No more funding for Waka Kotahi Transport Choices projects

NZTA Waka Kotahi has confirmed no further funding for the Transport Choices programme will be available. In October 2023, NZTA Waka Kotahi paused funding until it received clear direction on the incoming government’s priorities for transport investment. The Minister of Transport has now advised all local authorities that no further funding for the Transport Choices programme will be approved. For our district, this means we will no longer receive funding to carry out our CBD accessibility improvements, bus stop upgrades, Matamata inner green route and Matamata connectivity programmes, due to be constructed this year. There is some internal budget available for us to implement some of the activities under these projects but at a very reduced scope. We are working now to prioritise which activities can be implemented based on the available budget.

The Transport Choices programme is part of the Climate Emergency Response Fund investing millions nationwide in projects that provide safer and more convenient choices for walking, cycling, and public transport to reduce people’s reliance on cars. Projects affected in our district include CBD accessibility improvements, bus stop improvements, Matamata green route and Matamata connectivity which are yet to have the construction phase approved by Waka Kotahi. We will provide an update on these projects once confirmed.

We're working on seven exciting projects to make it safer and easier to move around our towns

Our district is made up of all sorts of people who move around town in different ways. As well as driving, our communities like to walk to work, scoot to school, bike to town, push prams to playgrounds, jog through local parks and walk their dogs. Many others rely on our footpaths and crossings to get from A to B on mobility scooters or other aids. We know these active modes of transport are important for healthy lifestyles and vibrant communities and have used your ideas and feedback from a range of consultations to ensure we have good plans in place to make our towns great places to live, work, play and visit.

Waka Kotahi recently invited councils to put forward plans for Transport Choices funding that were 'shovel ready' and could be implemented by July 2024. As we had already consulted with the public about improving our walking and biking networks as part of the 2021-51 Parks and Open Spaces Strategy, 2021-31 Long Term Plan and 2022 Matamata Pride of Place Plan, we had a number of approved projects ready to go. We successfully received $2.3 million funding to complete seven valuable projects much sooner than anticipated, with Council contributing an additional $500,000 already earmarked in the Long Term Plan for some projects. Over the next months, we will be making small but important changes to some footpaths, kerbs and crossings in Matamata, Morrinsville and Te Aroha and creating better links to our green spaces and town centres.

Check out these great projects that will help make it safer and easier to walk, bike, ride and use public transport in our district. Hover over each image to read a quick description and click to find out more. This website will be regularly updated as information becomes available.

What is Transport Choices?

Transport Choices is a Waka Kotahi initiative which aims to help make small, quick, and visible changes to our streets and the way people use them to help create walkable and bikeable neighbourhoods, promote safer, greener, and healthier school travel as well as make public transport easier to use. Greater transport choices mean a safer, healthier environment for our communities, making our towns more people-friendly and pleasant places to live, work and visit. By quickly providing people with more transport options, i.e. making it safer and easier to walk, bike, ride scooters, mobility scooters, use wheelchairs, push prams etc, we'll be making it easier and more affordable to travel in ways that are good for all of us and our environment.