23 January 2015

MEDIA RELEASE

Draft Regional Land Transport Plan 2015 – 2025 released for public consultation

Investment in existing transport infrastructure is highlighted as essential to avoid going backwards in a new transport plan.

The draft Regional Land Transport Plan 2015-2025 is a critical document for Canterbury as it underpins all of the region’s road network and transportation planning and investment priorities during the next 10 years.

The draft Plan, which is a statutory document, outlines the challenges, objectives and priorities for land transport in Canterbury.

It has been prepared by the Canterbury Regional Transport Committee, a committee of Environment Canterbury (ECan), with representatives from all Canterbury district councils and the NZ Transport Agency.

ECan programme manager for earthquake recovery and transport Vanessa Scott said the draft Plan provided the strategic business case for transport investment in Canterbury.

“An efficient transport network is vital as it provides us with access to economic and social opportunities. However, change is constant and economic growth and our changing population demand ongoing investment to meet the future transport needs of the region.”

The draft Plan has split transport expenditure into four priorities which reflects the context of regional, national and international events and trends.

Scott said the first priority was maintaining existing infrastructure and services, including renewal and minor improvement programmes and safety enforcement and promotion.

“Certain activities have been given a high priority as they are focussed on looking after what we have. In the case of Christchurch, this includes repair of earthquake-damaged roads. Outside of Christchurch maintaining rural roads in the face of increasing numbers of heavy vehicles associated with farm production is equally important,” she said. “These priority one projects are considered essential to avoid going backwards in terms of the quality of our regional transport network.”

Priority two projects are existing commitments that need to be finished. Within this group, the projects were not prioritised further as they are already well-advanced and funding is secured.

Priority two projects include the Northern arterial, Western Belfast bypass and extension of the Southern motorway – these three projects, and related projects such as the Cranford Street extension, will collectively cost more than $600m.

The other major project in priority two is the new central city interchange.

“Many of the priority three projects are about building for the future with a stronger focus on providing alternatives to cars and improving the efficiency of the existing roads rather than building more new roads,” Scott said. “The other big focus in this group is on urban cycleways.”

Canterbury has 20 of the worst 100 intersections in the country, despite only having 13 per cent of the population so improving intersection safety is also a major highlight within this group.

Priority four projects include improvements of lower regional priority, such as a new Ashburton urban bridge, widening a section of Lincoln Road (Curletts to Wrights) and upgrading the Kaiapoi Pa Rd in the Waimakariri District.

The draft Plan is based on five objectives: addressing current and future demand, including an emphasis on alternative to cars and increased freight movement; creating a land transport system that is increasingly free from death and serious injury; supporting earthquake recovery; making a network that is resilient and supports long-term sustainability; and efficient investment in land transport.

The draft Plan, which was publicly notified on January 21, is open for public consultation through till 4pm on Friday February 20 2015.

Scott said it was important people examined what projects and programmes were proposed across the region to get a more complete overview of future spending options.

What happens next?

A subcommittee made up of nominated members of the Canterbury Regional Transport Committee will hold a hearing on March 4/5 2015 to receive additional input from submitters who want to be heard.

The draft Plan will then go back to the Canterbury Regional Transport Committee to be adopted. After this a final plan will be presented to Environment Canterbury commissioners for adoption. This will then go to the NZ Transport Agency to be adopted by April 30 2015. If NZTA approve it then it will be adopted as part of the National Land Transport Plan.

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