Engagement begins on draft land transport GPS

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee has released for engagement the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on land transport, which proposes investing $38.7 billion in land transport over the next 10 years, delivering major gains for road maintenance and road safety.

“This GPS for the period 2015/16 - 2024/25 sets out government’s priorities for the land transport sector, and guides the allocation of over $3 billion each year from the National Land Transport Fund,” Mr Brownlee says.

“It continues the government’s prioritisation of economic growth and productivity, road safety and value for money.

“Regional networks are critical to New Zealand’s economic performance, and the draft GPS recognises this by increasing funding to maintain roads, and replacing regional funding which will expire on 31 March 2015.

“The draft GPS also continues funding to deliver the Roads of National Significance, which future-proof key strategic routes.

“The GPS will include the $375 million interest-free loan announced in Budget 2014, which will be used to accelerate key motorway projects in Auckland.

“It also proposes increases in funding for a range of activities, including walking and cycling, road safety promotion, and road policing, and continues increases in funding for public transport set out in the current GPS.

“This will provide more transport choices, and result in further reductions in the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads.

“To ensure fuel excise duties and road user charges beyond 2015/16 remain affordable for road users, the draft GPS looks to get even greater value out of the government's investment.”

The draft GPS can be downloaded from www.transport.govt.nz/gps. Feedback can be emailed to GPS.2015@transport.govt.nz or posted to the Ministry of Transport before 5pm, Monday 11 August 2014.

“While the new GPS comes into effect on 1 July 2015, it will be released this year so local and central government can consider it in transport planning processes,” Mr Brownlee says.

Media contact: Nick Bryant 021 245 8272

Note to editors:

The Government Policy Statement on land transport (GPS) is reviewed and issued by the Minister of Transport every three years. The GPS is the government’s primary tool to communicate what it wants to achieve in land transport, and how it expects to see money from the National Land Transport Fund allocated between types of activities (for example, roading, public transport, road safety) across the land transport system.

While the National Land Transport Fund subsidises public transport operations, railway line improvements are paid for from the Crown’s consolidated fund, rather than from the National Land Transport Fund.

The GPS describes:

· what the government wishes to achieve from its annual investment of over $3 billion in the National Land Transport Fund;

· how it will achieve this through particular areas of investment known as activity classes (for example, road safety, State highway improvements);

· how much funding will be provided, and;

· how the funding will be raised.

The GPS does not specify particular projects to be funded. It also does not have jurisdiction over port, airport, maritime or aviation activities, although it may impact on land transport links to port and airport facilities.

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