Jane Nees BOP Regional Councillor www.janenees.co.nz

Every three years, each region in New Zealand must produce a Regional Land Transport Programme which prioritises the work it wants undertaken in the region over the next three years to make it easier to move around, and sets out the costs for the associated projects.

This includes new and improved state highways and roads, maintenance of our roading network, transport planning, public transport, walking and cycling initiatives, and road safety programmes.

The RLTP is developed by Bay of Plenty's Regional Transport Committee and the content of the programme is based on projects submitted by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, the region's city and district councils and the New Zealand Transport Agency to the Regional Transport Committee. Representatives of these organisations make up the Committee – of which I am Chair.

A draft RLTP has been released to allow Bay of Plenty residents to give their comments on the proposed priority list until Friday 4 May 2012. The draft programme flows from the Regional Land Transport Strategy which identifies desired transport outcomes for the region and which places a high priority on economic development and maintaining and optimising existing infrastructure. Committed funding for the construction of the Tauranga Eastern Link as a road of national significance is a substantial component of the Programme.

Hearings on public submissions will be held in May 2012 and the final Regional Land Transport Programme will be adopted in June 2012. It will then be sent to the NZTA nationally who will prioritise all of the regional funding requests and allocate the available funding in the National Land Transport Fund across the country. We know that funding is very tight and not all projects will get across the line, so the draft RLTP aims to establish a compelling case for the funding of the priority projects.

You can access a copy of the draft RLTP at www.boprc.govt.nz or phone 0800 884 880 to be sent a copy, so you can have your say.