Media statement | 28 June 2006

Route efficiency and access Land Transport NZ’s focus for Wellington

Efficiency and access on major routes is the focus for Wellington 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 $118 million for investment in Wellington’s land transport network, including:

• $41 million for maintenance of state highways and local roads
• $39 million for construction of state highways and local roads
• $35 million for improvements to passenger transport infrastructure and services to increase patronage on buses and rail.

In addition to the funding highlighted above, Land Transport NZ expects to allocate approximately $15 million of Crown funding in 2006/07 to advance projects on State Highway 2.

Land Transport NZ chair Dr Jan Wright says the agency and its partners are committed to making Wellington’s major routes more efficient and reliable. Funding has been committed for the continuation of major projects, including:

• Construction of the inner city bypass, south of The Terrace tunnel on SH 1 in central Wellington, to reduce congestion
• Extension to the Centennial Highway median barrier between Paekakariki and Pukerua Bay to improve safety
• Construction of the replacement Waiohine Bridge on SH 2 north of Greytown
• Construction of an overbridge at MacKays Crossing between Paekakariki and Raumati, to reduce congestion and improve access on SH 1.

Projects which may be funded during the year include:

• Investigation of the Transmission Gully motorway to ease traffic congestion into Wellington
• Investigation of improvements around the Basin Reserve to improve traffic flow.

Funding for NZ Police land transport activities in the Wellington region totals $21 million. The road safety goal for the Wellington region is that by 2010 fatalities and hospitalisations will be fewer than 240 per annum. There were 318 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 more information:

Andy Knackstedt
Land Transport NZ Media Manager
(04) 931 8822
021 276 3222

Ian Hunter
Partnership Manager, Central
(04) 931 8900
0274 506 966