Infrastructure Spending Direction Needed
July 10th, 2008
The NZ Council for Infrastructure Development is calling on the Govt to optimise its long term investment programme for transport before committing to further substantial investment in rail. NZCID CEO, Stephen Selwood, says a long term co-ordinated approach is needed. “Any investment programme for rail needs to be developed in the context of an overall transport investment programme.”
Integration Lacking. Selwood says for too long, investment in transport infrastructure has been managed on an ad-hoc project by project basis and this situation needs to be addressed. “We cannot afford to make the same mistake for rail infrastructure investment.” Despite the focus of the NZ Land Transport Strategy on integration, he says it is difficult to see how investments in rail, road, and shipping compliment one another and how they each give effect to the overall transport strategy.
Conflicts Of Interest. He cites the potential conflict between the Coastal Shipping Strategy and the Govt’s buy back of the rail operations as an area of potential conflict with the two modes potentially competing for the same traffic. “A ‘steady as she goes’ strategy for rail might well be the better course of action until the newly formed agency is in a position to determine a well considered investment programme, across all transport modes.”
QUOTABLE: “What’s required is a well structured long term investment programme supported by an appropriate mix of public and private sector debt which maximises the return from all transport modes.” – Stephen Selwood
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