Hi,

I thought the attached release, regarding the Contractors' Federation's response to the new Auckland Transport Agency announcement, might be of interest.

Best wishes,

Patricia Thompson

Media Release – for immediate release

25 August 2009

Contractors’ Federation welcomes new Auckland Transport Agency

The New Zealand Contractors’ Federation has given a warm welcome to the announcement of a new agency to improve Auckland’s transport.

Federation Chief Executive Jeremy Sole said the announcement, by Minister of Transport Steven Joyce, of an agency to focus on delivering transport projects and services across the city, was a “great step forward”.

The Auckland Transport Agency will replace the current nine separate Auckland transport entities and will be responsible for all local authority transport delivery functions in Auckland, including local roads and public transport.
“This will result in better integration of transport priorities and higher quality roading outcomes,” said Mr Sole.

“Different agencies working to different regimes results in inconsistency in the tendering process. Working from one agenda should provide contractors with more certainty around tendering.”

The Contractors’ Federation had raised concerns following the Government’s GPS Statement, pointing out that it included provision for state highways and for local roads but there was a conflict of agenda and lack of funding for where the two met.

“The smooth running of the road network relies on the integration of the agendas of the local and state highway corridors,” said Mr Sole. “Having one agency with one policy will certainly go some way towards resolving that issue.”
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