the Government to invest more on infrastructure in the area - particularly on strengthening bridges.