Whangārei mayor welcomes $14m for sustainable transport, but wants more for roads

There is funding for upgrades for the Rose St bus terminal and bus lanes on Maunu Rd, as well as cycleway and shared path upgrades. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Walking, cycling and public transport facilities in Whangārei will receive a $14 million funding boost, but mayor Vince Cocurullo is urging the Government to find cash for road improvements too.

Three main projects in the city have been approved for funding through the $350m Transport Choices package, announced by Transport Minister Michael Wood a week ago.

Just over $6m would go into new connections between the Raumanga Shared Path and Manaia View School, Whangārei Intermediate School and the NorthTec Whangārei campus. The funding would also help connect the Raumanga and Kamo shared paths.

Another $4.6m was allocated to connect the Kamo Shared Path with Kamo High, Kamo Intermediate, Whangārei Boys High, Whau Valley and St Francis schools.

An upgrade of public transport facilities in the CBD, a new bike park and the development of bus priority lanes on Maunu Rd/SH14 would receive $3.3m from the Transport Choices package announced last Sunday.

Whangārei Mayor Vince Cocurullo welcomed the funding, but wants more to improve the roads. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Cocurullo welcomed the news of the funding but said the Government also needs to provide more money to improve the quality of roads.

“We will be pleased to see the funding come through for CBD bike and public transport facilities, Kamo Shared Path connections and Raumanga Shared Path connections. These are all projects our council has been investing in over the years. They are getting closer to completion and this funding may take them through to completion,” he said.

“Our council has consulted with the community on projects for the next 10 years, and a lot of the feedback we have received is about the condition of our existing roads.

“If we are going to be encouraging people to use public transport, then central government need to also provide funding to improve the quality of the roads that public transport will run along, not just the off-road options.”

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency manager urban mobility Kathryn King said she was pleased the Whangārei District Council would receive the funding.

“I’m pleased to say we received an outstanding response from councils around the country, embracing the opportunity to provide greater transport choices for their communities,” King added.

The Kaipara District Council received $8m in funding for cycleways and shared paths in Dargaville, and around $3m will go to walking, cycling and public transport projects in the Far North.

The Transport Choices package provides funding to 46 councils around the country to provide more facilities for sustainable transport options.

“Delivering on projects such as these helps address our current infrastructure deficit while also meeting future needs caused by population growth and climate change,” Wood said.