Wednesday, December 11, 2024

Horizons council adopts land transport plan

Horizons Regional Council adopted its 2021-31 Regional Land Transport Plan at a Council meeting this week.

Horizons Chair, Rachel Keedwell says the Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP) sets out the region’s transport objectives, policies and priorites for the next 10 years.
 
“Today’s adopted 2021-31 RLTP concludes a 14 month process and was developed with a core focus on providing a safe, connected and efficient land transport system that offers plenty of choice in transport modes,” says Cr Keedwell. 
 
“The Plan also seeks to reduce carbon emissions through the availabilty and uptake of alternative transport modes such as rail, buses, and active transport. This is in line with national direction through the Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport.
 
“Alignment with the GPS ensures the opportunity for maxmised investment into the region’s land transport network.
 
“Within the Plan, there are a number of projects committed to or proposed that will help achieve the region’s 30 year vision providing for “a region that connects central New Zealand and supports safe, accessible, and sustainable transport options”.
 
“This includes Te Ahu Turanga – Manawatū Tararua Highway, Ōtaki to North of Levin, Palmerston North Integrated Transport Initiatitives, and more modern and frequent passenger rail services between Palmerston North and Wellington.

“Based on the Plan, Waka Kotahi will decide which activities it will include in the National Land Transport Programme (NLTP). Once included in the NLTP an activity can then be funded from the National Land Transport Fund and subsequently delivered.
 
“A successful RLTP consultative process resulted in 56 submissions and a robust hearings and deliberations process. This resulted in changes made to the passenger transport, cycling, and rail components of the Plan prior to its approval by the Regional Transport Committee earlier this month.”
 
The final Regional Land Transport Plan will be made publicly available on Horizons’ website www.horizons.govt.nz within the next four weeks.

Under the Land Transport Management Act (2003), Horizons’ Regional Transport Committee, which includes membership of the region’s seven territorial local authorties, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, NZ Police, KiwiRail, and active transport and road user associations, must prepare a Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP) every six years.
 

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