Our region is changing. The western Bay of Plenty is one of the fastest growth areas in New Zealand. By 2050 it is projected to be home to 258,000 residents which could create one million movements per day on our transport network.
We’re acting now, for tomorrow
We’re acting now on a shared transport vision that protects our people and our environment, supports long-term growth and our economy. The Transport System Plan, TSP, is a partnership between central and local government, tāngata whenua and businesses, using facts and research to develop transport options for the future that will create better and safer connections for people and goods and protect our environment for future generations.
The TSP is a 30-year plan with more than 80 chosen projects that will make it easier and safer for people to get to schools, jobs, healthcare and shops by walking, cycling or public transport, to easily connect within their local communities and to wāhi tapu, for freight and inter-regional links to be reliable, roads to be resilient from the effects of natural hazards and for lower emissions to help our environment.
We’re making it safer and easier for people to use public transport to help reduce transport-related emissions in line with the Government’s Emissions Reductions Plan.
We’re keeping road and rail links predictable, reliable in off-peak times to keep goods moving and our economy strong.
We’re making it safer and easier for people to get to schools, healthcare, community facilities and shops in different ways, including walking, cycling, buses and vehicles.
We’re improving travel safety and working towards an outcome where no one is seriously injured or killed in road crashes.
We’re working together, on the best options to support growth
The Transport System Plan delivers the SmartGrowth Strategy 2023, which considers how transport along with housing, infrastructure, community facilities and the environment work together, and the Urban Form and Transport Initiative’s Connected Centres programme. The TSP has a separate Governance Board but works collaboratively to ensure decision making, planning and funding is coordinated.
The TSP will also closely align with national and regional policy and strategic direction, including Tauranga City Council’s Long-term Plan, Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s Regional Land Transport Plan and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency’s National Land Transport Programme. This will make sure projects get funded and underway at the right time.
Better, safer connections for people and goods
In the future, most people should be able to reach their destination using public transport within 30-45 minutes, and a network of safe cycling, walking and personal mobility routes for e-scooters and so on will allow people to reach their local shops, schools parks and neighbouring communities within 15-30 minutes.
Existing freight corridors on SH29, Takitimu Drive, Hewletts Road, SH29A, Takitimu North Link and the Tauranga Eastern Link will continue to connect the Port with the Eastern Bay and upper North Island. Some extra capacity via manage freight lanes will be needed and most bulk loads will be encouraged to move around by rail.
More information
TSP FAQs (262kb pdf)
TSP Executive Summary Document 2023 (8mb pdf)
More details about the TSP and key projects will be made available here as they become available.
TSP Executive Summary Document 2021 (4.1mb pdf)
Transport System Plan Newsletter - Edition 1 - 23 October 2020 (1.4mb pdf)
TSOF Outputs Map and Synopsis (138kb pdf)
Report 1: Background Evidence and Strategic Objective Setting (4.7mb pdf)
Report 2: Network Evaluation and Gap Assessment (11mb pdf)
Report 3: Option Evaluation and Recommendations (10mb pdf)