Plans that may be incorporated into activity management plans

This page relates to the 2021-24 National Land Transport Programme.

Introduction

Activity management plans (AMPs) can contain a range of plans designed to improve a network’s physical and operational performance. AMPs and the range of plans that may be included in AMPs are discussed below. AMPs seek to provide the business case for investment in continuous programmes and low-cost, low-risk programmes.

Activity management plans 

We (Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency as investor) expect approved organisations and Waka Kotahi (for its own activities):

• to provide a business case to support their proposals for funding assistance for any transport service delivery activity
• to reflect AMPs, or similar, for proposed services associated with significant infrastructure investment. These plans will meet the requirements of:
  • clause 2 of schedule 10 of the Local Government Act 2002 for approved organisations
    Clause 2 of schedule 10 of the Local Government Act 2002(external link)
  • Cabinet Office circular CO (19) 6: Investment management and asset performance in the state services, for Crown entities (which include Waka Kotahi for state highways, and the Department of Conservation).
    Cabinet Office circular CO (19) 6: Investment management and asset performance(external link)

We will review new and improved AMPs and provide comments to the responsible organisation.

Approved organisations and Waka Kotahi (for its own activities) should base their transport network asset and activity management plans on the National Asset Management Steering (NAMS) Group’s International infrastructure management manual. For further guidance see:

International infrastructure management manual(external link)

Content of activity management plans

The NAMS Group manual provides general guidance for AMPs. We expect a land transport AMP to include the following:

• the detail specified in clause 2 of schedule 10 of the Local Government Act 2002
  Clause 2 of schedule 10 of the Local Government Act 2002(external link)

• an understanding of community expectations for the use of the land transport network
• evidence of links to regional and national land transport strategies and targets
• proposed transport levels of service targets and implementation plans
• the organisation’s strategy to encourage uptake of active modes and public transport. This might include demand forecasts and proposed additional asset capacity, changes to service levels, standards and costs, or changes to routing and timing
• life-cycle management strategies
• current asset value, annual depreciation, asset condition and expected asset lives
• major risks and a risk management strategy (including safety and sustainability issues)
• how best value for money will be achieved in the delivery of the organisation's land transport services.
• the organisation’s procurement strategy for activities in the plan
• the organisation’s decision-making and prioritisation process for including activities in a regional land transport plan (RLTP)
• a detailed list of activities for the first three years and an outline of actions for the following seven years
• a financial plan that is clearly linked to an RLTP and a long-term plan (LTP) or annual plan
• how the performance and use of the network is monitored
• measures of the completeness and accuracy of asset information, assumptions and financial projections.

Waka Kotahi expectations of activity management plans

We expect approved organisations and Waka Kotahi (for its own activities) to maintain the following content  in their plans:

• achievement of a high level of data integrity, including:
  • asset inventory
  • treatment history
  • condition data
  • cost data
  • traffic data
  • public transport patronage, service performance   and farebox recovery
• decision-making methods for optimising asset treatments on the network and over time. Treatment decisions should recognise:
  • the life-cycle costs of treatments
  • the effect of the treatments on asset condition throughout the life cycle
  • how the treatments impact on transport system performance.

Prediction modelling for activity management plans

Performance prediction modelling can be used to assist the forecasting needed for forward-looking activities. Modelling of future conditions must be adapted to local conditions due to the complex range of:

• materials used
• pavement types and conditions
• climate and traffic loadings
• forecasting of use by mode.

Even with local calibration, performance prediction modelling is not definitive. Forecasts of pavement condition and estimates of life-cycle costs must recognise the limitations of the many assumptions involved.

Activities to include

Activities within an AMP should cover different modes, as appropriate.

Public infrastructure investment includes the following activities:

• network operations and services such as planning of: improvements to the network, travel behaviour change, and pricing policies to encourage increased uptake of active modes and public transport
• maintenance of land transport infrastructure
• renewal of land transport infrastructure
• improvement and creation of land transport infrastructure including priority measures and lanes, hubs and interchanges and other

Things to consider

Consideration should be given to:

• changes in travel demand and planning of improvements to the network, travel behaviour change, and pricing policies to encourage increased uptake of active modes and public transport, and changes to levels of service targets relating to transport user satisfaction, safety and access . These should be consistent with RPTPs and public transport operational policy
• quality assurance
• innovation.

Regional public transport plans (RPTPs)

A RPTP is prepared by an approved organisation with the functions, powers and duties of a regional council. Section 124(a)(ii) of the Land Transport Management Act requires regional councils to be satisfied that their RLTPs are prepared in accordance with any relevant guidelines issued by us.

Section 124(a)(ii) of the Land Transport Management Act(external link)

We have prepared a comprehensive set of guidelines for the preparation of RPTPs and supplement.

Planning and investing in public transport

Supplement RPTP guidelines update for public transport continuous programmes) [PDF, 364 KB]

Road safety action plans (RSAPs)

RSAPs are a tool that coordinate the implementation of inter-agency road safety strategies. The plans integrate activities to reduce trauma and are used to support applications for funding projects and programmes.

Approved organisations  prepare and manage RSAPs. Approved organisations, Waka Kotahi (for its own activities), NZ Police and the Accident Compensation Corporation are partners who implement RSAPs.

Content of RSAPs

RSAPs must be developed from an inter-agency perspective and contain:

• an evidence-based assessment of existing safety issues that are being addressed
• the individual activities that will be delivered
• the objectives and outcomes for each activity (including expected achievement against regional targets)
• a list of the partners that will participate in the activities
• a monitoring programme and post-implementation evaluation of effectiveness
• a list of supportive policies, strategies and plans (including regional and local road safety strategies and AMPs).

Approved organisations and Waka Kotahi (for its own activities) monitor RSAP service delivery and progress towards the achievement of outcomes on behalf of the RSAP partners.

Speed management plans

Speed management plans are a tool to address some safety issues identified on a roading network.

Speed management plans detail engineering improvements and speed limit change proposals to promote appropriate speeds for the road function, design, safety, use and the surrounding environment. They seek to encourage road users to travel at a speed that is safe for the road environment. Lower speeds or physical improvements such as median barriers will reduce the severity of a crash should it occur.

The Road to Zero action plan for 2020–2022 requires Waka Kotahi (for its own activities) and road controlling authorities to develop speed management plans.

From 2021, the action plan requires road controlling authorities, including Waka Kotahi (for its own activities),  to work collaboratively with regional transport committees to produce regional speed management plans, setting out speed management reviews and safety infrastructure treatments across local roads and state highways in the region. These plans will align with the land transport planning process and will be developed every three years.

A national speed management plan setting out speed management reviews and safety infrastructure treatments, including safety camera proposals for all roads, will be compiled from the regional speed management plans.

Demand management plans

Guidance is available for those activities that contribute to ‘demand management’. These activities encourage mode choices or better time of travel, shared travel options and measures that reduce the need to travel. Demand management should be carefully integrated with other transport measures and it should rarely rely on a singular approach. The guidance will identify options and alternatives for an integrated programme of demand management and is a primary tool complementing all network improvements.

Developing demand management and behaviour change programmes 

Procurement strategies

All activities funded from the National Land Transport Fund must be procured according to the procedure set out in the Waka Kotahi Procurement manual. Each approved organisation and Waka Kotahi (for its own activities) is to have a procurement strategy endorsed by Waka Kotahi.

Procurement manual

Procurement strategies should be reviewed periodically. They must contain up-to-date information on an organisation's procurement plan and reflect changes in the Procurement manual. The organisation's capability and need to employ advanced procurement procedures should influence this strategy.