Marsdenpoint’s Post

This will be of interest to keen watchers of #Northland #infrastructure rehabilitation: The government policy statement (GPS) on land transport has been published today: https://lnkd.in/ggcrrURb. In the plan, the Government has confirmed a spend of $22 billion (approx. $7b a year for the next three years). Of particular interest to Northlanders: * The GPS "includes investment to reverse recent speed-limit reductions, enabling people to get to where they need to go quickly and safely. This includes making it easier for the NZTA to increase speed limits to 110 km/h on roads that are engineered to that safety standard." * Investment in Roads of National Significance includes specific reference to the following sections between Whangārei and Auckland: - alternative to Brynderwyns - Whangārei to Port Marsden (presumably the junction between SH1 and ‘Port Marsden Highway’) - Warkworth to Wellsford * The Government aims to adopt a more forensic approach to supporting rail. “This Government’s focus will be to invest in maintaining the network between the busiest and most productive parts of the existing rail network – between Auckland, Hamilton, and Tauranga.” * The GPS makes only this reference to the proposed Marsden Point Rail Spur: “The Crown is committed to funding... the Marsden Rail Spur investigation” (page 35). * The draft GPS published in March for consultation contained no references to coastal shipping. In the final GPS published today, the activity has been reinstated through a dedicated coastal shipping resilience fund of $30 million over three years. The money for this is to be diverted from Crown rail funding.

Major works have commenced on the $430 million New Swan River Crossings project in Fremantle, marking a significant milestone in improving connectivity and safety in the region. This transformative infrastructure project will deliver new road and rail bridges, easing congestion and enhancing access for both commuters and freight. The project is a key part of Western Australia’s METRONET program and aims to future-proof transport links across the Swan River, while also preserving the heritage-listed Fremantle Traffic Bridge. Once completed, the new crossings will improve safety, reduce travel times, and support economic growth by providing vital transport connections for the region. With construction underway, this project represents a significant investment in Western Australia's infrastructure and will play a crucial role in supporting local jobs and the economy. https://lnkd.in/giTfKDMR #Infrastructure #Transport #WesternAustralia #CivilEngineering #Construction #UrbanDevelopment #WAInfrastructure

RailNews // Light Rail has been a hot topic last week, with much welcomed news that the second stage of Parramatta's multibillion dollar rail project given the green light. In contrast, in our nation's capital, claims are being made that the Light Rail Stage 2B Commonwealth Park to Woden (Stage 2B) is not cost-effective. These claims simply do not take into consideration the huge, long-term economic benefits light rail delivers well beyond providing an efficient public transport solution. Light rail projects in Australia and across the globe have consistently shown to dramatically transform communities, driving urban renewal and growth along its corridor, supporting better housing and job opportunities. Light rail delivers the kind of significant economic, social and environmental benefits that buses cannot, whose routes can easily be stopped or altered at any time. The revitalisation of Northbourne Ave and around Dickson interchange due to the first stage of the Canberra Light Rail were testament to the positive impact that permanent public transport infrastructure has on investment and urban development. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gsw4FhEV #rail #news #comments 

From airport expansions and dam removals to federal funding and legal wranglings, here are the articles that were most popular with our readers.

Wellington, NZ / July 5, 2024 / RNZ / – Seven significant #roading projects across New Zealand are now underway, according to Transport Minister Simeon Brown. This development is part of the government's plan to prioritize 17 Roads of National Significance (#RoNS) outlined in the recent Policy Statement on Land Transport (#GPS). While cost concerns remain, the government intends to utilize alternative revenue options such as public-private partnerships, road #tolling, equity finance schemes, and value capture. The Northland Roads of National Significance will be treated as a single strategic corridor, with Warkworth to Wellsford being the initial focus. "Delivering on commitments in our coalition agreements, we are moving at pace to progress a new generation of RoNS across the country to support economic growth and get people and freight to where they want to go, quickly and safely," Brown stated. Investigations and planning for the remaining eight projects will commence in the next three years. Brown emphasized the need for fast-track legislation to maintain a pipeline of consented #infrastructure projects. "Investments in these essential corridors will make it easier for New Zealanders to get where they need to go, create a more productive and resilient transport network, drive economic growth, and unlock land for thousands of new houses," he concluded. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver

The long awaited East - West Strategic Road Corridor from Dundalk to Sligo through Carrickmacross, Shercock, Cootehill, Cavan , Belturbet , Enniskillen is a Key Project that needs to be included by Government urgently to help transform this Northern and Western Region / Northern and Western Regional Assembly . This has to be accelerated after 20 years of Feasibility , Design and Consultation work undertaken along the route as well as been in numerous Northern and Western Regional Assembly and County Development Plans without the required Capital Allocation by previous Governments to date. Industry, Tourism ,Education & Training and Enterprise in general are the losers here with longer journey times, and subsequent cost of doing business soaring as a result, not to mention major health and safety issues on the existing antiquated Regional road system for our growing population.

Over €16.7M for roads, cycleways and greenways in Cavan

Over €16.7M for roads, cycleways and greenways in Cavan

GETTING BRITAIN MOVING | The A14 between Huntingdon and Cambridge is a strategically important part of the UK highway network, which made being part of the £1.4 billion improvement scheme a no-brainer for us! We even established a new £3.5 million plant at Godmanchester to deliver the 740,000 tonnes of asphalt required. Infrastructure reforms are high on the government's agenda as part of the 'get Britain building again' plans, and we believe it's expertise like ours that will help us move forward. Take a look at how we limited surface noise impacting on nearby villages and farms on our way to relieving this bottleneck for commuters 👉 https://bit.ly/3ywQ1fY #GetBritainBuilding #BuildingReform #Infrastructure #AggregateIndustries

The government wants to cut waste. So do I. First step? Scrap the ludicrous harbour tunnel plan. 𝟭. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 $𝟭𝟳 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻. Equivalent to NZ’s transport budget for a decade. We know from experience with the City Rail Link that the actual cost could be easily double that, so $34 Billion. 𝟮. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗮𝗱𝗷𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝘅 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄. It simply connects one traffic jam to another. 𝟯. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲. Our grandparents knew that much. A bridge could be built much quicker and the benefits felt sooner. The government has spent $͟3͟7͟ ͟m͟i͟l͟l͟i͟o͟n investigating a tunnel so far. And it’s a mystery to me what this money has actually been spent on. We’re supposed to be a partner in this but haven’t been consulted. Still, I hear there are plans to spend a further $͟1͟7͟7͟ ͟m͟i͟l͟l͟i͟o͟n over the next 3 years investigating this pipe dream that won’t happen. It would be wise for a government lecturing others on financial prudence to heed their own advice. We must open our eyes and consider the alternatives. Meola Reef goes 80% across the harbour. A bridge could be built there that connects to Government owned land on the other side. The value uplift of the land would easily pay for the costs of a bridge. There may be other options but this seems a good one and it warrants consideration. The government needs to pull its head out the sand and look at better, cheaper alternatives. #auckland #harbour #bridge #stopwastingmoney #dumbtunnels #tunnels #infrastructure #government #consultants #building #meola #reef #transport #traffic #congestion #cityplanning