As well as continuing the projects discussed above and many other initiatives underway across the different sub-sectors, a key strategic focus for the year ahead will be development of the 2015 Government Policy Statement on Land Transport. Setting out what the Government expects to achieve from investments in land transport, it is for the first time able to include broader national objectives, policies and measures.
The transport sector has been experiencing significant change that has put pressure on the pay as you go funding system. Ensuring that this system operates effectively in the short and long-term is critical for ensuring funding is able to meet the Government's objectives and commitments.
The Auckland Consensus Building Group report released in July and the debate it has generated also provide an opportunity to consider options for funding future investment and how best to optimise the existing network, not just in terms of more supply, but also about the role that demand management tools can play.