The role of regional authorities

Regional councils, including unitary authorities, play an important role in planning and funding land transport in their areas. They approve regional land transport programmes (put forward by regional transport committees) that set out regional objectives and priorities and those activities proposed by councils in the region and the activities we propose for state highways.

The programmes must set out how it has taken account of the Government Policy Statement on Land Transport for the period the programme covers.(external link) They also plan for and submit for inclusion in regional land transport programmes, public transport activities to be delivered in their region. 

Regional councils and unitary authorities

As required by the Land Transport Management Act 2003 (LTMA), regional councils and unitary authorities establish and appoint members of regional transport committees. The LTMA also requires regional councils and unitary authorities to:

• approve regional land transport strategies (put forward by regional transport committees) that that set out regional objectives and priorities and those activities proposed by councils in the region and the Transport Agency for state highways (a different process applies in the Auckland region)
• assess the programme as a whole against the GPS
• make changes as required to the programme
• prepare and adopt regional public transport plans.
• plan for and deliver public transport activities.

Regional transport committees

These committees prepare regional land transport programmes and provide advice as requested by the regional council.  For regional council’s the committee members must include:

• two representatives of the particular regional council
• one representative of each local council in the region
• one representative of the Transport Agency.

Where the regional council that is a unitary authority the committee members must include

• four representatives of the unitary authority
• one representative of the Transport Agency.

A different process for Auckland

Auckland Council is a unitary council; it has established Auckland Transport(external link) as a council controlled organisation. Auckland Transport is unique in that it represents all transport functions of the city under one organisation; its main tasks are:

• to prepare the Regional Land Transport Plan and Regional Public Transport Plan for adoption by Auckland Council
• to design, build and maintain Auckland’s roads, ferry wharves, cycleways and walkways
• coordinate road safety and community transport initiatives such as school travel
• plan and fund bus, train and ferry services across Auckland.

Working together

Find out how we use integrated planning to work together with regional and territorial authorities to meet the transport needs of New Zealanders.