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Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee has marked a significant milestone this morning in the Government’s effort to improve Auckland’s motorway network.

The Minister gave the official signal at 10.15am to a crane operator at the Newmarket Viaduct Replacement project site to begin work removing the giant launching gantry affectionately known as ‘Big Blue’ from the construction site.

A new rule that raises the upper limit for the mandatory use of child restraints is a sensible move to help keep more of our children safe on the roads, says Associate Minister of Transport Simon Bridges.

“International and local research shows that in the event of a crash, young school age passengers are at considerable risk if they are only restrained by an adult seatbelt.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee has announced Cabinet approval for $4 million of funding for the design and construction of passing opportunities on State Highway 2 between Napier and Gisborne.

“I acknowledge concerns about getting freight in and out of the Gisborne region in the most cost effective way since the Napier to Gisborne rail line closed north of Wairoa in March following storm damage, and the subsequent decision by KiwiRail to mothball the line.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee says compensation agreements worth up to $38 million have been signed between the owners of the Rena and the Crown.

Under the agreements Daina Shipping will pay compensation of $27.6 million to the Crown for costs incurred in clean-up after the ship grounded off Tauranga last October.  A further $10.4 million will be paid if Daina Shipping and The Swedish Club (the Rena’s insurers) decide to apply for, are granted, and use a resource consent to leave part of the wreck in place, reflecting their reduced salvage costs.

Associate Transport Minister Simon Bridges is inviting people to have their say on options to make New Zealand’s vehicle licensing systems simpler and more efficient.

“The current systems have been in place for decades and affect every vehicle owner and driver so we need to be sure the rationale for all of these are still clear and justified.”

The Vehicle Licensing Reform project, jointly led by the Ministry of Transport and the NZ Transport Agency, is looking at ways to refine the following systems:

Twenty-five per cent of the motorists who have died on the roads so far this year were not wearing their safety belts, says Associate Transport Minister Simon Bridges.

“We know safety belts can be the difference between life and death, and many of these deaths will have been preventable. I urge road users to take responsibility for their safety – take this simple step to stay safe.”

The Marine Legislation Bill had its first reading in Parliament today.

The Bill makes amendments to the Maritime Transport Act 1994 across three main categories: implementing international maritime conventions; port, harbour and navigation safety; and miscellaneous provisions.

The Bill also amends the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effect) Act 2012 by the transfer of certain discharge and dumping of waste functions from Maritime New Zealand to the Environmental Protection Authority.

Changes to the graduated motorcycle licensing system, to ensure novice motorcyclists are better prepared to drive safely on the road, will come into force over the next couple of months, says Associate Transport Minister Simon Bridges.

“Motorcyclists are 20 times more at risk of suffering death or serious injury than car drivers over the same distance travelled, and increasing and improving motorcycle safety is a priority area in the Government’s Safer Journeys strategy.”

Effective from 1 October are the following:

Cabinet has confirmed a new International Air Transport Policy Statement, Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee has announced.

“The policy aims to grow the economy by providing New Zealanders with better access to the world and helping increase trade in goods and services,” Mr Brownlee says.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee has welcomed the release of the New Zealand Transport Agency’s National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) for 2012 – 2015 – the largest programme of its kind in the country’s history.

A new funding framework for the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will enable the organisation to improve air safety and ensure users meet the true cost of the services they receive, Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee says.

“The new framework will ensure the CAA is sufficiently resourced to continue delivering air safety benefits in a rapidly changing environment and to provide opportunities for continued economic growth.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee says safety on the country’s rail network is and always will be the primary underlying factor in rail operations.

His comments come following the leaking of KiwiRail’s draft Infrastructure and Engineering Business Plan 2013 – 2015 to Radio New Zealand; a document KiwiRail has this afternoon released along with appropriate explanations of its purpose and contents.

Research commissioned by the Ministry of Transport is increasing understanding of the issues involved in combatting drugged driving in New Zealand, says Associate Minister of Transport Simon Bridges.

