$50m for national cycleway says Key

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The Government will spend $50 million over three years for the national cycleway project, Prime Minister John Key said today.

Mr Key told a tourism conference in Auckland the money will be spent on series of regional bike tracks.

"I propose to create a series of 'Great Rides' of New Zealand, with a long term aim of creating a network throughout the country," Mr Key said.

"Some promising routes have already been identified and I expect to have announcement on them in the next couple of months."

The idea of a cycleway to create jobs and increase tourist numbers came out of the jobs summit earlier this year.

Finance Minister Bill English had appeared to pour cold water about spending large amounts on the project earlier, but yesterday he told Parliament that an announcement today would show who was boss.

- NZPA