Environment Southland Approves Regional Land Transport Plan

Environment Southland councillors yesterday (29/04) approved the Southland Regional Land Transport Plan 2015–2021.

The plan is part of a joint document with the Otago Regional Council titled: Otago Southland Regional Land Transport Plans and is considered a good basis for other collaborative work between Environment Southland and the Otago Regional Council.

While each council is required to produce its own plan under the Land Transport Management Act 2013, both councils saw the opportunity to be more effective and efficient by working together on the transport challenges facing both regions and ensuring the combined work programmes were aligned.

Environment Southland and Southland Regional Transport Committee chairman Ali Timms said having an aligned strategy means there is an opportunity to work across boundaries and prioritise projects that benefit both regions.

She said the result is a really good plan that will work better for Southland’s needs. Supporting the regional economy and its freight routes and visitor flows is a big part of that. “It’s about actual journeys. They don’t stop at regional council borders. It’s about how we move from Otago to Southland and Southland to Otago.”

The priority projects identified in the plan for Southland include sealing parts of the Curio Bay to Haldane Road; Edendale bypass; widening Falls Creek Bridge; Milford rockfall/avalanche protection; stock truck effluent disposal facilities; and the Visiting Driver Signature Project.

Chairman Timms said Southland was eligible for up to $20 million worth of funding from the regional petrol tax fund, which is available until 2018 for improvement projects. She said the two Regional Transport Committees would continue to work together, resulting in a strong southern voice for access to national funding for regionally important roading projects.

ENDS

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