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Budget 2014 provides $375 million of new capital funding for the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) to accelerate $815 million worth of Auckland transport projects, Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee says.

The projects will address congestion in our largest city, capitalise on the benefits of major roading projects already under way, such as the Western Ring Route, and improve access to Auckland International Airport.

“No Government has invested so heavily in transport infrastructure across all transport modes,” Mr Brownlee says.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee says the signing in Auckland this morning of an air services agreement with Sri Lanka is the latest in a string of similar agreements making it easier for New Zealanders to travel and do business internationally.

“This government has a firm commitment to the extension and liberalisation of international air service agreements and has set a cracking pace in seeing them concluded,” Mr Brownlee says.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee and Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce today released a study of the East Coast region’s economic potential over the next 30 years.

The East Coast Regional Economic Potential Study assesses the region’s economic performance and barriers to development, and models five economic growth scenarios along with their implications for transport infrastructure and the skills needed.

Associate Transport Minister Michael Woodhouse is urging motorists to take care over the rest of the extended break.  

The official Easter holiday period finished this morning, with a provisional road toll of four. However, with another public holiday falling on Friday, and school holidays this week, many New Zealanders will still be travelling.

“Another four families are grieving this week, and my sympathy is with them, and all others who have been impacted by road crashes,” Mr Woodhouse says.

Associate Transport Minister Michael Woodhouse is urging road users to slow down and take care this Easter.

“Arriving safely at their destination should be the top priority for everyone travelling on the roads over the long weekend,” Mr Woodhouse says. 

Police will be enforcing a reduced 4km/h threshold over the extended Easter and Anzac holiday period, which will run from 4pm today till 6am on Monday 28 April.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee says Labour leader David Cunliffe has got himself in the most astonishing predicament on TV3’s Firstline this morning, by claiming the National Land Transport Fund is “going to be in surplus very soon,” so it’s time to give some of it back to taxpayers.

“We know Mr Cunliffe is under significant pressure from his own caucus, having announced policy on the hoof yesterday without telling the team back at Labour’s war room,” Mr Brownlee says.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee says Ministry of Transport analysis of Labour’s new policy for taxing motorhomes shows many motorhome owners would actually be charged higher Road User Charges under a Labour government than they are presently, not lower, as Labour’s leader claimed this morning.

“This is frankly remarkable – I’m not sure if David Cunliffe is being tricky or if Labour is simply a shambles,” Mr Brownlee says.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee says today’s Labour policy announcements of cutting revenue currently being invested in safer, more productive transport infrastructure should worry the public on a number of levels.

“Putting to one side the barmy proposal of banning trucks from the right hand lane, what this signals is Labour, hand in hand with the Greens, would be appalling economic managers in government.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee welcomes today’s switching-on of overhead lines into the Britomart Transport Centre as a milestone for Auckland’s transport network.

“Electrification is a key element of the government’s focus on supporting a cohesive, efficient transport system for Auckland,” Mr Brownlee says.

Introduction

Thank you for that introduction, Arlene.

It is my pleasure to extend to all the delegates a warm welcome to New Zealand, and specifically to Christchurch.

Christchurch is one of New Zealand’s largest cities and has a rich and varied history, including becoming New Zealand's first city by Royal Charter in 1856.

Since the major earthquakes in 2010 and 2011 and the thousands of subsequent aftershocks Christchurch has re-emerged at the forefront of New Zealand’s economic recovery.

New Zealand’s riskiest intersections are being targeted for safety improvements as part of the Government’s on-going effort to reduce death and injury on our roads, Associate Transport Minister Michael Woodhouse announced today.

“The Government has tasked the NZ Transport Agency and local authorities to identify New Zealand’s 100 highest-risk intersections in order to target safety improvements,” Mr Woodhouse says. 

Associate Transport Minister Michael Woodhouse welcomes the publication of a new guide aimed at improving road safety around rural schools.

“While we can be thankful there have been relatively few deaths and serious injuries near rural schools over the last few years, even one incident is one too many,” Mr Woodhouse says.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee says the National Freight Demand Study 2014, released today, is a ringing endorsement of the Government’s work programme to future proof roading networks in New Zealand’s most populous regions and their linkages to strategic ports.

