The Bay of Plenty Regional Council Transport Committee has proposed a $755 million Transport Economic Stimulus Package
following a meeting today. (subs May 8)
The package has been developed as a local authority transport sector action plan and has been a collaborative exercise
undertaken by the Bay of Plenty Regional Advisory Group made up of local city and district councils, Bay of Plenty
Regional Council, and New Zealand Transport Authority (NZTA).
Regional Transport Committee Chairman Cr Lyall Thurston says the package comprises transport projects and programmes
identified by local authorities throughout the region.
He says it will not only provide immediate and substantial economic stimulus if funded, but also support Central
Government’s longer-term objectives for the land transport system.
The overall package comprises five sub-packages which align with the strategic direction in the draft Government Policy
Statement on Land Transport 2021.
“The challenges we face in recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic are unprecedented in recent history. However, planning
for regional recovery brings with it significant opportunities for our growing region. We are well placed to make
significant gains and see considerable transport projects realised, something that without the pandemic, may not have
been conceivable in the short-term.
“We can expedite the recovery by working collaboratively with each other and with Central Government,” Cr Thurston says.
The activities in the Bay of Plenty Transport Economic Stimulus Package have been added as a variation to the Bay of
Plenty Regional Land Transport Plan 2018.
The Transport Economic Stimulus Package was endorsed by the Regional Transport Committee and will be sent to the
relevant government agencies.
Transport Economic Stimulus Package:Better Travel Options (Urban Growth) Package $300MBetter Travel Options (Mode Shift and Regional Cycleways) Package $212MImproving Freight Connections and Regional Resilience Package $142MSafety Package $83MMaintaining the Network Package $18MTotal $755M