Walk, bike 'n' ride Matamata-Piako

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.

Timeline

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Transport Choices funding approved

Late 2022

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Transport Choices projects underway

Jan 2023 to July 2024

July 2024

Transport Choices projects completed

This has been extended to July 2025 (from July 2024)

July 2024

Transport Choices projects

TRANSPORT CHOICES

The Transport Choices programme is part of the Climate Emergency Response Fund investing $350 million nationwide in projects that provide safer and more convenient choices for walking, cycling, and public transport to reduce people’s reliance on cars.

It's looking at how we can offer safer, healthier, and more accessible alternatives for everyone across New Zealand to move around more easily. By providing better, safer cleaner travel options, we will be able to make our towns and cities more people friendly and pleasant places to live, work and visit.

Find out more

MORRINSVILLE REC PERIMETER PATH

We are constructing a 950m long, 3m wide shared concrete path along the Northern side of the Rec which will link to existing footpaths and the river walk, creating a loop. We’ll also be widening and resealing parts of the river walk. We aim to have the path ready for summer.

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MATAMATA-PIAKO BUS STOP UPGRADES

We are improving our busiest bus stops to help make public transport a more user-friendly and attractive option. Upgrades to some bus stops across the district will include wider concrete pads for safer and accessible waiting areas, new seating, timetable displays and signs.

MATAMATA INNER GREEN ROUTE

This is a project from our Parks and Open Spaces Strategy 2021-51, which links the parks and reserves closest to the town centre to create a walk and bike path for the community. We're creating a link between Jim Gardiner Reserve, Founders Park, Tom Grant Drive, Centennial Drive, Neil Algar Reserve and Peria Road Reserve through a series of shared paths, raised table crossings and other improvements. This will make it safer and easier to walk, bike, scoot, push prams and use mobility scooters and other mobility aids, along the route. Construction is due to start later this year.

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MATAMATA CONNECTIVITY PLAN

Thanks to everyone who took part in Bike Day Out earlier this year and to those who tested the bike route, sharrows, shared path concept and upgraded crossings and let us know what you liked, wished or wondered about the different trials. We are reviewing your feedback and will come up with a plan for what we can achieve within the budget and take some recommendations to Council later this year. Watch this space!

MATAMATA PRIDE OF PLACE

Last year we asked Matamata how we can make the CBD a more vibrant, welcoming place to be. Popular feedback was for it to be easy to walk, bike, or use mobility aids to get to the CBD and have multiple places with quality bike racks for people to easily park and shop, do errands, go for a swim or pop to a local eatery. Thanks to Transport Choices funding we've been able to install Sheffield bike racks in four locations and a DIY bike repair station by the isite.

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CBD ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS

Over the last few years we've carried out accessibility audits in the Matamata, Morrinsville and Te Aroha CBDs to see how we can improve journeys for those who get around on foot, push prams or use mobility aids. We've successfully received funding to action just over 50% of the improvements we've identified by July 2024, which will mean significant progress in a short space of time.

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SAFER SCHOOL TRAVEL PLANS

We are developing plans with some schools across the district, to help make it safer and easier for students to walk, bike or scoot to school. Although there is no budget allocated to making physical improvements at this stage, we are working with interested schools to make a plan so we are ready to take action when funding becomes available.

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POP UP PUMP TRACK

Thanks to Transport Choices funding, on top of the seven transport projects, we've also sourced a pop-up pump track to help activate our public spaces. The pump track will be set up at Anderson Park at the Morrinsville Rec when we open the new perimeter path, right on time for Summer!

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