5.2 Impact on network productivity and utilisation

Network productivity and utilisation is about efficient use of the land transport network. This benefit is about optimising our part of New Zealand’s economic and social system to allow broader benefits to be gained. 

Utilisation here means the most appropriate and optimal use of the network to contribute to community and economic welfare. It includes the financial benefits as well as the improved wellbeing of people. It is about optimising rather than maximising the use of the system.

Transport investments and programmes that may contribute to this benefit include ongoing state highway and local road network operations, mode choice programmes, walking and cycling facilities and public transport programmes.

This benefit can impact all users of the transport system, especially those who access the system for economic reasons. 

Network efficiency is being used as a proxy for other benefits that the operation of the network enables and are not fully measured and monetised, such as 10.3 Impact on access to opportunities, and 10.4 Impact on community cohesion. As the other benefits become better understood and measured or monetised, network efficiency may not be considered an end benefit, but rather a contributor to wider monetised benefits.

10.3 Impact on access to opportunities

10.4 Impact on community cohesion 

Monetisation of network productivity is measured through changes to travel time and the financial costs of transport use, for example public transport fares and vehicle operating costs.

Quantitative benefit measures associated with this benefit include the spatial coverage of the high productivity motor vehicle (HPMV) freight network, freight mode share by value and weight, freight throughput by value and weight, and access to economic destinations.