Land Transport Management Act 2003
The purpose of the Land Transport Management Act 2003 is to contribute to the aim of achieving an affordable, integrated, safe, responsive, and sustainable land transport system. To contribute to that purpose, section 3 [Purpose] of the Act states that it:
- Provides an integrated approach to land transport funding and management.
- Improves social and environmental responsibility in land transport funding, planning, and management.
- Provides the New Zealand Transport Agency with a broad land transport focus.
- Improves long-term planning and investment in land transport, including planning and investment in coastal shipping and rail.
- Ensures that land transport funding is allocated in an efficient and effective manner.
- Improves the flexibility of land transport funding by providing for alternative funding mechanisms.
Recent amendments to the Land Transport Management Act 2003 established the New Zealand Transport Agency, provided for more integrated planning, regional transport committees, longer term funding certainty and new funding sources. It also provides for a Government Policy Statement and requires New Zealand Transport Agency to give effect to the Government Policy Statement.
Under section 13 of the Land Transport Management Act 2003 each region is required to prepare a regional land transport programme for the purpose of seeking payment from the National Land Transport Fund.
Regional Land Transport Programmes
Every three years regional councils (with the exception of Auckland, to whom slightly different requirements apply), must ensure that their regional transport committee prepares a regional land transport programme, and that it is approved by a date set by the NZTA.
A regional council or regional transport committee may simultaneously prepare and approve a regional land transport programme and a regional land transport strategy, and they may use a single consultation process to do so. They may also publish them as a single document.
Core Requirements of Regional Land Transport Programmes
In preparing a regional land transport programme the regional transport committee must be satisfied that the Programme:
- Contributes to the aim of achieving an affordable, integrated, safe, responsive and sustainable land transport system.
- Contributes to each of the following transport objectives: assisting economic development, assisting safety and personal security, improving access and mobility, protecting and promoting public health and ensuring environmental sustainability.
- Is consistent with the Government Policy Statement and Regional Land Transport Strategy for Hawke’s Bay.
- Takes into account any:
- National land transport strategy
- National energy efficiency and conservation strategy
- Relevant national policy statement and any relevant regional policy statements or plans that are in force under the Resource Management Act 1991
- Likely funding from any source.
Form and Content of Regional Land Transport Programmes
In order to seek payment from the national land transport fund, a regional land transport programme must contain the following information for the three financial years to which the programme relates:
- Activities or combinations of activities, identified by approved organisations in the region that relate to maintenance, renewals and minor capital works for local roads, as well as existing public transport services.
- Other activities and combinations of activities, including:
- Any other activities proposed by approved organisations.
- State highway activities proposed by the NZ Transport Agency.
- Other activities proposed by the NZ Transport Agency.
Activities in this group must be given a priority order by the regional transport committee.
- An assessment of each activity or combination of activities, which includes:
- The objective(s) to be achieved.
- An estimate of the total cost (and the cost for each year).
- The expected duration.
- Proposed sources of funding other than the national land transport fund.
- Any other relevant information.
While the regional transport committee must give a priority order to the activities in the second group, the NZ Transport Agency decides whether to include activities of either grouping in the national land transport programme.
A regional land transport programme must contain assessments by the regional transport committee on how the programme complies with the ‘core requirements’ above, and the relationship of police activities or combination of activities to the regional land transport programme.
A regional land transport programme must also include:
- A statement of transport priorities for the region for the first six financial years of the programme, for which funding will be sought.
- All significant expenditure on land transport activities to be funded from other sources.
- A list of each incomplete activity or combination of activities approved under section 20 of the Act.
- Identification of activities or combinations of activities with inter-regional significance.
- An explanation of the proposed action where an activity or combination of activities is to be varied, suspended or abandoned.
- An indication of the nationally or regionally significant activities likely to be included in the national land transport programme over the next three years.
- A financial forecast of revenue and expenditure on activities for the ten financial years from the start of the regional land transport programme.
- A description of how the implementation of the regional land transport programme will be monitored.
