Balance New Zealand believes that a strong transport network is essential to the country’s economic growth, regional development, and national productivity. Efficient roads and transport systems allow goods to move between regions, connect communities, and support employment across multiple sectors of the economy.
New Zealand’s current transport infrastructure faces increasing pressure from population growth, freight demand, and aging roads. Addressing these challenges requires long-term planning, high construction standards, and a funding model that ensures infrastructure investment remains sustainable.
This policy outlines Balance New Zealand’s approach to improving the quality of New Zealand’s roading network, expanding key infrastructure links, strengthening freight transport systems, and ensuring that funding collected from road users is reinvested directly into transport infrastructure.
The goal is to create a transport network that keeps New Zealand moving efficiently while supporting economic development and employment throughout the country.
Balance New Zealand believes that transport infrastructure should be guided by clear principles that ensure roads and transport systems remain safe, efficient, and economically sustainable.
First, environmental protection must remain an important consideration when designing and constructing transport infrastructure. Road development and maintenance should minimise environmental impact wherever possible.
Second, the health and safety of workers involved in road construction and maintenance must be prioritised while ensuring regulations remain practical and proportionate.
Third, New Zealand’s transport network must remain economically viable and capable of supporting long-term growth. Funding models should ensure that the system remains sustainable while delivering high-quality infrastructure.
Balance New Zealand recognises that a well-functioning transport system plays a central role in connecting people, businesses, and communities across New Zealand.
A strong road and transport network should allow goods and services to move efficiently between regions, reduce travel times for workers commuting between home and employment, and support economic activity throughout the country.
Transport infrastructure is also a major contributor to employment and economic activity. Large-scale infrastructure projects support jobs across construction, engineering, manufacturing, and services while helping circulate investment throughout provincial New Zealand.
By strengthening the transport network, New Zealand can improve productivity, support regional development, and create new employment opportunities.
Balance New Zealand supports the development of several major transport corridors that will strengthen national connectivity and improve freight efficiency.
Priority projects will include the development of a four-lane expressway connecting Wellington north to Taupō, improving traffic flow through the central regions of the North Island.
Plans also include constructing a new bridge east of Bulls to connect Palmerston North with the expressway south of Sanson, improving regional access and freight movement.
Further improvements will include widening the Desert Road between Waiouru and Taupō to four lanes, along with a new route east of Tūrangi that allows traffic to enter Taupō more efficiently.
In the upper North Island, Balance New Zealand will continue development of the Northern Corridor, extending the route to connect Auckland with Whangārei.
In the South Island, Balance New Zealand supports the construction of a Picton Southern Corridor, creating a four-lane expressway linking the Picton ferry terminals with Christchurch to improve freight transport and tourism access.
The Hope Saddle Bypass project will also be brought forward by accelerating the design phase to begin earlier than currently scheduled.
Balance New Zealand also supports improvements to the Christchurch Southern Corridor, expanding the route to four lanes to strengthen connectivity between major South Island centres.
Balance New Zealand believes that funding generated from road users should be reinvested directly into transport infrastructure.
All taxation collected through fuel excise duty and road user charges will continue to be directed into the National Land Transport Fund, ensuring that these funds remain dedicated to the development and maintenance of transport infrastructure.
Balance New Zealand supports maintaining a fuel excise duty base rate of 10 cents per litre and continuing the expansion of the road user charge (RUC) system to include electric, hybrid, and other non-petrol vehicles.
Road user charges will continue to be calculated based on vehicle weight, fuel type, and distance travelled.
This user-pays model allows the transport network to fund itself while enabling government resources to be directed toward other essential areas such as healthcare, education, and social services.
To improve project oversight, Balance New Zealand will establish an independent infrastructure authority responsible for overseeing major roading projects and ensuring effective project management.
Balance New Zealand believes the use of traffic management systems must be practical and proportionate.
The excessive use of road cones, stop-go signs, and complex traffic management plans has significantly increased the cost of road construction and maintenance projects.
Balance New Zealand will introduce clearer guidelines for the appropriate use of traffic management systems while encouraging common-sense approaches to health and safety.
Reducing unnecessary traffic management costs will allow a greater share of infrastructure funding to be directed toward road construction and maintenance rather than compliance overhead.
Balance New Zealand is committed to improving the durability and long-term quality of New Zealand’s roads.
A full review will be conducted into recent infrastructure failures, including issues experienced with the resurfacing of the Transmission Gully motorway, to identify lessons and prevent similar problems in the future.
Balance New Zealand will also review existing contracting frameworks that allow construction companies to deliver substandard work without long-term accountability.
International models of road construction and materials will be examined to identify improvements that may increase the lifespan and durability of New Zealand’s roads.
Higher construction standards will reduce long-term maintenance costs while ensuring roads remain safe and reliable.
Balance New Zealand supports strengthening the role of rail in New Zealand’s freight network.
Rail transport can reduce heavy vehicle traffic on major highways, lower road maintenance costs, and improve the efficiency of long-distance freight transport.
Investment will focus on improving rail infrastructure at freight hubs and ports, ensuring trucks can easily transport goods between rail terminals and final destinations.
The rail network will also receive investment to maintain and upgrade locomotives and freight carriages.
Balance New Zealand will explore incentives that encourage freight operators to use rail where practical, creating a balanced transport system where road and rail work together.
Balance New Zealand believes that a modern and reliable transport network is essential to New Zealand’s economic success and national development.
By investing in high-quality infrastructure, strengthening freight transport systems, improving funding accountability, and reducing unnecessary regulatory costs, New Zealand can build a transport network that supports both economic growth and regional development.
This policy aims to deliver a transport system that keeps New Zealand moving efficiently while ensuring that road users’ contributions are reinvested into infrastructure that benefits the entire country.
