25 June 2015

Govt delivers $333 million urban cycleways

Transport Minister Simon Bridges has today announced a $333 million cycleways investment that he says will change the face of cycling in New Zealand.

The Minister has announced that, on top of the 13 cycleways projects announced in January, a further 41 will receive funding under the Urban Cycleways Programme.

“This is the single biggest investment in cycling in New Zealand’s history,” he says.

The programme is designed to pull together a range of funding sources to build the best possible cycling network that benefits all New Zealanders.

“The Government’s $100 million Urban Cycleways Fund has helped generate an overall investment of $333 million in cycling, getting world-class projects underway much sooner than may otherwise have been the case.”

More than $87 million will be spent in provincial centres, including Whangarei, Hamilton, Tauranga/Western Bay, Rotorua, Gisborne, Hastings/Napier, New Plymouth, Whanganui, Palmerston North, Blenheim, Nelson and Dunedin.

Together with those announced in January, these projects will make cycling a safer, more attractive transport choice for thousands of people around the country.

“The projects announced today will draw on the $90 million remaining in the Urban Cycleways Fund, as well as $107 million from the National Land Transport Fund, and $99 million from local government,” Mr Bridges says.

The Urban Cycleways Investment Panel assessed and recommended the projects to receive the funding.
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