Media statement | 30 June 2008

Improving travel times Land Transport NZ's focus for Auckland

Completing critical road networks and upgrading public transport operations to help improve travel times are key priorities for Auckland in the 2008/09 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) released today.

Land Transport NZ today announced $2.7 billion in transport spending for New Zealand in the 2008/09 NLTP, including more than $850 million allocated for investment in the Auckland region's land transport system. Just over $147.7 million will go toward maintaining the region’s road networks, an increase of $6.3 million over 2007/08. Of this, $78.2 million will be spent on local road maintenance and $69.5 million on state highways.

NLTP funding has been committed to progress ongoing projects in the Auckland region including:

• $365 million for the construction of the SH 1 ALPURT B2 extension from Orewa to Puhoi
• $200 million for construction of the Mt Roskill extension of SH 20 on the Western Ring Route to cater for traffic travelling west to Auckland Airport and southern destinations
• $180 million for the Manukau motorway link between SH 20 and SH 1 on the Western Ring Route to ease traffic congestion through Manukau City.

A further $71 million has been allocated for road policing in the Auckland region.

Land Transport NZ Northern Region Partnerships Manager Peter Kippenberger says reliable trips times, especially for buses and commercial vehicles, continues to be a priority for the region. While progress has been made in this area there is still scope for further improvement.

“Making public transport an attractive alternative to car travel remains a crucial goal in Auckland. A total of $138.7 million has been allocated in the 2008/09 NLTP for passenger transport and total mobility activities in the region. The passenger transport portion of this funding allocation will help implement ARTA’s Passenger Transport Network Plan”.

• Mr Kippenberger said passenger transport service in the region received a massive boost with the opening of the $195 million Northern busway earlier this year. The busway provides dedicated bus and high occupancy vehicle transit lanes and facilities between the Auckland Harbour Bridge and Albany, enabling express buses to avoid congestion on the Northern motorway. This initiative means the region’s public transport system is better placed to cope with increasing demand.
• Land Transport NZ funding for Auckland in the past year has enabled the successful completion of the Greenhithe deviation ($106 million) and the Esmonde Road interchange ($44 million).

Other projects that may be funded during the 2008/09 year include:

• Work to relieve congestion and improve trip reliability along Te Atatu Road between Edmonton Road and the North Western Motorway.
• The replacement and widening of the Sturges Road overbridge in Waitakere City
• Construction of bus priority and cycle facilities along Anzac Street in North Shore City between Takapuna and the new Akoranga bus station.

Mr Kippenberger 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. Regional newsletters, a fact sheet and the NLTP book, which details all projects in the 2008/09 NLTP, will be available at www.landtransport.govt.nz/funding/nltp/2008/ from 6pm today.

For more information:

Peter Kippenberger
Partnership Manager, Northern
(09) 969 9812  or 021 913 882