- A summary of consultation undertaken in the preparation of the regional land transport programme.
- A summary of the policy relating to significance adopted by the regional transport committee.
- Any other relevant matters.
A regional land transport programme must be in the form and contain the detail prescribed by the NZTA.
National strategic context
a) New Zealand Transport Strategy 2008
The long-term statement of government strategy is expressed in the New Zealand Transport Strategy 2008 [NZTS]. This strategy includes long-term targets for the transport sector to 2040.
The Strategy contains five national targets (and actions) relating to:
- Ensuring environmental sustainability.
- Assisting economic development.
- Assisting safety and personal security.
- Improving access and mobility.
- Protecting and promoting public health.
The New Zealand Transport Strategy is a government strategy and is part of the government’s sustainability agenda. By setting out the government’s long-term intentions for the transport sector, it is also intended to provide guidance and help decision-making in local authorities, private companies and other key players within the sector.
The New Zealand Transport Strategy is non-statutory, though it is given effect to by statutory documents such as the Government Policy Statement on Land Transport Funding 2008.
b) Government Policy Statement
The Government Policy Statement [GPS] is issued by the Minister of Transport every three years. It enables the Minister to guide the NZTA and land transport sector on the short to medium-term outcomes, objectives and impacts that the Crown wishes to achieve through the National Land Transport Fund and National Land Transport Programme.
It also sets out a 10 year framework for funding transport, with a particular emphasis on the 2009 - 2012 and 2012/13 – 2014/15 periods. The framework provides targets for the performance of the transport system and funding ranges for particular types of activities.
The NZTA must use the framework when allocating funding from the national land transport fund. It can only allocate funding to activities listed in a regional land transport programme or to national activities.
The Government Policy Statement provides the national indicative funding ranges available for particular types of transport activities, and would generally provide regional allocations as well. These funding ranges largely dictate the funding available to support activities and projects listed in a regional land transport programme.
Government Policy Statement funding ranges are addressed in further detail in the Funding Plan section of this Programme.
c) Effect of Change of Government
The preparation of the Regional Land Transport Programme plan has been affected by the change of government in late 2008. The bulk of the preparation and the assessment and prioritisation process was undertaken having regard to the Government Policy Statement released by the Labour government in August 2008.
Prior to notifying this Programme, the National Government released a discussion document on its Government Policy Statement. The draft Regional Land Transport Programme that was consulted on outlined the priorities in the Labour government’s Government Policy Statement as well as giving an indication of the likely focus for National’s Government Policy Statement.
On 19 May 2009, the National government released its Government Policy Statement. The objectives are summarised in the following section.
d) Government Policy Statement May 2009
The government’s priority is for land transport investment to support national economic growth and productivity. The focus is on high quality infrastructure projects and transport services that encourage the efficient movement of people and freight. Particular importance is given to investing in state highway networks and generating better value for money across all land transport activity classes and enhancing economic efficiency of individual projects.
The specific impacts the government expects to achieve are as follows:
Impacts that contribute to economic growth and productivity
Improvements in the provision of infrastructure and services that enhance transport efficiency and lower the cost of transportation through:
- Improvements in journey time reliability
- Easing of severe congestion
- More efficient freight supply chains
- Better use of existing transport capacity
Better access to markets, employment and areas that contribute to economic growth
A secure and resilient transport network
Other impacts
- Reductions in deaths and serious injuries as a result of road crashes
- More transport choices, particularly for those with limited access to a car where appropriate
- Reductions in adverse environmental effects from land transport
The GPS contains funding ranges for the different activities with the level of funding for new and improved infrastructure for state highways being significantly increased over the previous government’s funding allocations.
Regionalised funding ranges for the different activity classes have not been determined.
e) Planning, Programming and Funding Manual
The Planning, Programming and Funding Manual is a guide for the 2009 – 2012 regional land transport programmes and the National Land Transport Programme – the first three-year transport programmes.
The procedures described in this manual have been developed to assist approved organisations to prepare and plan projects and activities for which they seek funding from the NZTA, within the framework of the NZTA’s overall funding allocation process.
