3. Design the transport network for the efficient movement of freight

Our Key Principles are:

• Freight efficiency is essential for our farms, businesses and town centres which are important contributors to the district’s economic prosperity
• Efficient routes for freight will support our town centres and improve safety and effectiveness of our corridors for all modes of transport
• Our freight requirements cannot be met solely via rail. The primary road network can be promoted for freight transportation while reducing the use of local roads
• We will support and enable freight and logistics efficiency to assist the shift toward decarbonisation, which also delivers economic outcomes.

What will we do?

• Collaborate with freight providers to better understand freight movements and transfer locations so we can fully consider the impact on the road network
• Investigate a preferred freight network that bypasses Rangiora and Kaiapoi town centres and review the management of freight movements (e.g. safe stopping point locations) with destinations within our townships
• Better connect our industrial areas / freight hubs to the arterial network and look to upgrade strategic freight routes that service rural areas for primary industries
• Collaborate with Greater Christchurch Partnership and Canterbury Mayoral Forum to align a freight strategy across the wider region
• Investigate the opportunities for Council to support decarbonising freight, for example through supporting infrastructure or looking into the demand for integrated transport, logistics and storage hubs to reduce freight movement.