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This is the first time specific targets have been set for the whole sector and they are detailed in two key documents released today: the New Zealand Transport Strategy 2008 (NZTS) and the first Government Policy Statement on Land Transport Funding (GPS).

Ms King says the two documents are part of a raft of changes to the transport sector contained in the Land Transport Management Amendment Act 2008 and will be the driving force behind achieving an affordable, integrated, safe, responsive and sustainable transport system.

The NZTS target to halve per capita domestic greenhouse gas emissions from transport by 2040 will be achieved by:

• being one of the first countries in the world to widely use electric vehicles
• greater use of renewable fuels
• increasing the movement of freight by coastal shipping and rail to 30 percent and 25 percent respectively (by 2040)
• reducing the kilometres travelled by single occupancy vehicles, in major urban areas on weekdays, by 10 percent per capita by 2015 compared to 2007.

Ms King says the road safety target sets out to reduce road deaths to no more than 200 per annum, and serious injuries to no more than 1500 per annum, both by 2040. The road toll last year was 423 and in 2006 was 393.

Accessibility and mobililty will improve with targets to increase, by 2040, use of public transport to 7 percent of all trips and to increase walking, cycling and other active forms of transport to 30 percent of total trips in urban areas.

"The target of seven percent may not sound a great deal, but translated into actual journeys, it will mean an increase from 111 million journeys in 2006/07 to 525 million in 2040."

Ms King says a target to protect and promote public heath will see less people exposed to health-endangering noise levels and air pollution. And targets to improve journey times and journey time reliability, with a focus on investing in critical infrastructure, will mean New Zealand's economic growth will not be put at risk.

The GPS sets out shorter-term targets and focuses on providing direction for the allocation of land transport funding for the next six years, with projected funding out to 10 years. It describes what the government wants to achieve through funding to the land transport sector, how much funding will be provided to the sector, what areas of transport will be funded and how funding will be raised.

Like the NZTS targets, those in the GPS will see a reduction in kilometres travelled by single occupancy vehicles, an increase in the transporting of freight by sea and rail, and less fatalities and hospital stays from road crashes.

Other targets specify an increase in the use of public transport by 3 percent per year and an increase in the number of walking and cycling trips by 1 percent per year, both by 2015. "Most of these targets will also reduce carbon dioxide emissions from transport, and will help to address climate change."

The government will also continue investing heavily in land transport, including public transport, but aims to balance the need to invest in the land transport sector with the burden of increasing fuel prices on New Zealanders.

"We remain committed to building and maintaining critical land transport routes. The GPS allocation over six years for new and improved infrastructure for state highways ranges from $2.9 billion to $4.4 billion, and for local roads from $1.05 billion to $1.65 billion," Ms King said. "There are also large allocations across other classes, including renewal of state highways and local roads, maintenance and operation of highways and roads, and road policing."

Ms King says progress on meeting the NZTS and GPS targets will be tracked using the Transport Monitoring Indicator Framework. The Framework brings together data from across all transport modes for the first time and uses a consistent set of core indicators to ensure we are moving in the right direction.

Another change to come out of the amended Act is the creation of the New Zealand Transport Agency, Ms King said. The new Crown entity, which came into being last week, combines the expertise and functions of Land Transport New Zealand and Transit New Zealand.

It will help deliver key transport outcomes in collaboration with organisations across the sector. Its key priorities are to:

• get people and freight using a wider range of transport modes
• make journeys safer
• achieve value for money
• make the funding process easier and more predictable
• build stronger partnerships.

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