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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. 

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee and Police Minister Anne Tolley have launched this summer’s road safety campaign, which will focus on preventing deaths and injuries by reducing speed, alongside greater visibility of Police.

For the first time, the reduced speed tolerance is being extended beyond an official holiday period.

A 4km/h speed threshold will be enforced by Police throughout the whole of December and January.

“We want New Zealanders to enjoy their holidays, and to be around to celebrate many more in the years ahead,” Mrs Tolley says.

A draft Intelligent Transport Systems Action Plan was released today for public consultation by Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee.

Intelligent transport systems involve the application of advanced technologies (computers, sensors, control, and communications) to transport to help save lives, time, money and energy.

“Intelligent transport systems have the potential to transform the operation of all modes of transport, but it is important that is introduced in a coordinated way so as to get the greatest benefit for New Zealand.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee has today introduced legislation that will lower the adult drink-driving limits.

The Land Transport Amendment Bill 2013 will lower the adult breath alcohol limit from 400 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath to 250mcg.

“This change will make our roads safer, save lives and prevent serious injuries,” Mr Brownlee says.

“Alcohol and driving continues to be a major problem in New Zealand, with alcohol-impaired drivers being involved in around 30 per cent of fatal crashes annually.

Associate Minister of Transport Michael Woodhouse will represent the New Zealand Government at the 5th meeting of the Standing Council of Transport and Infrastructure (SCOTI) in Brisbane today.

Mr Woodhouse will join his counterparts from both state and federal Australian governments to discuss a wide range of transport issues, with a particular focus on infrastructure.

“This meeting provides an opportunity to further develop the relationship with our Australian counterparts, and learn from each other’s challenges and experiences,” says Mr Woodhouse.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee has welcomed today’s Supreme Court decision to dismiss an appeal by Save Kapiti to the granting of consents for a stretch of the Wellington Northern Corridor Road of National Significance.

The outcome of a study into the commercial viability of a ferry terminal at Clifford Bay in Marlborough has concluded Picton should remain as the southern terminal for the inter-island ferries, Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee announced today.

Over the past year a Ministry of Transport-led expert team has been testing whether Clifford Bay could be delivered as a fully privately funded project. 

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee says Cabinet has agreed to lower the legal blood alcohol limit from 80 to 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood for drivers aged over 20.

“Legislation to bring about this change will receive its first reading before the House rises for the Christmas break,” Mr Brownlee says.

“Alcohol impairment is a major cause of road accidents in New Zealand, with an average of 61 fatalities, 244 serious injuries, and 761 minor injuries every year caused by at-fault drivers who have been drinking.

Changes that will require children up to seven years old to use an approved child restraint when travelling in motor vehicles come into force from 1 November 2013.

“Children are among the most vulnerable passengers on our roads, especially when they are not properly restrained,” says Mr Woodhouse.

“Seatbelts are simply not designed for small bodies and these changes will help reduce injuries and save young lives.”

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee has expressed his deep sympathy to the families of those who lost their lives in the January 2012 Carterton hot air balloon accident, following the release today of the Transport Accident Investigation Commission’s report into the incident.

“I acknowledge the Transport Accident Investigation Commission’s recommendations are important, and I’ve asked the Ministry of Transport to give them careful consideration,” Mr Brownlee says.

Eighteen months and 2.5 million work hours into its five-year construction programme, the huge Waterview Connection project is ready to start tunnelling.

To mark the start of the tunnelling an official send-off was held this morning for Alice – the project’s tunnel boring machine – with Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee doing the honours of switching on the huge cutter heads, which will excavate twin 2.4 km tunnels under Avondale and Waterview.

Associate Transport Minister Michael Woodhouse is reminding drivers to take care on the roads this long weekend.

“Our roads are traditionally busier over holiday weekends so it is important to take extra care on the road to ensure everyone arrives at their intended destination safely,” says Mr Woodhouse.

“The zero road toll for Queen’s Birthday Weekend this year shows that it is possible to have a holiday weekend without anyone losing their life on the roads, and I hope we can see that again this weekend.

Work towards the National War Memorial Park is progressing well and is on target to be open in time to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings on 25 April 2015, Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee and Culture and Heritage Minister Christopher Finlayson said today on a visit to the construction site in Wellington’s Buckle Street.

The underpass and National War Memorial Park is the Government’s cornerstone project to acknowledge the Centenary of the First World War (the WW100 programme). 

Associate Transport Minister Michael Woodhouse today announced that a planned review of taxi driver safety is underway.

The review will assess the extent that in-vehicle taxi cameras and monitored two-way taxi despatch systems have improved safety for taxi drivers and identify any possible improvements.

“When these two safety provisions we made compulsory in 2011, the Government committed to reviewing their effect in 2013, and we are delivering on that.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee will travel to Canada today to attend the 38th triennial assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) being held in Montréal.

ICAO is a specialised agency of the United Nations, established in 1944 to promote the safe and orderly development of international civil aviation throughout the world. Mr Brownlee will lead New Zealand’s delegation to the assembly which will be attended by over 1000 Ministers and officials from around the world.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee has reauthorised the trans-Tasman alliance between Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia, ensuring that passengers continue to benefit from the arrangements that have been in place since 2010.

Mr Brownlee says that under the alliance, the number of passengers travelling across the Tasman has continued to grow, and low fares have been maintained.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee has welcomed the formal acceptance by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) of the NZ Transport Agency's application and supporting documents to construct the Pūhoi to Warkworth section of the Ara Tūhono – Pūhoi to Wellsford Road of National Significance.

The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has now published its application and the supporting documents online at www.nzta.govt.nz/puhoi-to-warkworth-application

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee will be travelling to Tokyo, Japan to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 8th Transportation Ministerial Meeting from 4 to 6 September.

Good afternoon and thank you for the opportunity to speak at the launch of Rail Safety Week.

This year the focus for Rail Safety Week is encouraging pedestrians to be safe around train tracks. I’m pleased to see that students from Mount Albert Primary School are involved in today’s events.

Our young people play a vital role in ensuring that the message about staying safe around trains, railway stations and tracks is shared with their wider communities. 

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee says changes to the Warrant of Fitness inspection system which will save New Zealanders $1.8 billion over 30 years, agreed by Cabinet in January this year, will be introduced in two stages.

“From 1 January 2014, light vehicles first registered anywhere between 2004 and 2008 will be required to have an annual, rather than the current six-monthly warrant of fitness inspection,” Mr Brownlee says.