Editorial: Funding package to boost growth

Mayor Stuart Crosby

As well as reducing the number of accidents on our highways, the $591 million funding package for Bay roading announced this week will further boost economic growth.

The New Zealand Transport Agency says the money will be spent across the whole region with a view to grow industry and jobs, improve safety and support economic development and population growth.

Across the Bay of Plenty, more than $240 million will be spent on maintenance and operations, $45 million on public transport, $9 million on cycle and walkways and more than $124 million spent targeting safety.

Recent reports, highlighting the Bay's booming economy and growing population, confirm that it will be money well spent.

Planned improvements are expected to cut two minutes off travel time between Tauranga and Pokeno and a whopping 23 minutes off the travel time between Tauranga and South Auckland on SH29.

The changes are also expected to result in 90 fewer fatal or serious injury accidents in the Western Bay.

It is no secret that SH2 between Tauranga and Katikati has been a dangerous road for too long. Many lives have been lost on the section of road and it is long overdue that money is spent on making it safer.

The cut in travel times, especially on SH29, will have a big impact on the economy and will further strengthen links with New Zealand's largest city, Auckland, and this will be a major boost for the Port of Tauranga.

Mayor Stuart Crosby says it is also good news for transport operators.

"If you have better, safer roads the other benefit is you get higher productivity from heavy transport because they use less fuel from getting from A to B and it does add up and is quite significant," he says.

These benefits will no doubt filter through the entire economy.