Transport in New Zealand

Transport in New Zealand has always faced many challenges, given the country's mountainous topography and a relatively small population, which is located mostly near its long coastline.

These in turn in some cases became highways – with attendant problems all over New Zealand (but especially in the more mountainous regions), as the geography and contours of a slow-speed road laid out in the first half of the 20th century usually do not conform to safety and comfort criteria of modern motor vehicles.

[5] Early road construction was both hindered and helped by rail transport during the first half century of European settlement.

Authorities were reluctant to expend large amounts of capital on more difficult sections of a route where there was a hope that a railway might instead be built.

[6] Following heavy investment in road construction from the 1950s onwards, public transport patronage fell nationwide.

Around 31 km (19 mi) of motorway and expressway in Waikato and the Bay of Plenty have a higher posted speed limit of 110 km/h (68 mph).

Private landowners may set their own speed limits, for example 5 km/h (3 mph), although these are not enforced by police of road authorities.

2010 figures from the International Transport Forum placed New Zealand 25th out of 33 surveyed countries in terms of road deaths per capita, a rank that has changed little in 30 years.

[14] This is variously blamed on aggressive driving, insufficient driver training, old and unsafe cars, inferior road design and construction, and a lack of appreciation of the skill and responsibility required to safely operate a motor vehicle.

In the late 2000s, reports indicated that the rate of drunk driving by under 20s in Auckland had risen 77% in three years, with similar increases in the rest of the country.

This lack of larger-scale planning eventually led to increased public works powers given to the Central Government.

This has been criticised by opponents of the current government strategy as irresponsible, in light of increasing fuel prices and congestion.

[1] Government has claimed that their priority on roads is in line with New Zealanders' favoured travel modes,[22] and as being the most promising in terms of economic benefits.

[35] The road fleet of New Zealand Railways Corporation was privatised in 1991 with the long-distance business still existing as InterCity, having more recently incorporated Newmans Coachlines.

[citation needed] Internet-based nakedbus.com is building another nationwide network, partly as a reseller of several smaller bus operators' capacity.

While relatively popular for sport and recreation, bicycle use is a very marginal commuting mode, with the percentage share hovering around 1% in many major cities, and around 2% nationwide (2000s figures).

[43] It has also been argued that the introduction of New Zealand's compulsory bicycle helmet law contributed to the decline in the popularity of cycling.

Between 1982 and 1993 the rail industry underwent a major overhaul involving corporatisation, restructuring, downsizing, line and station closures and privatisation.

The Railways Corporation continued to own the land underneath the rail network, as well as significant property holdings that were disposed of.

[2] The two main islands are separated by Cook Strait, 24 kilometres or 15 miles wide at its narrowest point, but requiring a 70-km ferry trip to cross.

Gantry cranes, straddle carriers and powerful tugboats were built or purchased, and shipping channels dredged deeper, while large areas of land were reclaimed to enable the new container terminals.

[50] The industry however also faced a number of troubled times as well, such as during World War II when ship requisitioning caused shortages in the transport operation.

[51] While many ports reopened after the war, they (and coastal shipping in general) faced huge pressure from rail[48] (presumably now offering improved freight rates compared to the 1910 era).

[52] In the financial year 2003 / 2004 coastal cargo in New Zealand totalled around 8.6 million tonnes, of which 85% was still carried by local, and 15% by overseas shipping.

[53] In 2009, the National Party announced that funding for coastal shipping and supporting infrastructure, part of the "Sea Change" plan of the previous Labour government, would be cut to a substantial degree.

[56] Regular roll-on/roll-off ferry services have crossed Cook Strait, linking the North and South Islands between Wellington and Picton, since 1962.

[24] Services are provided five ferries operated by two companies: Interislander (a division of KiwiRail), and Bluebridge (Strait Shipping).

The four remaining ferries carry passengers and road vehicles only: Interislander's Kaitaki and Kaiarahi, and Bluebridge's Strait Feronia and Connemara.

To reduce voyage times, Tranz Rail proposed to relocate the South Island terminal of its services to Clifford Bay in Marlborough, which would also avoid a steep section of railway.

The final sailing of the Rangatira, which was custom built and entered service in 1972, was on 15 September 1976, after two money-losing years (subsidised by the government).