The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) released its State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) this month in response to the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS) that set out plans for 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), released by Transport Minister Simeon Brown in March.

“We have a roading infrastructure deficit, so getting on with the design and build with urgency is important,” says NRC CEO Justin Tighe-Umbers. “As well as setting out detail on when the Roads of National Significance will be built, the proposal also sets out the continued response to Cyclone Gabrielle and other extreme weather events. 

“Importantly it points to strengthening key freight routes, and locking in maintenance funds so they are prioritised and ring-fenced for road sealing and rehabilitation – music to the ears of road freight operators. 

“We are seeing a sharper focus on productivity and efficiency, as directed by Minister of Transport Simeon Brown, which is critical in a flatlining economy. The document rightly points to “…the important role of transport in New Zealand’s economic prosperity, to boost economic growth, productivity, resilience, reliability, and safety.

“There is no time to lose, we have a lot of catching up to do on roading infrastructure, so it is great to see the NZTA investment plan out hot on the heels of the Minister’s policy statement.

“The proposal shows Waka Kotahi/NZTA is focused on the fundamental disciplines: planning, taking a whole of system approach, preparing for resilience, and making evidence-based decisions. NRC has been calling for a 50-year plan for roading infrastructure, and this approach is an important step towards that.

“I’m especially pleased that this 10-year view will give the roading contractors a pipeline of projects that they can confidently tool up and get people on board for. This translates into more efficient build costs and savings for road users.”