Government wants 'year-on-year' decrease to New Zealand road toll

Friday, 31 August 2018

Transport Minister Phil Twyford says much of the $16.9 billion will be spent on improving road safety.

The Government is aiming for a year-on-year reduction to the national road toll, which has increased every year since 2013.

New Zealand Transport Agency chief executive Fergus Gammie made the comments during Transport Minister Phil Twyford's announcement the Government will spend $16.9 billion on the country's transport system, in measures set out in its latest National Land Transport Programme (NLTP).

Animated video of the proposed Manawatū Gorge replacement route.

The package includes $4.3b to reduce deaths and injuries on the roads through a programme of median safety barrier, roadside barrier and rumble strip instalments.

Speeds could also be lowered on some roads, while more money – $1.3b – will be spent on road policing. The investment in safety was a 37 per cent increase compared to the last NLTP, the Government said.

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'There are many dangerous roads in New Zealand [and] there are people dying unnecessary deaths and sustaining serious injuries everywhere around the country on the roads,' Twyford said.

'If we were to build a four-lane duel carriage expressway on every dangerous bit of road there would be no money in the budget for anything else and so we're committed to investing in safety improvements to save lives.'

In 2017, 378 commuters were killed on the roads. The toll has gone up every year since 2013, when 253 people were killed.

Gammie said there was 'no clear target or number' on what the Government hoped to get the number of fatalities down to.

'But we're looking at, if you like, a year-on-year reduction,' he said.

'Certainly all of these things will add together and will lead to a significant reduction.

The Government is to spend $16.9b on transport in its three-year transport programme. (File photo).

'When you think about safety, though, just think about the whole picture, so the NLTP funds the police and their programme.

'The police have set a target of reducing deaths by five per cent a year . . . so there's a combination of activities on safety [in the] NLTP – there's the police activity, there's improvements we're going to do on state highways and local roads, there's education and behaviour activities.'

Overall, most roading investment would go to the regions, rather than the big cities, with regional roads receiving $5.8b of funding, up $600 million from the last NLTP.

However, Auckland continues to receive a significant investment of $5.7b, which will fund primarily public transport investment.

Highlights include delivering light rail between Auckland city centre and Māngere and to Auckland's northwest.

Access to Auckland Airport and surrounding areas will be improved, including Puhinui rail station and investigating rapid transit measures to eastern suburbs of Botany.

Walking and cycling initiatives are assigned $149m, including SkyPath and Seapath.

SkyPath development will get $67m and SeaPath will also receive a $31m investment.

The Northern motorway's (SH1) 18km extension from Puhoi to Warkworth will continue to be built by the Public private Partnership (PPP).

Nationwide, a total of $4.3b will go to programmes and projects that prevent accidents or reduce their severity, Twyford said.

This would include revamping intersections to stop collisions, installing median barriers in high-risk areas, and increasing road policing.

Roads receiving safety upgrades would include Dome Valley in north Auckland, Drury to Paerata in south Auckland, Waihi to Tauranga, and the Hawke's Bay Expressway.

To ease congestion, a further $4b will be invested in public transport, rapid transit and rail, and $390m for walking and cycling.

This will fund projects like the AMETI busway, renewal work on Wellington's rail tracks, the Skypath and Seapath walk/cycleways, and investigation of a new commuter ferry service in Queenstown.

State highways continue to receive the largest share of funding with a total of $5.7b.

'We will invest $3.5b in new state highway projects like Puhoi to Warkworth, the Waikato Expressway, the Mt Messenger bypass, the Manawatu Gorge replacement, Transmission Gully, and the Christchurch Southern Motorway. A further $2.2b will be invested in state highway maintenance,' Twyford said.

The NLTP comprises $12.9b from the National Land Transport Fund, generated through fuel excise, road user charges, and other revenue sources; $3.4b from local government, generated through rates and Auckland's Regional Fuel Tax; and $557m in other Crown investments.