These guidance notes will be updated to reflect the different assessment and prioritisation criteria.
Regional strategic context
a) Regional Land Transport Strategy for Hawke’s Bay
Under the new requirements of the LTMA regional land transport strategies:
- Are strategic regional documents prepared every 6 years (was three years) and cover a period of 30 years
- Are consistent with National Land Transport Strategy and Regional Policy Statement and must take into account the Government Policy Statement, the National Energy Efficiency Conservation Strategy and any relevant District Plan
- Must contain:
- inter-regional and intra-regional transport outcomes
- relevant regional economic or land use considerations
- likely funding
- assessment of role modes (and role of education and enforcement)
- demand management strategy
- regional passenger transport plan
- measurable targets
- summary of policy relating to significance.
The current Regional Land Transport Strategy for Hawke’s Bay 2008 [RLTS] identifies the outcomes sought by the Hawke’s Bay community for its land transport system and the options for achieving those outcomes. Amongst other things, the Strategy sets out the region’s land transport issues. These issues form the basis for the issues and priorities identified in this programme. These issues are set out in detail in section 2.8 of this Programme.
The role of the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council with regard to the Regional Land Transport Programme for Hawke’s Bay is as follows:
- Ensures that the Regional Transport Committee prepares a regional land transport programme.
- Considers and approves the RLTP by the date given by NZTA (30 June 2009). If not approved the Council must forward the unapproved RLTP by the same date, along with reasons for not approving it. The final RLTP must include recommendations on R and C Funding.
Regional Transport Committee
The role of the Regional Transport Committee for Hawke’s Bay is to:
- Prepare a regional land transport programme
- Prepare a regional land transport strategy
- Prepare any regional fuel tax scheme that it may propose
- Provide advice on transport matters requested by the regional council.
Membership of the Regional Transport Committee for Hawke’s Bay comprises:
- Two representatives from the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council
- One representative from each district council (i.e. Napier City, Wairoa, Hastings and Central Hawke’s Bay Districts)
- One representative from the NZ Transport Agency
- One cultural representative
- One representative of each of the 5 objectives listed in the New Zealand Transport Strategy 2008 of economic development, safety and personal security, public health, access and mobility and environmental sustainability.
New Zealand Transport Agency
The NZTA has two distinct roles to play in the Regional Land Transport Programme development process.
- The state highways section of NZTA submits their programme of activities to the Regional Transport Committee for inclusion in the RLTP. The RTC is required to prioritise all state highway activities (including the maintenance programme) and to decide which activities to include in the RLTP.
- The Hawke’s Bay Regional Council then submits the RLTP to NZTA (funding section) for prioritisation and inclusion in the NLTP. NZTA must take into account the regional priorities when deciding on national priorities, but may end up with a different order of priority for activities. NZTA cannot include anything in the NLTP that the Regional Council has not included in the RLTP.
It is important that NZTA act in a transparent manner and give the same level of scrutiny to its own activities as it would give to those proposed by approval organisations. NZTA have stated that all funding decisions will be publicly available to ensure that it complies with this requirement to be transparent.
New Zealand Police
NZ Police contribute towards land transport objectives, in particular road safety. These activities range from drink-driving enforcement to community road policing and commercial vehicle enforcement.
The Minister of Transport retains responsibility for approving the funding the police will receive on the recommendations of the New Zealand Transport Agency. Regional transport committees are required to consider the role of police activities in their regional land transport programmes when they are developing them, but specific police activities do not form part of the regional transport programme.
The Commissioner of Police must also be consulted in the preparation of regional strategies and programmes, and regional fuel taxes. The Ministry of Transport is required to monitor and report on the delivery of police activities.
Approved Organisations
Approved organisations refer to organisations that are eligible to receive funding from New Zealand Transport Agency for land transport activities. Approved organisations are defined in the Land Transport Management Act 2003 as including regional councils, territorial authorities or a public organisation approved by the Governor General (by Order in Council).
