Media statement | 28 June 2006

Reducing congestion Land Transport NZ's focus for Bay of Plenty

Reducing congestion resulting from growth in heavy vehicle and tourist traffic is the focus for the Bay of Plenty in the 2006/07 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP).

Land Transport NZ today announced $2.3 billion in transport spending for New Zealand in 2006/07, including $55 million for investment in Bay of Plenty’s land transport network, including:

• $45 million for the maintenance of state highways and local
• $5 million for construction of state highways and local roads
• $3 million for passenger transport maintenance and service improvements.

Land Transport NZ chair Dr Jan Wright says the agency and its partners are committed to making Bay of Plenty’s major routes safer and more efficient, and making passenger transport more attractive as an alternative to using the car.

Projects which may be funded during the year include:

• Construction of the Tauranga Harbour Link, which comprises duplicating the harbour bridge and Hewletts Road four laning, to ease congestion and improve safety in the area
• Design work on Tauranga’s Eastern Motorway.

Funding for NZ Police land transport activities in the Bay of Plenty totals $12 million. The road safety goal for the Bay of Plenty region is that by 2010 fatalities and hospitalisations will be fewer than 380 per year. There were 498 fatalities and hospitalisations due to road crashes in 2005.

Dr Wright says the activities funded through the NLTP reflect Land Transport NZ’s objective of contributing to an integrated, safe, responsive and sustainable land transport system.

“New Zealand faces huge transport challenges. The $2.3 billion allocated by this year’s NLTP will help us meet those challenges.”

Regional newsletters, a fact sheet and the NLTP book, which details all projects in the 2006/07 NLTP, will be available at www.landtransport.govt.nz from 6pm today.

For further information:

Andy Knackstedt
Land Transport NZ Media Manager
(04) 931-8822 or 0212 763 222

Rosalie Orr
Partnership Manager, Midland
(07) 958 7840
0274 523 230