Connecting New Zealand strategy welcomed

Media Release – for immediate release

2 September 2011

Connecting New Zealand strategy welcomed

The release of the government’s 10-year transport plan, Connecting New Zealand, has been welcomed as an essential strategy that will provide certainty for the country’s productive sector.

Federation chief executive Jeremy Sole said the integrated strategy gives all transport modes confidence that a long-term plan is in place to accommodate increases in freight volumes and population.

“This provides the ability to understand government thinking. We hope that, at a high level, this plan can endure successive governments over the coming decade. If it does then it will boost business confidence and planning among designers, constructors and the entire productive sector.

Mr Sole said every business relying on the country’s transport infrastructure systems to move goods and provide services would now be able to initiate long-term planning scenarios with more certainty.

“And, for members of NZCF, who are the people charged with building and maintaining our transport networks, this announcements provides the platform for more informed resource planning. That will help to grow the economy, productivity and GDP.”

The 10-year plan announced by Transport Minister Steven Joyce, a summary of the government’s proposed transport direction for transport for the next decade, includes a $36 billion investment in road and a $4.6 billion investment in rail.
ENDS

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