Approved organisations in the Hawke’s Bay region include the:
- Hawke’s Bay Regional Council
- Wairoa District Council
- Napier City Council
- Hastings District Council
- Central Hawke’s Bay District Council
- Department of Conservation.
The regional council must ensure that the first regional land transport programme is in place for the three financial years commencing on and from 1 July 2009.
The following is a summary of the issues and challenges that are likely to impact on the regional land transport network for the Hawke’s Bay Region, as identified in the Regional Land Transport Strategy for Hawke’s Bay 2008- 2018.
Economic development
a) Issues
- A 10.9% population increase on the Heretaunga Plains in the period to 2026
- 15% increase in employment on the Heretaunga Plains in the period to 2026
- An anticipated 86% increase in heavy goods vehicle trips to the Port of Napier by 2026
- Changes in fuel pricing and the introduction of new transport technologies
- Likely changes to industrial development including expansion of timber mills, natural gas drilling and the development of proposed new industrial areas
- Changes through land use developments including urban expansion, the removal of horticultural crops, and an increase in dairy farming especially in Central Hawke’s Bay
- A continued steady growth in tourist nights in the region
- Reliability and security of key rural routes
- Current and future viability and reliability of the rail network
- Availability of funding from all sources.
b) Challenges
- Network deficiencies on the roading network, especially on the Heretaunga Plains and strategic rural routes
- The retention of the rail corridor, especially north of Napier
- The need to integrate land use and transport to manage demand and ensure appropriate network capacity
- The protection of rail links to the Port of Napier, particularly from the south
- The enhancement of links with adjacent regions for tourism and the movement of goods.
The Committee supports the recent Heavy Vehicle Trial and will support its implementation where it is demonstrated to meet the region’s strategic transport priorities.
Access and Mobility
a) Issues
- Route security especially to the north via Matahorua and Putorino Gorges.
- Demographic factors, such as an increase in the percentage of the population over the age of 65; the percentage of households without access to a motor vehicle; and the potential for social exclusion arising from rural location or socio-economic status.
- The provision of public passenger transport particularly into areas that currently do not have such services.
- Access to total mobility services for those who are eligible.
- Increasing costs of fuel.
- Accessibility to alternative modes of transport.
- Access to state highways and main arterials that avoid adverse impacts on the safety and efficiency of the land transport system.
- The avoidance of community severance by arterial road transport links.
b) Challenges
- The protection and “future proofing” of strategic corridors, such as State Highway 2 north of Napier.
- Timely reviews of passenger transport services on the Heretaunga Plains, and consideration of extending passenger transport coverage outside the Heretaunga Plains.
- The promotion of better integration of pedestrian, cycling and other modes with passenger transport.
- Integrate land use and transport planning to avoid community severance while enhancing access to the network.
- The development of affordable, accessible transport opportunities for lower socio-economic groups
- Recognise the implications of rising fuel costs on access to private transport.
Safety and Personal Security
a) Issues
- An increase in the number of crashes and casualties in the region between 2003 and 2008.
- Safety at rail crossings.
- Personal security to enhance the uptake of walking and cycling.
- Walking and cycling safety.
b) Challenges
- Ensuring collaboration between road safety partners to implement education, engineering and enforcement measures.
- Target road safety measures on strategic corridors.
- The integration of land use and transport through urban design to enhance personal safety.
- The promotion of improvements on rail safety, especially at level crossings.
Public Health
a) Issues
- Health impacts of vehicle emissions.
- Adverse effects of noise from transport network on individuals and communities.
- Promotion of active transport modes to improve public health.
b) Challenges
- The integration of land use and transport to protect public health.
- The development of coherent walkway and cycling networks and their integration with passenger transport.
- The provision of safe walking and cycling provision within roading corridors.
- An investigation of travel demand management measures.
Environmental sustainability
a) Issues
- The sustainability of energy use by the transport sector.
- Adverse environmental effects from emissions, stormwater runoff and the loss of heritage and ecosystems.
