Manawatu-Whanganui is strategically important in the lower North Island as a transport hub, both for north-south and east-west travel and as a focal point for a wide range of social services for the central North Island. The region includes the first 30 kilometres of the Levin to Wellington Airport corridor identified by the government as a ‘road of national significance’.
| Whanganui-Manawatu region | New Zealand | Region as % of NZ |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 229,000 | 4,268,500 | 5 |
| Land area (km2) | 22,200 | 275,400 | 8 |
| Imports (gross tonne)1, 2 | 4.6 million | 79.2 million | 6 |
| Exports (gross tonne)1, 2 | 4.3 million | 73.4 million | 6 |
| Gross domestic product (GDP) ($) | 6800 million | 155,400 million | 4 |
| Passenger transport - bus - boardings | 1,063,300 | 92,777,200 | 1 |
| Passenger transport - rail - boardings | - | 18,346,600 | - |
| Passenger transport - ferry - boardings | - | 4,695,000 | - |
| Vehicle kilometres travelled | 2,600 million | 40,200 million | 6 |
| Fatalities3 | 31 | 366 | 8 |
| Serious injuries3 | 154 | 2553 | 7 |
| Local roads - urban all (km) | 1132 | 17,298 | 7 |
| Local roads - urban sealed (km) | 1107 | 16,956 | 7 |
| Local roads - rural all (km) | 6685 | 65,601 | 10 |
| Local roads - rural sealed (km) | 3835 | 33,698 | 11 |
| State highways - all (km) | 959 | 10,906 | 9 |
| State highways - sealed (km) | 959 | 10,850 | 9 |
| State highways - motorway (km) | - | 172 | - |
Notes:
The section of SH1 between Levin and Otaki has been identified as part of the Levin to Wellington Airport road of national significance (RoNS) - one of seven roads whose further development, according to the GPS, will have national benefits to the roading network and to national economic development and that require significant development to reduce congestion, improve safety and support economic growth. Regions surrounding the Wellington Northern Corridor RoNS will benefit from better routes from their regions to large cities.
Safety and capacity issues from north of Levin to Pukehou are also being investigated, and a bypass to the east of Levin is proposed for investigation to improve the network's efficiency and safety.
| Manawatu-Whanganui | 2009/12 | % of total |
|---|---|---|
| Walking and cycling | - | 0.0% |
| Transport planning | 2.3 | 0.8% |
| Public transport improvements | 1.7 | 0.6% |
| New & improved infrastructure for state highways | 53.1 | 18.8% |
| New & improved infrastructure for local roads | 24.2 | 8.6% |
| Public transport services | 6.8 | 2.4% |
| Maintenance of state highways | 40.3 | 14.3% |
| Renewal of state highways | 40.8 | 14.5% |
| Maintenance of local roads | 46.2 | 16.4% |
| Renewal of local roads | 64.3 | 22.8% |
| Demand management & community programmes | 2.3 | 0.8% |
| 282.1 | 100% |
Note: includes R funds of $58m
About $81.1 million of the NLTP funding in Manawatu-Whanganui will go into operating and maintaining the region's state highway network. In addition to preserving the highway network and undertaking maintenance and improvements to meet future service levels, it will enable the NZTA to:
This NLTP allocates $53.1 million for improvements on Manawatu-Whanganui state highways.
A number of activities are designed to improve route security and efficiency and road safety, and manage the connections between state highways and local roads and access to state highways from adjacent land. These include:
The NZTA has also identified a number of small and medium-sized activities to improve the safety and efficiency of sections of the state highway network, including intersections. These include intersection improvements, realignments and seal widening. In addition, works identified from previous crash reduction studies that will be undertaken in the Manawatu-Rangitikei District include:
We will also work to provide more vehicle passing opportunities with a suite of projects throughout the region.
In addition, and as part of a national programme to provide a safe and convenient network of stock effluent disposal facilities, we plan to build facilities on SH2 in Woodville and near National Park.
Local road maintenance funding of $110.5 million will provide local roads in the Manawatu-Whanganui region with better route security, enhanced safety and the ability to meet growing traffic demands. Funding levels are at a similar level for the next three years to maintain service levels.
The NZTA expects organisations to manage their operations, maintenance and renewal activities including any changes in costs within their approved allocation.
The NLTP allocates $24.2 million for local road improvements during 2009-2012. This funding will enable improvements such as sealing the remaining unsealed sections of the Taihape to Napier road, the Okahukura Saddle Road and the Raetihi-Pipiriki Road. New projects to enhance safety on local roads include safety improvements on the Ohakune Mountain Road and the Rangitikei Tremaine signal upgrade.
There is also provision to upgrade the Pahiatua Track (on the Tararua side) and to begin preparatory investigations into a second crossing of the Manawatu River (Palmerston North City Council).
The NZTA's priorities for investment in public transport focus on urban areas with severe congestion with the aim of significantly improving peak-time public transport patronage and optimising the efficiency of existing services and infrastructure.
In this NLTP, funding for existing passenger transport services for Manawatu-Whanganui is to remain at current levels, which will ensure that all existing bus and total mobility services continue.
Horizons Regional Council is proposing improvements to bus services in Palmerston North. This NLTP provides the opportunity for funding these improved bus services and some limted network improvements where it can be demonstrated these align with the NZTA's priorities for investment.
NLTP funding of $2.3 million will enable Horizons Regional Council to work collaboratively with local community groups in developing and delivering local transport safety and sustainability activities throughout the region. Activities range from driver licence assistance courses to child restraint checking clinics and speed awareness and fatigue campaigns.
The NZTA's primary investment focus for 2009/10 is on programmes that deliver on a relevant road safety strategy and achieve a change in travel behaviour that will reduce severe congestion in major urban areas.
The NZTA Board has requested a review of this activity class to provide evidence of the benefits and value for money that its programmes deliver.
Accordingly, the funding for this activity class is approved for 2009/10 only, with the review expected to establish the funding direction for the subsequent two years. One result of this review is expected to be the development of guidelines and processes to ensure that demand management and community programmes are supported by evidence of benefits and value for money.
Planning for the future of Manawatu/Whanganui's transport network will be undertaken through the Horizons Regional Land Transport Strategy review, which plans for the future of Manawatu-Whanganui's transport network and enables the region to explore integrated planning opportunities. An important component of the RLTS is the Strategic Transportation Study, a joint initiative between Manawatu District Council, Palmerston North City Council, Horizons Regional Council and NZTA which is proposed for funding in the NLTP.
National Land Transport Fund funding for New Zealand Police road policing activities in the Manawatu/Whanganui region in 2009/10 totals $17.710 million.
This includes:
The NLTP and 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.
While there are no nationally significant projects proposed at this stage for 2012-2015, the government identified in March 2009 a number of nationally significant transport routes. These include the Wellington Northern Corridor RoNS from Levin to Wellington, of which a section (Levin to Otaki) is in the Horizons Regional Council's area. Investigations into improving this route are likely to be fast-tracked.
Last updated: 6 October 2009