“The drug driving law is working well and helping to take impaired drivers off the road. However, continuing research is essential. A study released today has shown there are areas where we need to be vigilant, such as drivers detected with alcohol and cannabis in their system who were deemed to have caused a crash.”

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee says claims from opposition MPs and roading lobbyists that the government is neglecting local roads at the expense of the seven Roads of National Significance are not supported by the facts.

“Local roads receive almost as much funding as the state highways which are so important to delivering greater economic outcomes for New Zealanders,” Mr Brownlee says.

“The overall standard of local roads in New Zealand is generally very high after a decade of sustained and significant investment.

Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson and Associate Transport Minister Simon Bridges have launched a new action plan to bring down the unacceptable number of workplace injuries experienced by the fishing sector.

The Fishing Sector Action Plan identifies concrete actions for reducing this rate of harm, including implementation of a proposed new Maritime Operator Safety System (MOSS) and Qualifications and Operational Limits Framework (QOL).

Rail Safety Week is a timely reminder for all drivers, cyclists and pedestrians to be aware of the dangers around rail tracks and crossings, Associate Transport Minister Simon Bridges said today at the launch of this year’s Rail Safety Week at Wellington Railway Station.

This year’s Rail Safety Week campaign aims to reduce trespassing on rail tracks — the leading cause of railway related deaths in New Zealand — and encouraging safe behaviour around stations and pedestrian crossings.

Starting next month New Zealand courts will have the ability to require serious or repeat drink-drivers to have alcohol interlock devices fitted to their vehicles.

“Interlocks are the latest in a raft of important new measures being introduced to reduce deaths and injuries caused by drink-drivers as part of the Government’s Safer Journeys strategy,” says Associate Transport Minister Simon Bridges.

Associate Transport Minister Simon Bridges says changes to the rules for agricultural vehicles will reduce compliance costs while still ensuring safety.

In September 2011 a review was initiated into the laws regulating the 40,000 registered agricultural vehicles in New Zealand in response to the sector’s concerns the laws do not take into account the special nature of agricultural vehicles or the demands of agricultural production.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee and Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Christopher Finlayson have today announced details of a National War Memorial Park to be developed in time for Anzac Day 2015.

The National War Memorial Park was announced by the Prime Minister this morning outside the National War Memorial in Wellington.

Changes to the Maritime Rule covering the design and construction of fishing boats, and the equipment used on them, will improve safety, lift compliance and better meet the needs of the fishing industry, says Associate Transport Minister Simon Bridges.

Amendments to Part 40D (Design, Construction and Equipment – Fishing Ships) make the Rule more applicable to vessels less than 24m in length, which make up more than 90 per cent of the 1070 vessels in the New Zealand fishing fleet.

Associate Transport Minister Simon Bridges is concerned by the recent spate of road crashes and says these show the need to continue progress in improving safety. 

“July has been a tragic month on the roads, and my thoughts are with those who have lost loved ones.

“At 161, our road toll is six higher than it was at this time last year, yet the number of fatal crashes is down by 11. This means that the crashes that are occurring are resulting in multiple fatalities.”

A new driver licence for commercial jet boat drivers operating on rivers adds a further level of safety assurance for one of New Zealand’s iconic outdoor adventure activities, Associate Transport Minister Simon Bridges said today.

The new licence, as well as on-going competency checks for all drivers, is part of the Maritime Rule Part 82: Commercial Jet Boat Operations – River.

Associate Transport Minister Simon Bridges says rule changes for passenger service vehicles remove unnecessary regulation and ensure New Zealand requirements are in line with those overseas.

The Land Transport Rule: Passenger Service Vehicles Amendment 2012 updates requirements for doorways, aisles, seating and other features of passenger vehicles so they reflect the needs of users, operators and manufacturers.

Associate Minister for Transport Simon Bridges says Kiwi drivers deserve credit for a smooth transition to the new give way rules, with no serious crashes attributed to the rule changes since they were rolled out three months ago, on March 25.

“Drivers around the country have risen to the challenge and the naysayers who predicted widespread chaos and confusion have well and truly been proven wrong,” says Mr Bridges.