7. Question No. 7—TransportMARJA LUBECK (Labour) to the Minister of TransportQuestion No. 7—TransportMARJA LUBECK (Labour): Tēnā koe e te Māngai o te Whare—DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Order! The question has started so no more interjections. Thank you. Could you start again please Marja Lubeck.7. MARJA LUBECK (Labour) to the Minister of Transport: What updates has he received on the development of improved travel choices for the residents of the Whangaparāoa Peninsula?Hon MICHAEL WOOD (Minister of Transport): I thank the member for her question on an issue that she has been a strong advocate for. Last week I approved the implementation business case for the Penlink project a new seven kilometre transport connection which bridges the Weiti River between Stillwater and the Whangaparāoa Peninsula. This will allow Waka Kotahi to tomorrow award the construction tender and in due course for the first sod to be turned. Penlink will offer improved transport choices and reduce travel time for residents around Silverdale Dairy Flat and the Hibiscus Coast while supporting thousands of new houses. Importantly it will reduce the public transport travel time from the peninsula by around about 20 minutes to the city centre. By getting on with the job of delivering infrastructure projects like Penlink the Government is demonstrating its commitment to developing a better more coordinated transport network in North Auckland.Marja Lubeck: How will the Penlink project support the use of active modes of transport like walking and cycling?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: The Government is committed to developing safe walking and cycling infrastructure all around Aotearoa New Zealand. That's why alongside the two-lane road the Penlink project will also include a separated shared path for pedestrians and cyclists. As the Whangaparāoa Peninsula and Dairy Flat areas urbanise in the coming decades this shared path will form part of a broader network of safe walking and cycling facilities around the region giving real transport choices to those local residents. The shared path component of Penlink is another example of the Government's commitment to walking and cycling projects which is reflected in the record levels of investment we're putting into real transport choices for New Zealanders up and down our country.Marja Lubeck: How does investing in transport infrastructure projects like Penlink help to secure New Zealand's economic future?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: Penlink is an investment of around about $800 million funded by the New Zealand Upgrade Programme which is delivering critical transport infrastructure projects around the country and creating thousands of jobs. Previous Governments have simply not invested enough and have not planned far enough ahead to meet our infrastructure needs. That in past years has helped to fuel the housing crisis and made it more difficult for us to reduce our emissions. Our Government is committed to providing this much-needed investment to plug the infrastructure deficit through projects link Penlink Auckland Light Rail the Manawatū Tararua Highway the Mount Messenger Bypass and the Eastern Busway. Doing so ensures—DEPUTY SPEAKER: I think the Minister has answered that question.