Transport Challenges for Canterbury, Views Welcome
November 20, 2009
Work has started on a new strategy
to manage Canterbury’s transport system - the Canterbury
Regional Land Transport Strategy 2011 – 2041.
Development of the strategy is being led by the
Canterbury Regional Transport Committee - a committee that
brings together representatives from Environment Canterbury,
the New Zealand Transport Agency and city and district
councils in the region. The committee also has
representatives to address economic development, safety,
public health, access and mobility, environmental
sustainability and cultural interests.
As part of the
development of the strategy, the Regional Transport
Committee is seeking to understand the key challenges facing
our transport system over the next 30 years.
Regional
Transport Committee chair and Environment Canterbury
Councillor Jo Kane says that the committee wants to ensure
that plans reflect community needs and those of generations
to come.
“The decisions we make now will shape the
future for the region’s transport. This is a great
opportunity for people to say what they think when it
matters – before we start.
Your input will help us develop a clearer understanding of the issues so we can then start investigating the best options for managing them.”
“Every district will have their own perspective on
the transport issues that are important to them. Our job is
to collate those views and produce a regional plan that will
set out the key transport plans to be progressed within
Canterbury over the next 30 years,” says Cr
Kane.
Deputy Mayor Michael Oliver is a member of the
Regional Transport Committee and says that there are many
issues that will affect transport planning for the Timaru
District over the next 30 years.
“We need to
consider how we are going to ensure our freight networks
(road, rail, and sea) are adequate to service agriculture
and its associated processing industries. How can we meet
the needs of our more rural towns if the price of oil rises
significantly as it is expected to do?”
“I urge you to have your say to ensure that the needs of our district are identified in the overall regional strategy. The final transport strategy will provide the basis for funding allocations and so it is critical that all the issues that need to be considered are identified at this early stage,” says Cr Oliver.
Comments are welcomed until 9 December online: http://http://www.ecan.govt.nz/transport
Public input will be used to compile a draft strategy that will undergo further public consultation in 2011.
Please find
attached a leaflet which summarises some of the key issues
affecting the region: http://img.scoop.co.nz/media/pdfs/0911/canterbury.pdf
ENDS