WC 421: travel demand management and behaviour change

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

Introduction

Work category 421 provides for travel demand management and behaviour change activities that improve the performance of the land transport system.

The purpose of travel demand management and behaviour change is to support efficient and effective use of the transport system, to reduce the negative impacts of travel, and to influence how, when and where people travel.

Travel demand management, in conjunction with travel behaviour activities, has the following objectives, to:

• influence transport demand to better balance it with supply
• shape travel behaviour to ease pressure on the transport network and the environment
• deliver economic benefits to businesses and communities.

Integrated programmes and alignment of resources

Demand management and behaviour change programmes are best developed as part of a cohesive programme of transport activities through activity management planning and regional land transport plans. Activities can be funded from multiple work categories relevant to the initiative outcome or benefit.

There is a wide range of educational, promotional and experiential activities to optimise the existing network and allow users to make decisions that enable goods and people to reach their destinations efficiently. Programmes should be based on NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) endorsed good practice guidelines and examples.

NZ Transport Agency endorsed resources for safety promotion, education and advertising

Qualifying activities

Work category 421 comprises new travel demand management and behaviour change activities that improve the performance of the land transport system.

Work category 421 is available through the following activity classes:

• walking and cycling
• public transport infrastructure
• public transport services
• local road improvements
• state highway improvements.

Walking and cycling

Public transport services and infrastructure

Local road and state highway improvements

To qualify under this work category an activity must give effect to national and local priorities identified in:

• national or regional plans, such as an activity management plan, a vehicle kilometres travelled (VKT) reduction plan/programme, a regional public transport plan, national or regional plan containing travel demand management, or
• a relevant business case.

Examples of qualifying activities

Examples of qualifying activities include, but may not be limited to:

• education, promotion and communications to promote new facilities or services
• pricing (including time-of-use charging and parking) initiatives where these are targeted to improve travel times and network performance
• travel plans, accessibility plans, and associated education and promotion initiatives including journey planning tools (such as maps and way-finding)
• research/monitoring to better understand audiences, opportunities, testing of messages, interventions or to inform travel planning
• experiential events such as open streets, car-free days and challenges.

You can discuss with us (NZTA as investor) whether other potential activities not listed above might also be eligible for inclusion in this work category.

Exclusions

The work category excludes:

• development of a travel demand management plan – these are funded from work category 003
  Work category 003: activity management planning improvement
• travel behaviour change activities targeted towards safety – these are funded from work category 432
  Work category 432: safety promotion, education and advertising

• continuing existing travel demand management activities that are part of the local roading maintenance operations and renewal continuous programme – these can be funded under work category 151 or as part of the public transport continuous programme work category 524
  Work category 151: network and asset management
  Work category 524: public transport operations and management

• physical improvements, maintenance and service activities supporting travel demand management and behaviour change – these can be funded from the following activity classes:
  • walking and cycling
  • public transport infrastructure
  • public transport services
  • local road improvements
  • state highway improvements.

Walking and cycling

Public transport services and infrastructure

Load road and state highway improvements

Funding assistance rate

The usual funding assistance rate (FAR) is:

• the approved organisation's normal FAR
  Normal funding assistance rates

or

• 100% of the NZTA costs.

Non-financial contributions will not be considered part of the total project cost and will not be eligible for funding assistance.

Submitting activities for National Land Transport Programme consideration and funding approval

Approved organisations and NZTA (for its own activities) submit these activities using the appropriate template in Transport Investment Online (TIO):

• for activities costing less than $2 million, the low-cost, low-risk improvements template
• for activities above $2 million, the improvement activity template.

Transport Investment Online (external link)

For guidance on using TIO, see the TIO learning and guidance page on our website.

Transport Investment Online (TIO) learning and guidance