A delegation from local government's Zone 6 area (from Waitaki south) had a positive meeting on the road funding issue with Transport Minister Steven Joyce last night.

The delegation, made up of Southland District Mayor Frana Cardno, Clutha District Mayor Juno Hayes, Zone 6 chair and Clutha councillor Peter McPherson, Southland chief executive David Adamson and, Clutha chief executive Charles Hakkaart, explained the state of southern local roads and their importance to the national economy to Mr Joyce.

The Mayors and chief executives are in Wellington for the Rural Provincial Local Government meeting.

Mayor Cardno said she believed the meeting with the Minister was very good.

"Mr Joyce listened to us and we were able to explain how some of the information he has been given is based on limited data and does not take into consideration things like the width of roads, the strength of roads or safety aspects.

"He now has a better understanding of how local roads fit into the transport network."

Mayor Hayes said Mr Joyce said it would be hard to find more money, but the delegation felt he would look at other avenues to move forward.

"The New Zealand Transport Agency needs to be a partner in our activity management plans and work with us."

Mrs Cardno said roading had the lowest satisfaction rating in Council's residents' survey.

"We don't rate for roads for the sake of rating. The programme that had been worked out was the best at the lowest cost," she said.

A lot of work had gone into the activity management plans, which had a phenomenal amount of data, and were the best information source on local roads.

The plans, however, seemed to have been discounted by NZTA in its funding announcement two months after the plans became active.

Mr Hayes said the importance of bridges in the local network needed to be emphasised as well as it was essential to continue to replace and renew them.

"Appropriate timely intervention and maintenance saves money in the long term," he said.

It was also important to note that some roads which don't have a lot of traffic are still vital to the economy because of the businesses located on them. Maintenance had to be sustained or a bigger burden would be left to future ratepayers and that was unfair.