The Civil Aviation Authority’s decision to move from industrial Petone to downtown Wellington, opposite Parliament, is exacerbating the airline safety agency’s efforts to trade within its means. Transport Minister Steven Joyce says the cost of the move, slated at $8.5m, “has an impact on their cost structure.” Joyce tried to halt the shift, which was […]

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Work on the first extension to Auckland’s rail network since the 1930s, connecting the main trunk line to Manukau city centre, has begun. Transport Minister Steven Joyce lead a sod-turning ceremony last week for the 2km mainly double-tracked link between Manukau and Puhinui. KiwiRail is spending about $50m on the link, which will include a […]

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The Govt’s confirmation it will allow electronic distance recording and electronic display of Road User Charges (RUC) licences is already raising expectations the new streamlined system will bring cost savings to freight transport service customers. Lobby groups such as Federated Farmers are putting pressure on rural trucking companies to lower freight rates when the changes […]

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Road Transport Forum CEO Tony Friedlander says road transport operators need not fear a loss of business to rail or other transport modes as the Emissions Trading Scheme drives up fuel costs. He says “we don’t see any problems in what is being prepared from the point of view of modal competitiveness.” Some 80% of […]

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The British Govt’s official climate advisers, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) is warning the UK may have to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2050 so the aviation sector can continue to grow. It will mean even bigger cuts than an 80% drop on 1990 levels already planned for households and industry in Britain. […]

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Transport sector operators may welcome the Govt’s decision to only expose motorists to half the cost of carbon emissions from liquid fuels until 2013. Environment Minister Nick Smith reckons it will add 3c a litre to petrol prices. But the compressed time for implementing the Emissions Trading Scheme could well prove a headache. Transport fuels […]

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Auckland Regional Holdings has dug into its own pockets to the tune of $70m to bolster the balance sheet of Ports of Auckland. The immediate thought of rivals such as Port of Tauranga will be they’re competing against a port company which can afford to under-perform, knowing the Auckland region is providing a safety net. […]

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The Maritime Union is asking where the Govt and the Minister of Transport stand on the future of regional ports after Fonterra announced last month it is withdrawing from some regional ports in favour of transporting goods by long distance rail. Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says jobs are under threat, casualisation is hitting workers […]

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Toll NZ has taken on Freightways and Courier Post in the parcels market, where trading is already being squeezed by the economic downturn. Toll has rolled out 55 trucks and vans, only a fraction of Courier Post’s 650, and Freightways’ 500. The Aust company which sold KiwiRail back to the Govt in 2008, aims to […]

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Transport Minister Steven Joyce faces “difficult but important” policy decisions on the size of the railway he wants taxpayers to subsidise and probably won’t complete his assessment in time for the National Infrastructure Plan, slated for early 2010. The National Infrastructure Unit released its first stab at the plan this week, calling for submissions. It […]

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