Walking and cycling

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

Introduction

This page describes the activity class for walking and cycling and provides information and links to the walking and cycling profiling and prioritisation requirements and work categories, processes and procedures to assist approved organisations and NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) for its own activities) in developing walking and cycling activities.

The Government Policy Statement on land transport (GPS) 2024 states this activity class is for the purposes of maintaining the existing walking and cycling network and investment in walking and cycling to increase economic growth improve safety, where demonstrated volumes of pedestrians and cyclists already exist.

Government Policy Statement on land transport 2024(external link)

Government expectations

We (NZTA as investor) expect that investments from the walking and cycling activity class will contribute to results sought by the government.

Government expectations by activity class (webpage yet to come)

Qualifying for National Land Transport Programme consideration

To qualify for consideration for inclusion in the National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) and subsequent approval of funding:

• Any proposed activity is eligible if it fitswithin the walking and cycling activity class in the GPS and the appropriate work category definition in this knowledge base.
• Walking and cycling infrastructure provided within a regional network must be included in the relevant regional land transport plan (RLTP).
• Approved organisations and NZTA (for its own activities) must comply with the 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

Walking and cycling activities described in the following work categories are eligible activities.

Walking and cycling work categories

The activity class contains the following work categories:

• work category 124: cycle path maintenance
• work category 125: footpath maintenance
• work category 224: cycle path renewal
• work category 225: footpath renewal
• work category 451: walking facilities
• work category 452: cycling facilities
• work category 341: low-cost, low-risk improvements (webpage yet to come)
• work category 421: travel demand management and behaviour change
• work category 432: safety promotion, education and advertising

Developing walking and cycling activities

Improvement activities

The following information is in addition to the requirements for transport investments.

Quick links - transport investment requirements (webpage yet to come)

For information on improvement activities under $2 million, see the low-cost, low-risk work category 341.

Work category 341: low-cost, low-risk improvements (webpage yet to come)

We expect approved organisations and NZTA (for its own activities), where it makes sense to do so, to combine projects in a package or programme to deliver a complete end-to-end journey on footpaths, cycle lanes and/or cycle paths.

If a programme of activities is proposed as one item for inclusion in the NLTP, the programme is assessed as a whole. The components within the programme are not required to have an individual priority assessment.

Updated draft Investment Prioritisation Method 2024-27

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

Continuous programmes activities

The information required for walking and cycling maintenance programmes is the same (with modifications in relation to walking and cycling) as set out in requirements of a road maintenance programme.

Requirements of a road maintenance programme (webpage yet to come)

Low-cost, low-risk walking and cycling improvements

For information on low-cost, low-risk walking and cycling improvements, see work category 341.

Work category 341: low-cost low-risk improvements (webpage yet to come)

Profiling and prioritising walking and cycling activities

Walking and cycling activities proposed for funding from the National Land Transport Fund (NLTF) are profiled and prioritised under the NZTA IPM.

Updated draft Investment Prioritisation Method for the 2024-27 NLTP

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

Walking and cycling network guidance

Walking and cycling network guidance helps determine what is fit for purpose regarding levels of service (LoS).

We expect approved organisations and NZTA (for its own activities) to make use of best-practice guidance and standards and discourage proposals for funding that are not in alignment with design standards, including:

• Pedestrian network guidance (PNG), which sets out ways to improve New Zealand’s walking environment, and provides design standards and advice.
  Pedestrian network guidance

• Cycling network guidance (CNG), which guides appropriate LoS and sets out a best-practice approach to planning and designing cycle networks and facilities.
  Cycling network guidance

Approved organisations and NZTA (for its own activities) need to have a clear understanding of who the cycling programme is targeting, what LoS is required in delivering the activity or activities, and how different activities might complement each other to maximise the benefits of investment.

The main factors influencing LoS relate to safety, comfort and delays, which have the highest impact on network characteristics such as traffic volumes and speed, degree of separation from motor traffic, facility width and delays.

Level of service metrics (for network operations planning) (AP-R475-15)(external link)

Supporting activities (engagement, promotion and education)

Activities to support safe use of walking and cycling facilities is eligible for inclusion under work category 432. A separate activity to promote facilities and user behaviours is ineligible for inclusion. 

Work categories for funding supporting activities

Supporting engagement and promotion (that is targeted and cost-effective) of safe use of  walking and cycling improvements is eligible under the following work categories:

• work category 451: walking facilities
• work category 452: cycling facilities
• work category 341: low-cost, low-risk improvements (webpage yet to come)
• work category 421: travel demand management
• work category 432: safety promotion, education, and advertising.

Requirements for supporting activities

The following requirements apply regarding education, promotion and/or advertising activities:

• Advertising guidelines:
  All advertising activities must comply with NZTA advertising guidelines. All advertising activities with an overall cost of delivery over $250,000 must be submitted to the NZTA Education and Advertising team (advertising@nzta.govt.nz) to check they follow the guidelines before release.
  Advertising guide (webpage yet to come)

• Promotion of safe use:
  To help deliver the outcomes and benefits identified in planning the cycling network, any advertising or promotional activities must be targeted at the users the infrastructure is designed to attract and must be cost-effective. This must be demonstrated in a business case or other supporting document.

• Targeting of activities:
  These activities can be targeted to the safe use of the existing network, or new infrastructure/routes. Robust consultation with community members and business owners that could be affected by the investment in walking and cycling improvements is required for planned routes prior to investment in the improvements..