Bus and train improvements top priority for region

MEDIA RELEASE FROM GREATER WELLINGTON REGIONAL COUNCIL

3 July 2009

Improvements to Wellington region's bus and train network are a top priority for the region, according to submissions made recently on Wellington's proposed regional transport programme.

The programme, put together by the Wellington Regional Transport Committee and approved by Greater Wellington Regional Council this week, now goes to the NZ Transport Agency whose board will decide which projects will be included in the national land transport programme. It includes a list of prioritised major new projects to be started within the next three years.

The Regional Transport Committee received 579 submissions on the proposed programme. Submitters were generally supportive of the projects in the proposed programme. There was particularly strong support for rail and bus improvements and electronic ticketing.

Fran Wilde, Chair of Greater Wellington and the Regional Transport Committee, said market research also showed substantial support for improvements to public transport. "Compared to other cities in New Zealand, Wellington has a very high usage of public transport; a reliable and convenient public transport network is hugely important to people."

High priority on the list of new projects is a series of rail network improvements that includes seven new two-car electric trains, additional to the 48 trains currently on order, double tracking from Trentham to Upper Hutt, railway station upgrades, improvements to commuter carparks, more reliable urban passenger services and improvements to freight train capacity and speed. Region-wide bus service improvements, to meet increasing demand, are also a high priority.

Fran Wilde said most of the other high priority projects related to State Highway 1 or safety. "These are very much in line with the Government's priorities, as outlined in its transport Policy Statement, so we are confident these will be included in the national transport programme."

She said the programme included a forecast of nearly $6 billion of transport expenditure over the next 10 years. "This is an ambitious programme, involving a range of roading, public transport and walking and cycling projects. While more than half of the funding for this programme would come from the government, through the NZ Transport Agency, there are implications for regional and local rates."

ENDS