New cycleways are likely to be one of the first casualties as the Otago regional transport committee scrambles to adapt its roading programme to fit new government policy.
Having created a draft programme of roading priorities under the previous regime, the committee is now rejigging its projects to fit new criteria.
The government policy statement on land transport funding, announced earlier this month, puts more emphasis on work that provides economic benefit to the country and the committee is required to prioritise accordingly.
Its final programme, likely to be worth about $530 million, must be approved by the board of the New Zealand Transport Agency.
The transport committee meeting yesterday noted the Government had reduced from $70 million to $50 million the amount it would spend on cycleways and walkways, through the national land transport fund, over the next three years.
The Government has approved a separate $50 million to be spent on cycleway proposals through the Ministry of Tourism.
Many of the public submissions to the committee's plan came from cyclists keen to see such projects as the Dunedin-to-Port Chalmers and Dunedin-to-Mosgiel cycleways completed.
Committee chairman Stephen Woodhead pointed out that the cost of completing the cycleway to Port Chalmers would make up 10% of the national budget for cycleways over the next three years.
He hoped that because it would take cyclists off the busy highway to Port Otago that it would get approval from the agency board for its safety benefits.
Committee member Duncan Butcher believed the cycleway was the priority in Otago and committee member Pip Stewart suggested such projects might fit into funding categories with higher priorities.
Agency regional director Bruce Richards suggested it could be argued there were efficiency gains to be had by eliminating cycle accidents from the highway.
