Work has started on a major project to assess and prioritise Taranaki's land transport needs over the coming three decades.
Immediate priorities such as the northern access into New Plymouth and longer-term issues such as the effects of population change all need to be taken into account as the Regional Land Transport Strategy is reviewed, says the Chairman of the Regional Transport Committee, Roger Maxwell.
"The strategy is important because it will guide investment. And it's a forward-looking document that has a 30-year horizon," says Mr Maxwell. "That's challenging when you think of all the changes over the past 30 years, especially as the rate of change is ever-increasing."
The review kicked off earlier this month with a meeting of Councils, agencies and interest groups.
Options for an extra Waiwhakaiho River bridge were among the key topics and Mr Maxwell says the widening of SH3 between Vickers Road and central New Plymouth is set to be among the top priorities.
"Improvements to SH3 north, particularly the Mount Messenger and Awakino Gorge sections, will be another key issue," says Mr Maxwell
Other topics covered in this month's Strategy forum included:
- Building on east-west freight options to feed export products to Port Taranaki, New Zealand's closest deep-water port to Australia. As well as benefiting the Taranaki region, this would also relieve pressure on routes into Auckland from the south.
- The need to emphasise Taranaki's current and potential contribution to the national economy, especially through agriculture and oil and gas exploration and production. National transport funding is usually distributed on a population basis but Taranaki could argue that its slice should reflect the region's economic and strategic importance.
- The importance of consistent travel times, especially for key industries.
- The fact that most of the main safety issues relate to the region's topography.
- The impact of population growth, and of an ageing population.
- The need to integrate transport modes, an example being the proposed Western Blue Highway which would see freight from the South Island brought to New Plymouth by roll-on, roll-off ferry and continue the northwards journey by road.
"These are the sorts of elements that need to be woven into the strategy," says Mr Maxwell. "We also need to be realistic, as there are always going to be limits on funding."
A draft Strategy will be published in the New Year for a formal public consultation and submissions process before it is finally adopted.
While it has a 30-year timeframe, it will be reviewed after six years.
For more information on the Regional Land Transport Strategy, click here.