Cambridge Connections reached a major milestone today as Elected Members approved our official ‘problem statements’, meaning that stage one of the project is now complete!

When we reset the project, we made a commitment to keep community feedback at the heart of what we do. We asked what your biggest transport concerns are: unreliable river crossings, congestion through town, and increasing freight pressure emerged as major issues. You want us to tackle these problems, while ensuring Cambridge retains its vibrant village feel. It’s fantastic to see how the technical team reflected these key themes in developing the problem statements.

What are the problem statements?

It’s important to understand our transport problems, so that we can create the right solutions for Cambridge.

Problem statements are short, sharp summaries of the key transport issues. This is the first step required by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, as we develop a business case that will allow us to seek transport funding over the next 30 years.

These problem statements were approved by Elected Members, at the Strategic Policy and Planning Committee, on Wednesday, December 3:

1. High growth and impacts on transport network.

Rapid population and economic growth and development in and around Cambridge, coupled with high reliance on private vehicles and limited transport choices, is placing increasing pressure on the town’s transport network and wider network connections. This is increasing congestion, delays and safety risks, increasing emissions and negatively impacting on accessibility for the community.

2. Through and across town traffic and heavy vehicles accessing through residential areas and the town centre.

Reliance on a small number of key connections, including only one bridge able to carry heavy traffic over the Waikato River in Cambridge, means all heavy and through traffic travelling east–west or north–south must pass through residential areas and the town centre. This increases crash risk for road users, increasing congestion, and diminishing the town’s amenity and character.

3. Limitations and resilience of river crossings.

The ageing and limited capacity of bridge infrastructure, exacerbated by the lack of schools and essential services on the Leamington side of town is constraining reliable and resilient transport links between Cambridge and Leamington and the wider network. These limitations reduce network resilience, disrupt connectivity during emergencies and temporary closures, and compromise the safety and efficiency of the transport system.