Seeking feedback on transport plan changes

A mid-term review of the Otago Southland Regional Land Transport Plans 2015 – 2021 is being carried out, and the public are being asked to comment on the proposed changes.

The Otago and Southland Regional Transport Committees (RTCs) are updating the strategy and 2018-21 programme of activities within the plans. It includes 35 new cycling, walking, public transport, local road and state highway projects proposed for Otago and Southland which the RTCs are asking the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to fund or co-fund with local government.

Chairman of the Otago RTC chairman Trevor Kempton says, “This is a chance for anyone interested in the transport network in Otago and Southland to have a say on whether the proposed activities will make our transport system safer and more sustainable, and will support and enhance regional development.”

“We’d like to hear about whether people think we’re proposed a good mix of projects for the next few years. We want to know if we’ve got the prioritisation and timing right, and whether we’ve left out any important projects.”

Deputy Chairman of the Southland RTC Jeremy McPhail says, “Many smaller projects (less than $1 million each) across Southland and Otago aim to address safety issues and deliver appropriate levels of customer service and network performance.”

More than half the projects over the next three years will address problems facing the Queenstown area, where the rate of economic and population growth is placing further demand on an already-stretched transport network.

Most of these Queenstown projects will upgrade walking, cycling, bus, water taxi and ferry transport. They’re part of a multi-agency QLDC-NZTA-ORC transport initiative for Queenstown Lakes.

The plans also provide better public transport and safe walking and cycling linkages in Dunedin to deliver the DCC-NZTA-ORC Connecting Dunedin initiative.

Other projects will make the roads on Otago and Southland safer and more resilient to unexpected events and natural hazards.

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