Media statement | 26 June 2007

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 2007/08 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP).

Land Transport NZ today announced $2.4 billion in transport spending for New Zealand in 2007/08, including nearly $161 million allocated for investment in Bay of Plenty’s land transport network.

This includes:

• $95 million for state highway improvements
• $51 million for maintenance of state highways and local roads.

Land Transport NZ Acting Chair Paul Fitzharris says the agency and its partners want to see the Bay of Plenty’s major transport routes safer and working more efficiently. Making passenger transport more attractive as an alternative to using the car is also a priority. This intention is signalled with the allocation of more than $3 million to maintain and improve public transport services in the Bay of Plenty over the next year.

Continued funding has been committed to the harbour link (the second harbour bridge) in Tauranga. Projects which may be funded during the year include:

• construction of a roundabout on Malfroy and Ranolf streets in Rotorua to improve safety and reduce congestion
• design of the Tauranga Eastern Motorway to bypass Te Puke.

Mr Fitzharris said a new element  in this year’s NLTP is the inclusion for the first time of community focused activities, including road safety and sustainability initiatives. This change means the planning and funding of these activities can now be integrated with other NLTP activities.

Mr Fitzharris says the activities funded through the NLTP reflect Land Transport New Zealand’s objective of contributing to an integrated, safe, responsive and sustainable land transport system.

Regional newsletters, a fact sheet and the NLTP book, which details all projects in the 2007/08 NLTP, will be available at www.landtransport.govt.nz from 6pm today.

For more information:

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