The Southland region needs to address a number of transport-related issues between now and 2012. Our top priority in delivering economic growth and productivity in the region is to ensure freight can move within Southland efficiently and safely.
| Southland region | New Zealand | Region as % of NZ |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 45,100 | 4,268,500 | 1 |
| Land area (km2) | 34,300 | 275,400 | 12 |
| Imports (gross tonne)1, 2 | 2.8 million | 79.2 million | 4 |
| Exports (gross tonne)1, 2 | 2.3 million | 73.4 million | 3 |
| Gross domestic product (GDP) ($) | 3300 million | 155,400 million | 2 |
| Passenger transport - bus - boardings | 423,500 | 92,777,200 | 0 |
| Passenger transport - rail - boardings | - | 18,346,600 | - |
| Passenger transport - ferry - boardings | - | 4,695,000 | - |
| Vehicle kilometres travelled | 1,100 million | 40,200 million | 3 |
| Fatalities3 | 10 | 366 | 3 |
| Serious injuries3 | 58 | 2553 | 3 |
| Local roads - urban all (km) | 615 | 17,298 | 4 |
| Local roads - urban sealed (km) | 559 | 16,956 | 3 |
| Local roads - rural all (km) | 5831 | 65,601 | 9 |
| Local roads - rural sealed (km) | 2210 | 33,698 | 7 |
| State highways - all (km) | 777 | 10,906 | 7 |
| State highways - sealed (km) | 777 | 10,850 | 7 |
| State highways - motorway (km) | - | 172 | - |
Notes:
| Southland | 2009/12 | % of total |
|---|---|---|
| Walking and cycling | 0.1 | 0.0% |
| Transport planning | 1.6 | 1.0% |
| Public transport improvements | - | 0.0% |
| New & improved infrastructure for state highways | 17.5 | 11.3% |
| New & improved infrastructure for local roads | 13.1 | 8.5% |
| Public transport services | 3.0 | 2.0% |
| Maintenance of state highways | 37.5 | 24.2% |
| Renewal of state highways | 25.6 | 16.5% |
| Maintenance of local roads | 19.5 | 12.6% |
| Renewal of local roads | 36.2 | 23.3% |
| Demand management & community programmes | 1.0 | 0.7% |
| 155.1 | 100% |
Note: includes R funds of $22m
Maintaining Southland's state highway network to cope with increases in heavy motor vehicle traffic will be vital to the region's economy in the next three years and beyond.
During 2009-2012, more than 80 kilometres of state highway resealing will be completed in Southland. In addition to this work a series of variable message signs will be installed on SH94 Milford Road. These will provide drivers with up-to-date information on road conditions and help make this road safer.
The NLTP allocates $17.5 million to improvements on the Southland state highway network.
Activities that are likely to be funded include a project to address safety issues around the Homer Tunnel - a crucial part of SH94, New Zealand's only alpine highway linking Te Anau and Milford Sound, and a vital cog in New Zealand's multi-billion-dollar tourism industry.
Safety issues include potential fires (including in buses) and crashes during the avalanche season when the tunnel becomes two-way. Safety options under consideration include widening work to create a two-way tunnel and improving fire safety, air quality and lighting.
A number of projects designed to reduce the fatal and serious injuries resulting from crashes on the state highway network are due to start in the next three years. They may include:
Local road maintenance funding of $55.7 million will help make the region's local roads safer and more efficient through resealing and minor safety work. The NZTA has approved a three-year allocation and expects organisations to manage the required maintenance, operations and renewal programmes including any changes in costs within that allocation.
The NLTP allocates $13.1 million to local road improvements in Southland. The majority of this funding will go towards the current re-decking of the Tiwai Bridge, which will significantly increase its life.
There has been a substantial increase in funding for public transport services nationally across 2009-12 with an increase of 30% to $630 million compared with the previous three years.
Although there has been a significant increase in funding, there is an expectation that every regional authority will manage their public transport programmes efficiently and effectively within the funding allocations provided to ensure that these are delivering value for money. A challenge is to improve the effectiveness of public transport networks by extracting the maximum value from past and current investments. The NZTA is developing a national framework for a farebox policy that will assist regional authorities as part of this process.
The block funding approach to public transport programmes will provide regional authorities with the flexibility to reassign funding to cover variability in the delivery of programme activities, provided the total expenditure stays within the overall allocation.
This NLTP allocates $3.0 million to public transport services in Southland, covering the costs of providing total mobility and other public transport services. It recognises that transport choice is important for those with limited access to cars or who are vulnerable to fuel price increases.
National Land Transport Fund funding for New Zealand Police road policing activities in the Southland region totals $6.846 million for 2009/10.
This includes:
The total funding also meets all the costs involved in road policing, including vehicles and equipment, communications, accommodation and information systems and technology.
The detailed 2009/10 Road Policing Programme can be viewed on the New Zealand Police website at www.police.govt.nz/service/road(external link). The programmes for 2010/11 and 2011/12 will be published annually on the site once they have been approved by the Minister of Transport.
Post 2012/13, decisions are likely to have been made on the best options for addressing safety issues affecting the SH94 Homer Tunnel, and work may start on implementing them.
Last updated: 6 October 2009
