Steps to increase value for taxpayers on transport

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NZCID welcomes King's steps to increase value for tax payer money on transport

9 FEBRUARY 2007

The NZ Council for Infrastructure Development welcomes today's delivery by Transport Minister Annette King of steps aimed to increase the value for taxpayer money spent on land transport. The steps form the findings of the Government's newly released Ministerial Advisory Group on Roading Costs (MAG). Fully endorsing the report, NZCID Chief Executive Stephen Selwood states, "these findings recommend very positive and much needed changes in areas that have long hindered transport - governance, strategic planning and funding."

"Integrating long-term planning, streamlining consenting and decision-making processes, improving user-pays funding mechanisms and substantive evaluation of value for money will now provide huge opportunities to improve our transport network," Selwood adds.

"Among the key issues identified in the Ministerial Advisory Group Report on Roading Costs report is that strong governance, clear leadership and sound processes are necessary across the Government's transport organisations.

"The report demonstrates that changes in project scope have been the most significant driver of cost increases and remain the greatest risk in the future. It also found that improvements can be made in the cost estimation process and the design standards used.

"There is no doubt that the current cumbersome processes for planning and consenting transport projects are resulting in substantial delay and significant cost increases.

"NZCID fully endorses the MAG recommendations on the need for improved strategic planning and evaluation processes. We are encouraged to see Government aiming to fill the gap between the National Land Transport Strategy and existing strategy and planning processes.

"The report examines Queensland examples of integrated central and local government planning providing New Zealand with tried and true model to follow. Giving support to Transit NZ and Land Transport NZ to develop such a National Roading Strategy would herald an extremely positive step change for transport, empowering Transit and LTNZ to prioritise roading outcomes, provide guidance on funding, and assist in strategic land purchase.

"A co-operative strategic approach, which includes recommendations that agencies involved in planning share information wherever possible to ensure consistency, will surely mean positive efficiencies in time, effort, cost and outcome.

"These recommendations are relevant not just to the roading network, which was the focus of the Advisory Group Report, but apply equally to the land transport network as a whole - rail and coastal shipping included. We commend the Government on ther findings and look forward to New Zealanders seeing the benefits of their speedy implementation", concludes Selwood.

ENDS

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