Transit New Zealand
National Office
Media Release

27 February 2007

Transit releases its draft 2007/08 Land Transport Programme and 10-year Financial Forecast

Transit New Zealand today released its draft 2007/08 Land Transport Programme (LTP) and 10-year Financial Forecast for public consultation.

The draft Programme sets out Transit’s proposed priorities and activities for the state highway network from July 2007 to June 2008.

“This is a national planning document and we want to encourage people’s input,” Transit chief executive, Rick van Barneveld says. “It will be adjusted and revised based on the feedback we receive, to form Transit’s final State Highway Forecast, published at the end of June 2007.”

The structure of this year’s draft has changed due to the increased funding stability provided by Budget 2006. This year Transit is consulting on a one-year land transport programme, 2007/08 and a 10-year financial forecast, 2007/08 to 2016/2017, to update last year’s planning document. The updated State Highway Forecast, when it is published at the end of June, will list projects in the first four years to 2010/11 and a further indicative list of projects for the remaining six years of the forecast.

The draft Land Transport Programme has only been amended slightly from the one published in June last year, following the Government’s commitment to a five year funding guarantee for a package of large projects. The 2006/07 SHF provided the basis for a five-year package of large projects (known as key deliverables), and this draft Land Transport Programme continues to reflect these over the remaining four years. Because the key deliverables have previously been consulted on, the main focus for consultation this year are new projects coming into the Land Transport Programme for the first time, the priority order in which projects are shown and maintenance activities.

“The five-year plan has provided much greater stability for us to deliver on the 10-year State Highway Forecast,” says Mr van Barneveld. “The certainty of Government funding means existing proposals can progress with more confidence. The five-year construction plan will be reviewed in 2008/09 and at the same time be extended to a six-year plan with an associated funding guarantee.

Transit is particularly interested in people’s views on new projects that are in the Programme for the first time [New projects are shown in red in the draft LTP]. Apart from one or two exceptions these are limited to update the three-year rolling programme of small to medium-sized projects. We are not consulting on those projects that are either committed or under construction.

The draft Land Transport Programme and 10-year Financial Forecast is available to view or download on Transit’s website at 8.30am on Wednesday 28 February at www.transit.govt.nz/planning. Reference copies are available to view at local councils and libraries. Alternatively, hard copies are available by post, by emailing your requesting to ltp[at]transit.govt.nz or telephoning Transit’s national office on (04) 499 6600.

Key dates:

- Consultation runs from Wednesday 28 February to Friday 30th March at 12 noon - Closing date for written submissions
- 16th to 20th April - Public hearings will take place at 16 centres throughout New Zealand.
- End of June – Following consideration of submissions by Transit’s Board, the finalised 10-year State Highway Forecast for 2007/08-2016/17 will be released

ENDS

www.transit.govt.nz

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