NZTD News

A ‘super weekend’ of construction work is planned from next Friday 12 to Monday 15 June on State Highway 29 (SH29) Takitimu Drive Toll Road and State Highway 2 (SH2) Takitimu Drive to enable major construction works to progress. 

As construction intensifies on the Takitimu North Link project, temporary closures are required to safely complete critical activities at the point where SH2 and SH29/Takitimu Drive merge. These works include road widening, pavement construction, barrier installation, and layout changes. ...

With New Zealand now in the winter season, Transporting New Zealand is warning drivers to take extra precautions to address the risk of sunstrike.

"With the sun low in the sky at this time of year, drivers are at risk of being blinded by the sun, especially when driving during sunrise and sunset," says Transporting New Zealand Policy and Advocacy Advisor Mark Stockdale. 

"Sadly there have been 15 fatal crashes and hundreds of injury crashes in the last 5 years which have been attributed to sunstrike, often o...

Sometimes you need to pull the truck into the workshop, lift the bonnet, and properly sort the engine out instead of endlessly patching problems on the side of the road. 

That feels a little like where New Zealand is right now with government. The policy and planning bonnet is up at a critical time when a lot of deep, quality thinking is required on the strategic future direction of transport in this country. 

Over the past few months we’ve seen a flurry of announcements and restructures across central and local gove...

In a major transport funding boost announced in Budget 2026, the Government confirmed a $3.358 billion package aimed at strengthening road resilience, accelerating a key Road of National Significance, and shoring up rail maintenance and renewal across the country. 

The largest single commitment ($2.173 billion) will progress the Cambridge to Piarere Road of National Significance and bolster state highway resilience, with $1.773 billion directed to the Cambridge–Piarere corridor and $400 million earmarked for broad...

Budget

The transport budget allocation was not surprising and, in some ways, it was a win to see additional funding in transport.

The continued investments in the Cambridge to Piarere Expressway, state highway resilience, and additional strategic fuel reserves are all things we need and a good balance of some short and longer-term risk areas. These activities will also support economic growth and jobs at a time of significant economic uncertainty. 

I also agree with the Government keeping its option...

Road freight association Transporting New Zealand says the changes to vehicle rules announced by the government last week don’t go far enough and are a missed opportunity to support the uptake of zero-emissions trucks.

As part of changes to manage the fuel crisis, the government announced it will allow Class 1 licence holders to drive heavier zero-emissions vehicles, and Class 2 licence holders to drive heavier electric buses.

Mark Stockdale, Policy and Advocacy Advisor, says Transporting New Zealand supports tho...