Media Statement

Tourism, log transport and route security Land Transport NZ's focus for Northland

Improving safety and the ability of local roads to cope with increasing volumes of trucks and tourists is the focus of the 2007/08 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) for Northland.

Land Transport NZ today announced $2.4 billion in transport spending for New Zealand in 2007/08, including $108 million for investment in Northland's land transport system.

Land Transport NZ Acting Chair Paul Fitzharris says the agency and its partners are committed to making Northland's major routes safer and more efficient, and to expanding passenger transport services. More than $49 million has been allocated for the maintenance of the Northland region's roads and state highways, and $38 million has been allocated for the construction of roads and highways.

The 2007/08 NLTP also includes a funding boost for public transport in the region, with a total of $474,000 allocated to Northland for passenger transport and total mobility activities. Since 2000, improved and expanded bus services have helped lift bus patronage in the Whangarei district from 7,000 passengers per month to just over 19,000. This figure is expected to increase by eight percent in 2007/08.

Funding has also been committed to continue projects approved in 2006/07. In the Northland region this includes:

* ongoing reconstruction of further sections of the principal arterial logging routes
* construction of the Kerikeri heritage bypass
* extending road seal on SH 1 from Waitiki Landing to Cape Reinga.

Other projects which may be funded during the year include:

* widening of Waipapa Road, to include new walking and cycling facilities
* widening and strengthening Mangakahia Road in the Whangarei district.

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 the delivery of travel behaviour change projects, road safety, engineering and other NLTP activities.

The Road Safety to 2010 Strategy goal for the Northland region is that by 2010 fatalities and hospitalisations will be fewer than 340 per annum. There were 29 fatalities and 444 hospitalisations due to road crashes in Northland during the 2006 calendar year. A total of $11.5 million has been allocated for road policing activities in the Northland region for 2007/08 to help reach the 2010 target.

Mr Fitzharris 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 2007/08 NLTP, will be available at www.landtransport.govt.nz from 6pm today.

For more information:

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

ENDS

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