“Put simply the National Freight Demand Study 2014 says the $12 billion investment in the Roads of National Significance couldn’t have come at a better time,” Mr Brownlee says.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee has announced a staged 20 per cent decrease in the airline passenger security charges for domestic passengers over the next two years.

“Passenger security charges are paid by airlines on behalf of passengers,” Mr Brownlee says. 

“The charges are levied on airlines and are generally passed on to passengers in the price of an air ticket.”

Associate Transport Minister Michael Woodhouse has welcomed the appointment of the New Zealand Cycle Safety Panel, an expert group tasked with helping find practical ways to make cycling safer on New Zealand roads.

“New Zealand has seen a significant reduction in the number of serious car crashes in recent years. However, this trend has not been mirrored by similar improvements for cyclists,” Mr Woodhouse says.

Electronic stability control (ESC) is to become mandatory for new and used vehicles imported into New Zealand, with a proposed timetable announced today by Associate Transport Minister Michael Woodhouse.

“ESC has been described by the New Zealand Automobile Association and many road safety experts as the most significant advance in vehicle safety since the seatbelt,” Mr Woodhouse says.

Associate Transport Minister Michael Woodhouse has welcomed the unprecedented response to the latest road safety advertisement from the NZTA.

“Mistakes, is a powerful new ad that helps drivers understand that no matter how careful they are, other people will always make mistakes, and if we slow down fewer people will pay for mistakes with their lives,” Mr Woodhouse says.

Associate Transport Minister Michael Woodhouse says drivers in New Zealand need to continue to take on board road safety messages and take responsibility on the roads so that more people arrive at their destinations safely, after a higher Christmas holiday period road toll than last year.

Seven people died on the roads as a result of seven fatal crashes during the official holiday period which ran from 4pm on 24 December to 6am this morning. This is one more death than the same period last year which was the lowest road toll for this time since 1956/57.

The provisional road toll for 2013 of 254 is the lowest in the last 60 years, Associate Transport Minister Michael Woodhouse announced today. This compares with 308 in 2012, 284 in 2011, and 375 in 2010.

“The 2013 road toll was 34 per cent lower than four years ago and it’s particularly pleasing that 15-24 year olds have seen a significant drop with a 37 per cent lower road toll than in 2009,” Mr Woodhouse says.

Associate Transport Minister Michael Woodhouse is urging road users to travel safely over the summer holidays.

“We are on track to record the lowest annual road toll in 60 years, but we’re not there yet. We still have the busiest holiday period of the year to come so I urge everyone to be extra vigilant on the road this Christmas season,” Mr Woodhouse says.

As at 20 December there have been 245 fatalities due to road crashes for the year, this is 52 fewer than at the same time last year.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee today officially opened the 12.3 kilometre Ngaruawahia section of the Waikato Expressway, marking a significant milestone towards the completion of the transformational 102km road of national significance.

“This important section of road will encourage and support economic growth and productivity through improved linkages between the Auckland, Waikato and the Bay of Plenty regions, where the majority of the country’s freight and travel movement occurs,” Mr Brownlee says.

Associate Transport Minister Michael Woodhouse is urging drivers to put their cell phones away after a survey of 29,000 moving vehicles found one in every 40 drivers using a cell phone.

The Ministry of Transport survey found half of those using a cell phone while driving had a phone held to their head and the other half appeared to be texting.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee has announced a $2 million package to help Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) improve New Zealand’s wider maritime response capability.

The funding follows the Minister’s release today of an independent review of MNZ’s response to the grounding of the Rena off the coast of Tauranga in October 2011.

Conducted by former Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Murdoch, the review identified several areas for improvement.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee has turned the first digger-bucket of soil to mark the start of construction on the MacKays to Peka Peka Expressway, an important milestone in the Government’s work to deliver better infrastructure for a more prosperous New Zealand.

Mr Brownlee also welcomed the NZ Transport Agency’s announcement it has chosen a consortium to enter into preferred bidder negotiations with for the Transmission Gully Public Private Partnership (PPP) highway project.