- The long-term effects of climate change on the land transport network.
b) Challenges
- Introduce travel demand management measures to reduce the need to travel.
- Promote less energy intensive modes of travel such as cycling, walking and passenger transport.
- Encourage the use of rail transport, especially for freight movement where it is economically viable.
- Put in place measures to prevent adverse effects of the transport system; to manage reverse sensitivity issues in developments near strategic land transport routes and to ensure the relevant effects of climate change are taken into account in transport decisions.
Integration and Responsiveness
a) Issues
- Integration across the range of transport modes in Hawke’s Bay.
- The management of pressures on transport routes arising from land use change and development.
- Improvements to existing links and development of new links to integrate the region’s road network.
- Representation of the regional community in transport decision-making.
- Integration of the land transport systems with neighbouring regions and the recognition of cross boundary issues.
b) Challenges
- Open communication between various transport agencies within and outside Hawke’s Bay and between the agencies and the regional community.
- The integration of land use and transport network changes.
Funding and Affordability
a) Issues
- Limited funding and strategic investment both nationally and regionally for land transport projects.
b) Challenges
- The development of a packaged approach to project development, funding and implementation.
The Land Transport Management Act requires that an RLTP includes a statement of transport priorities and targets for the region for the six years from the start of the RLTP.
This process aims to ensure that available funds are directed to projects or activities that best address the region’s issues. Set out below are transport priorities for Hawke’s Bay for the six financial years from the commencement of the Programme. The transport priorities identify effective solutions for many of Hawke’s Bay’s transport issues and are considered to represent value for money for which funding will be sought from the National Land Transport Fund.
Regional Priority 2 and 3 are aligned to the GPS impacts that contribute to economic growth and productivity while Regional Priority 1 aligns with the Impact of Reducing deaths and serious injuries as a result of road crashes.
In terms of Regional Priority 4 and public transport, the GPS focuses on the delivery of effective and efficient public transport which improves journey time on key routes and eases severe congestion. It is likely to focus any additional funds in the main cities.
Priority 1 – Safety
The first call on funds for funding should be for activities that will reduce fatalities and casualties arising from road crashes. In addition to addressing traffic accidents caused by speed or alcohol, particular emphasis will be given to reducing the number of young road users and motor cyclists involved in crashes and the number of accidents at intersections.
Activities proposed in this Programme to reduce road fatalities and casualties include targeted investment to improve the safety performance of the existing network and demand management and community programmes by Roadsafe Hawke’s Bay to promote road safety issues. Activities in the area of maintenance and renewal of state highways and local roads are also primarily for the purposes of improving road safety for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.
Priority 2 – Route Security
Activities that promote route security and reliability within and in and out of the Hawke’s Bay region should have second call on funds.
Activities proposed in this Programme to promote route security and reliability includes road realignment work on State Highway 2 at Matahorua Gorge.
Priority 3 – Network Efficiency
The third priority for funding is for activities that focus on ensuring existing transportation networks are able to operate at an optimal level, both now and in the future.
Activities proposed in this Programme to promote network efficiency include the construction of the Prebensen Drive Overbridge and four-laning of Prebensen Drive, and the construction of the Northern Arterial.
Priority 4 – Public Transport and other Alternatives
Providing effective affordable public transport within and between the two cities is particularly challenging for Hawke’s Bay. However it is a critical element in building interconnectedness and efficiencies. Walkways and cycleways are also a viable alternative given the flat topography of the Heretaunga Plains. Separate GPS funding is allocated to these areas of activity.
Alternatives to Road Transport
The Regional Land Transport Strategy highlights the importance of preserving the rail network of the region. Rail and Coastal shipping are alternatives to road transportation of freight in to and out of the region. The National Freight Demand Study (September 2008) forecasts an estimated 5 million tonne increase in freight entering and leaving the region in 2031.
In order to understand the potential contribution rail and coastal shipping can make to the region’s freight transport (both long distance and short distance), it is necessary to understand the economic feasibility and critical success factors of those modes as compared to road transport.