International comparison of road infrastructure investment

It has been argued that transport infrastructure in New Zealand is consistently under-funded and is restricting economic growth arising from gains in productivity. This paper compares recent investment levels and funding mechanisms for road infrastructure in New Zealand with those in Ireland and Norway. The findings are that New Zealand road transport investment is comparable in relation to other countries, while the available information suggests the road transport network is performing well. In the light of this and other evidence, it is suggested that there are questions over whether the level of investment in transport infrastructure is restricting economic growth in New Zealand. The discussion identifies a number of issues, which are likely to impact upon the outcomes of road infrastructure investment. The first section briefly reviews the significance of transport infrastructure investment and policy. Section 3 compares international data on transport investment and makes other relevant comparisons. Section 3 also includes an investigation of similarities and differences between New Zealand, Ireland and Norway. Section 4 sets out some conclusions based on the evidence. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E217541.