NLTP 2021–24 $910 million target investment

Reducing our carbon emissions is key to New Zealand meeting its climate change commitments. One of the most effective ways to do this is by reducing our reliance on private vehicles, especially when it comes to short trips that could easily be walked or cycled in our main urban areas.

Providing easy access to safe shared paths is part of the equation to support more people to walk and cycle, as is making cycling more affordable and providing people with the skills and confidence to ride a bike.

With our co-investment partners, we have delivered more than 253 kilometres of new walking and cycling facilities in the last three years and our planned investment in 2021–24 will continue that momentum. Cycle numbers continue to grow with cordon count numbers for Wellington up 15% on last year, and Auckland up 7%, building on an 11% increase the previous year. Since 2015–16 numbers in Christchurch have increased by 62%.

We will continue to deliver the larger projects that provide the spine and major connections in our main urban networks, such as completing the Urban Cycleways Programme, and through programmes in the larger mode shift centres, including Auckland Transport Alignment Project (ATAP), Let's Get Wellington Moving (LGWM), Urban Form + Transport Initiative (UFTI) in Tauranga, and Christchurch’s Major Cycleways.

Smaller scale projects will continue to be important in this National Land Transport Programme (NLTP), providing the missing links in New Zealand’s cycling network. Although small in scale, these projects have assisted people with disabilities gain better access within their community, made crossing busy state highways safer and helped provide important connections to existing cycling networks. We will continue to encourage these activities through low cost low risk projects and by extending the Innovating Streets programme.

During the 2021–24 NLTP, we will invest $910 million on new shared pathways, bike routes, walkways and pedestrian facilities across the country. This builds on our NLTP investment of $518 million in the last three years. The Crown also continues to make significant investment in walking and cycling activities through the NZ Upgrade Programme.

In 2021–24 we will focus on extending existing walking and cycling networks around the regions, including:

  • $179m in the Ngā Ūranga to Pito-one (Ngauranga to Petone) shared path to be built on the Wellington Harbour’s edge and connect Wellington City to the Hutt Valley.
  • $25m to complete delivery of the 7km long section two of the Glen Innes to Tāmaki Drive to connect Auckland’s eastern suburbs to the city centre.
  • $18m in Dunedin to finish the Port Chalmers safety improvements and make SH88 safer for everyone by developing a secure off highway route for pedestrians and cyclists.
  • $13m in the first stage of the Wakatipu Walking/Cycling Network to deliver a safe, connected and accessible transport network to the area.
  • $19m on Dunedin’s Urban Cycleways to accelerate the development of the cycle network and create safer cycle lanes.
  • $14m on the Mangawhai Shared Path in Kaipara to connect the different areas of Mangawhai, from the school to the beach. Improvements to the village have been made as part of the Innovating Streets Programme.
  • $9m on the New Plymouth Coastal Path – a 13.2km path from Port Taranaki to the eastern end side of Bell Block Beach.
  • $10m for a clip-on walking and cycling shared path on SH3 Ashhurst Bridge. This will improve pedestrian and cycling safety and access into Te Ahu a Turanga.
  • $7m in the Eastern Bays shared path in the Hutt Valley – a 4.4km cycleway running along Marine Drive in two sections. It also links to other paths such as the Remutaka Cycle Trail, Te Aranui o Pōneke | Great Harbour Way and Te Ara Tupua – Ngā Ūranga ki Pito-One shared path.
  • $30m to extend the Innovating Streets programme. Over the past 12 months it has had a tangible impact on accelerating the transition to a safe, healthy and low carbon transport system.
  • $21m on the Hutt City Riverlink Walking and Cycling Bridge to provide a dedicated walking and cycling connection to the Melling link and western suburbs.
  • $18m for the Let’s Get Wellington Moving (LGWM) City Streets and Safer Speed Implementation programmes, including the Cobham Drive Pedestrian Upgrade.
  • $26m for Wellington City Councils Cycleways for completing existing projects underway and establishing longer term/permanent solutions to the same corridors, and the business case and pre-implementation phases of a proposed Accelerated Cycleways Programme to deliver low-cost intervention on as much of the network as possible.
  • $57m for Tauranga City’s primary cycleways to support housing development by providing better travel options in the sub-region.
  • $190m for Auckland Transport to complete their Urban Cycleways Projects. Meadowbank–Kohimarama Connectivity Project, brownfields, airport access, and cycling investment projects.
  • $4m to Porirua City for implementation of the first phases of their Access Kenepuru to provide shared paths that connect the Kenepuru residential and mixed-use areas with the Porirua City Centre.
  • $22m for Hamilton City’s Eastern Pathways Connections and School link projects that will provide a safe biking network serving local schools, and improve public transport priority. In addition, more than $270m will be invested in smaller projects (less than $2m) delivered across New Zealand through the low cost low risk programme. This allows projects, including pedestrian safety improvements, new footpaths, shared use pathways, and cycleway connections to be prioritised locally.