Public transport continuous programmes

This page relates to the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme.

Introduction

This page describes the  public transport continuous programme requirements and makes links to work category definitions, and prioritisation of public transport continuous programmes delivered in both the public transport services and infrastructure activity classes.

Public transport continuous programmes

Public transport continuous programmes comprise:

• existing public transport services and associated activities that maintain the current level of service and is inclusive of allowances for minor variations and service reconfigurations that result in no or minimal increases in the annualised cost for the total programme, including operation of call centres and marketing, funded from the public transport services activity class
• maintenance and operation of public transport facilities and amenities, and the renewal or replacement work associated with existing public transport infrastructure and amenities or infrastructure projects, funded from the public transport infrastructure activity class.

Qualifying activities

Qualifying activities for funding as part of a public transport continuous programme within the National Land Transport Programme (NLTP), must:

• be or relate to a public transport service, already operating and funded, to maintain the level of service provided to the community – the work required will be considered minor in terms of both the service provision and its nominal annualised operating cost
• be an operational or renewal public transport-related activity necessary for the public transport network to maintain the level of service provided to the community
• be included in a regional land transport plan (RLTP) and regional public transport plan (RPTP)
• meet the appropriate work category criteria in this knowledge base.

Approved organisations must comply with the Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Procurement manual and procurement rules, as well as any relevant standards and guidelines listed in the Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency standards and guidelines register for land transport.

Procurement manual

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency standards and guidelines register for land transport

Public transport continuous programmes work categories

Public transport continuous programmes contain the following work categories:

• passenger services:
  • work category 511: passenger services – bus
  • work category 512: passenger services – ferry
  • work category 515: passenger services – rail
  • work category 517: Total Mobility operations
  • work category 521: Total Mobility wheelchair hoist use payments
• operations and maintenance:
  • work category 514: public transport facilities and infrastructure – operations and maintenance
  • work category 519: wheelchair hoists purchase and installation
  • work category 524: public transport operations and management
  • work category 525: public transport technology systems - operations and maintenance
• asset and infrastructure renewals:
  • work category 534: public transport facilities and infrastructure – renewals.

Exclusions

Distinct service or operational improvements beyond the existing level of service provision are considered to be improvement activities and should follow the procedures for profiling and prioritising improvement activities. This includes any inter-regional public transport trial services or improvements.

Public transport improvements

Developing public transport continuous programmes

Public transport continuous programmes are continuous programmes of existing services and associated operations and necessary renewal work required to maintain appropriate levels of service on the public transport network. Continuous programmes have no start or end date; however, the detail required to establish the appropriate investment levels is developed on a 3-year cycle that aligns with the NLTP cycle. Funding approval from the National Land Transport Fund normally covers the 3-year period of each NLTP and is made when the NLTP is adopted by the NZTA Board.

We require approved organisations to follow the NZTA investment principles in developing and delivering their public transport continuous programmes.

Investment principles

Links to planning

We require public transport continuous programmes to have applied the principles of the Business Case Approach (BCA) and to be firmly aligned with long-term planning documents, in particular:

• regional public transport plans (RPTPs)
• council long-term plans (LTPs) and their supporting activity management plans (AMPs)
• regional land transport plans (RLTPs).

These documents should describe the information and assumptions underlying the proposed service configuration requirements across the network, including any need to vary the existing service provision. They should also demonstrate synergy with any supporting infrastructure provision considered necessary.

Information required

The information approved organisations provide in Transport Investment Online to support public transport continuous programmes should make reference to the relevant parts of long-term planning documents.

Transport Investment Online(external link)

The public transport continuous programme should demonstrate:

• how the proposed services, operations and renewal activities fit within the public transport programme
• how the programme optimises the investment and aligns to delivering an appropriate level of service across the network(s) involved
• how the programme aligns with the intent of the funding plan set out in the RPTP.

Requirements of public transport continuous programmes

Details of public transport services, operations, renewal and improvements activities must be held by the organisation responsible for the programme.

Consideration should be given to:

• the relationship between recommendations in the AMPs of approved organisations and information provided in the AMP of the road controlling authorities that manage the associated roading networks
• the relationship between recommendations in the approved organisations’ AMPs
• quality assurance
• innovation.

Differences in levels of service will have an impact on funding assistance.

Business Case Approach and funding decisions

We recommend early engagement with NZTA investment advisors as they are available for support and guidance throughout the business case process. See also the Business Case Approach guidance on our website.

Business Case Approach guidance

We expect planning documentation, as stated above, to take account of business case principles when either developed or updated.

Prioritising public transport continuous programmes

Public transport continuous programmes are prioritised under the NZTA Investment Prioritisation Method (IPM).

2024–27 NLTP Investment Prioritisation Method (webpage yet to come)

For more information about the prioritisation of continuous programmes under the IPM, see our page about the determining priority of activities.

Determining the priority order of an activity or combination of activities (webpage yet to come)

Forecast performance information

Approved organisations must submit, as part of their funding application, forecast information to support their public transport continuous programmes for the 3 years of the NLTP, together with an estimate for the following 6 years beyond this.

The forecast information will consist of estimated targets for passenger boardings, passenger kilometres, in-service vehicle kilometres and farebox revenue for each mode in their public transport continuous programmes.

We expect these statistics to align with the RPTP or any other key planning documents where this information is provided.

Conditions of funding for continuous programmes

Typically, we will approve funding for a public transport continuous programme for all 3 years in an NLTP period as part of the NLTP adoption. However, we may decide to impose terms and conditions on funding for all or part of the approved programme, due to:

• insufficient information submitted to provide us with the confidence to approve funding in full
• a lack of confidence in the forecasts provided in support of the application for funding
• network performance indicators providing evidence of low returns on investment with insufficient or unreliable evidence that returns will improve.

The terms and conditions may apply across all 3 years of an NLTP period or to particular years. For example, we may approve funding the first year of a public transport continuous programme in the newly adopted NLTP, but set conditions that have to be met before funding is released for any subsequent year.

Managing the programme

We delegate programme management decisions on the activities contained in a public transport continuous programme to the approved organisation within an approved allocation that, as a rule, covers each of the 3 years of the NLTP.

Funding Delegations Policy