Millions of dollars from the Provincial Growth Fund... for projects across the country

The Government's announced the Taranaki Crossing project is getting 13-million-dollars, with more than two-million going to the West Coast and Canterbury.

Minister, Shane Jones, says the Crossing's windfall will expand and upgrade the 30-kilometres of tracks near Mt Taranaki.

And there's support for West Coasters and Cantabrians struggling to get their driver licence.

Just over a million dollars will expand the Salvation Army's successful Te Ara Mahi driver hub to the West Coast - with the same amount going into developing Canterbury's existing project .

100-thousand-dollars will be used to explore putting Westport and Greymouth ports under one ownership.