Local councils and tourism operators are on the right track installing ‘Drive on Left’ signs at campervan and rental car carparks, intersections and popular tourist spots, Associate Transport Minister Craig Foss says.

“Record numbers of tourists are travelling to New Zealand — 3.3 million in the year to June — and many are opting to self-drive,” Mr Foss says.

“The ‘Drive on Left’ signs will help visitors safely negotiate busy driveways and intersections.”

Associate Transport Minister Craig Foss is today congratulating the Community Driver Mentor Programme (CDMP) on helping 500 young people successfully sit their restricted driver licence test.

“The CDMP is an excellent example of communities, volunteers and businesses coming together to help improve the lives of young people,” Mr Foss says.

“Having a licence can open up the world for teens and young adults — providing more freedom, mobility and employment opportunities.

Two major motorway projects in Christchurch are a step closer following the New Zealand Transport Agency’s announcement today that the construction contracts have been let, Transport Minister Simon Bridges says.

The new Christchurch Northern Corridor and stage two of the Christchurch Southern Motorway are the final two projects to be built under the Government’s Roads of National Significance programme.

Alcohol interlock sentences will soon become mandatory for serious and repeat drink-driving offenders, Associate Transport Minister Craig Foss says.

Anyone convicted of two or more drink-driving offences within five years and any first time offenders caught driving more than 3.2 times the legal alcohol limit will be subject to an alcohol interlock sentence.

An alcohol interlock is a breathalyser wired into a vehicle’s starting system. To start the vehicle, the driver must pass a breath test.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges today turned the sod on the Omokoroa to Tauranga cycleway as part of a multi-million plan to connect the city with the Western Bay of Plenty.

The $7.7 million, 19km cycleway will link Omokoroa with Tauranga’s existing urban cycleway network.

“This new cycleway will play a vital part in a planned cycle network that will offer more cycling and walking connections between Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty, providing people with a range of transport options,” Mr Bridges says.

More than 2.3 million vehicles have travelled on the Tauranga Eastern Link since it opened a year ago - close to 40 per cent more than predicted, says Transport Minister Simon Bridges.

The 21km four-lane highway is the Bay of Plenty’s biggest roading project ever with seven bridges, the country’s biggest roundabout and a 6.8km cycleway.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges has welcomed today’s announcement that the NZ Transport Agency will enter into preferred bidder negotiations with the Northern Express Group for the Puhoi to Warkworth motorway project north of Auckland.

The 18.5km Puhoi to Warkworth motorway will form the first section of the Puhoi to Wellsford motorway project, one of the Government’s Roads of National Significance identified as being as key to economic growth.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges has welcomed the signing of an air services agreement opening the opportunity for code-sharing between New Zealand and Mauritius airlines.

The agreement was signed today after being negotiated by officials at an international air services conference in Turkey in 2015.

A new state highway has been created in Northland, creating a stronger link between the forestry industry and port, Transport Minister Simon Bridges says.

From today Te Pua Road, Mangakahia Road, Otaika Valley Road and Loop Road (North) will officially become State Highway 15 with the New Zealand Transport Agency taking over the operation and maintenance of the 96km of roads.

“These roads are an important link between Northland’s 50-thousand hectares of forestry and its ability to move timber products off-shore at the port,” says Mr Bridges.

The Government and the transport sector are better placed to understand and meet future challenges with the release of the Transport Domain Plan and Research Strategy, Associate Transport Minister Craig Foss says.

Mr Foss launched the two complementary documents during an event at Parliament this afternoon.

“Each year, central and local government invest over $5 billion in developing, operating and maintaining our transport system. This investment relies on a foundation of high quality information,” Mr Foss says.

A $25 million package of three road access improvements to Napier port has today been announced by the Government as one of the first actions of Matariki – the Hawke’s Bay Economic Development Strategy.

Improving access to the port has been identified through the development of the strategy and its accompanying regional action plan as a key contributor to Hawke’s Bay’s economic growth.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges has announced a $12 million Government investment to replace the Kirikiri Bridge in the Coromandel to help alleviate frequent flooding in the area.

