Western Ring Route Announcement Hailed

Association of Consulting Engineers and Contractors’ Federation hail Western Ring Route announcement.


The Association of Consulting Engineers (ACENZ) and the New Zealand Contractors’ Federation (NZCF) have welcomed the announcement of funding approval to complete the Western Ring Route.

The organisations hailed the major boost the $2.032bn NZ Transport Agency scheme will bring to the civil construction industry and the opportunities it provides to introduce new skills to New Zealand.

ACENZ chief executive Kieran Shaw said: “New Zealand has a dynamic and robust roading construction industry that invariably rises to meet new challenges, and produces quality results.

“The ambitious and exciting Waterview project announced by Minister Steven Joyce this morning is exactly the stimulus needed to move the industry up to yet another level of skills and expertise.

“Undertaking this new magnitude of NZ project design and construction works, particularly completing the 2.4 kilometre road tunnel, will only further enhance the trust and close working relationships that have developed between NZTA, consulting engineering firms and the contractors. The NZ public as well the future capability of our industry will benefit from this work.”

NZCF Chief Executive Jeremy Sole said: “This will be the biggest and most ambitious civil infrastructure project in New Zealand for decades and will involve challenges and technology which are new to the Kiwi industry.

“The New Zealand contractors tendering for the work are planning to bring in overseas partners to fill any technology gaps. That is a huge bonus because it means those technologies and skills will be transferred to the industry here.”

Mr Sole said the project will provide a major boost out of the recession for the civil construction sector.

“The NZTA has given us assurances that providing funding to assure the earliest possible completion of the ring road will not lead to funding being diverted from regional projects and those will continue as per the National Land Transport Plan which is also good news for the rest of the country,” he said.

“Another advantage of such a major project is the opportunities it provides for collaboration between the many different stakeholders, which result in positive new relationships.

“The NZTA has a forward-thinking approach, with all parties, including client, engineers and contractors, working together from the earliest stages of projects and that will bring significant whole of life benefits to this scheme.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media