Government to fully fund SkyPath as part of $390m investment in walking and cycling
07 September 2018
NZ Government:
Transport Minister Phil Twyford and Acting
Associate Transport Minister James Shaw have announced the Government
intends to fully fund
SkyPath, the walking and cycling link across
Auckland Harbour Bridge, as part of a $390 million investment in
walking and cycling projects nationwide over the next three years.
“SkyPath is a transformational project that will give Aucklanders the
freedom to walk and cycle from the Shore to the city, all while taking
in an amazing view,” said Transport Minister Phil Twyford.
The
NZ Transport Agency Board has confirmed $67 million of National Land
Transport Fund (NLTF) investment to progress SkyPath as part of a larger
$390 million walking and cycling investment package in the 2018/21
National Land Transport Programme (the NLTP). The full 2018/21 NLTP,
including details on specific transport projects, will be announced on
Friday 31 August.
“The $390 million package will be the single largest investment ever in
walking and cycling infrastructure for
New Zealand and represents a $96
million increase on the previous three years,” said Acting Associate
Transport Minister James Shaw.
“More and more Kiwis want the freedom to cycle safely around their towns
and cities, and this investment in safe cycle infrastructure is needed
to making that possible,” said Mr Shaw.
“SkyPath is the obvious, critical missing link in Auckland’s cycle
network and will become an iconic feature of Auckland’s Harbour Bridge.
“SkyPath has been talked about for over a decade, but it now has the
funding certainty to move ahead,” said Mr Twyford.
“The NZ Transport Agency will complete a detailed business case for
SkyPath by mid-2019, which will provide more certainty around the design
and timing of the project,” Mr Twyford said.
Notes for editors:
The NZ Transport Agency is currently developing a detailed business case
for SkyPath to determine the preferred design option and timeline for
construction, and to further develop project costs and benefits to
confirm the economic case for the project. Provided the detailed
business case confirms the economic case, the project will proceed to
implementation, with construction beginning after the necessary designs
are complete and consents in place. The detailed business case will be
complete by mid-2019.
The full 2018/21 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will be
published by the NZ Transport Agency on August 31. The NLTP will detail
investment levels for 12 separate activity classes planned for New
Zealand’s land transport system over the next three years to give effect
to the Government’s transport priorities. The NLTP is a partnership
between local government which invests local funding on behalf of
ratepayers and the NZ Transport Agency which invests national funding on
behalf of Government through the National Land Transport Fund (NLTF).
Funds for the NLTF are collected from petrol excise, road user charges
and vehicle registration and licensing fees.
--ENDS--
Source: New Zealand Government - www.beehive.govt.nz
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