The final part of the Waikato Expressway will start later this year, with Downer NZ Limited being awarded the contract to build the $115 million Longswamp section, Transport Minister Simon Bridges says.

The project is the final of seven sections of the 102 kilometre long Waikato Expressway, a Road of National Significance identified by the Government as key to unlocking New Zealand’s economic growth.

Ten per cent of New Zealand’s urban streets are now lit by safer, cheaper and more efficient LED lighting, Transport and Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges says.

Work is now underway on the final project which will complete the upgrades of Auckland’s Northwestern Motorway, Transport Minister Simon Bridges has announced.

Prime Minister John Key and Transport Minister Simon Bridges today turned the sod on the $100 million Lincoln to Westgate project.

The upgrade will widen State Highway 16 from two to three lanes in each direction, creating extra capacity on Auckland’s motorway network to service the needs of the growing population in the west of the city.

Prime Minister John Key and Transport Minister Simon Bridges today opened Auckland’s $2.18 million Quay Street Cycleway, completing another part of the Government’s Urban Cycleways Programme.

The 1km, two-lane cycleway runs along the harbour side of Quay Street between Lower Hobson Street and Plumer Street. Planter boxes and concrete kerbs separate cyclists from the vehicles that use the busy link to the port and city centre.

Proposed changes to the Vehicle Dimensions and Mass (VDAM) Rule 2002 mean heavy vehicles can carry more freight or passengers on fewer trips, increasing efficiency while maintaining safety for road users, Associate Transport Minister Craig Foss says.

“This is the first comprehensive review of the VDAM Rule in 13 years,” Mr Foss says.

Nine of the Government’s Urban Cycleways are complete one year on since the programme was launched, Transport Minister Simon Bridges says.

Through the Urban Cycleways Programme, central and local government are working together to deliver $333 million of new cycleway projects throughout the country over the next three years - the single biggest investment in cycling in New Zealand’s history.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges and Associate Transport Minister Craig Foss today announced a trial of Bluetooth technology to deliver audio safety messages to rental car drivers on the popular Christchurch to Queenstown route.

The trial is being run by the NZ Transport Agency, in partnership with HMI Technologies and GO Rentals. It will see safety messages sent from roadside transmitters, via Bluetooth, to devices fitted in rental vehicles.

The transition to New Zealand’s new Maritime Operator Safety System (MOSS) is ahead of schedule with more than 50 per cent of commercial maritime operations now in the system or completing the application process, Associate Transport Minister Craig Foss says.

All commercial operators must be in MOSS by 1 July 2018 — four years after the 1 July 2014 start date — with an estimated 1660 operations, covering more than 2600 vessels, expected to complete the entry process.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges today marked the completion of New Plymouth’s $24 million Vickers to City upgrade project.

Under the project, 2.8km of State Highway 3 to the north of New Plymouth’s CBD was upgraded to include two lanes in each direction and two new bridges at Te Henui and Waiwhakaiho. It also includes safer and more efficient intersections, and better facilities for walking and cycling.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges and Associate Transport Minister Craig Foss have announced a $600 million nationwide road safety programme to help bring down the country’s road toll.

The Safer Roads and Roadsides Programme will see safety improvements made to more than 90 high-risk sites on rural State Highways in 14 regions. It includes nearly all high risk roads where there have been five or more fatalities in the last five years.

Finance Minister Bill English and Transport Minister Simon Bridges have released a joint report with Auckland Council, setting out preliminary views on developing the city’s transport system.

“The report marks the completion of the second of three stages that make up the Auckland Transport Alignment Project (ATAP), a joint project between the Government and Council to agree an approach for developing Auckland’s transport system over the next 30 years,” Mr English says.

The next stage of planning for $700 million worth of improvements to the Northern Motorway are now underway, Transport Minister Simon Bridges says.

Preliminary designs and preparations for consenting have begun with construction scheduled to start in 2018.

“The Northern Motorway is one of the Government’s Accelerated Auckland Roading projects and the northern-most link in the Western Ring Route, one of our Roads of National Significance,” Mr Bridges says.