2008/09 National Land Transport Programme

Passenger transport

Passenger transport allocations provide funds for public transport services, and for the maintenance, renewal and development of public transport infrastructure.

Passenger transport services

Land Transport NZ has allocated a total of $185.5 million to passenger transport services which includes $172.2 million to community services, $9.2 million to social services, and $3.9 million as contingency.

The allocation for passenger transport services increased by 12 percent compared with 2007/08, caused by price increases and service expansion, particularly in Auckland. Land Transport NZ expects the trend of service expansion to continue and notes that growth in services has been limited by the availability of funding expected from local authorities.

Land Transport NZ has approved funding for all passenger transport programmes submitted to it or has set aside funds for applications expected during the year and has provided a contingency for price rises.

The tables in the regional sections of the NLTP show:

• approved allocations to passenger transport services
• improvement projects with funding approval
• improvement projects that have not yet received funding approval.

Allocations for passenger transport activities reflect the following funding criteria:

• all bus and ferry services, including concessions, are funded at an effective financial assistance rate of 50 percent from N funds, and local authorities are expected to fund the balance.
• all urban passenger rail services are funded at an effective financial assistance rate of 60 percent.
• inter-regional services are not funded by Land Transport NZ.
• non-rail passenger transport infrastructure projects costing up to $400,000 per project, receive financial assistance at 50 percent from N funds as part of the services allocation.
• replacement of existing wheelchair hoists will receive 60 percent financial assistance. All new wheelchairs hoists are currently included within the total mobility allocation.
• the total mobility base financial assistance rate is 40 percent. Authorities will be eligible for a financial assistance rate of up to 50 percent when they sign up to stage 1 of the new total mobility scheme, and up to 60 percent when signed up to stage 2.
• Financial assistance rate for bus and ferry facilities and infrastructure has been increased to 60%. 

Passenger transport improvement projects

Improvement projects included in the NLTP are listed in each organisation’s programme in the regional sections of the NLTP. The lists show the status that the programmes have in the NLTP, whether they are expected to start in 2008/09 or later, and the expected funding source. For projects that have not yet had funding approval, the information is indicative only and may change when a funding allocation is received or new information on the project is submitted to Land Transport NZ.

The amount of funding not yet allocated to specific improvement projects is shown in Table 2 on page 27.

The allocations for passenger transport infrastructure do not include allocations for Auckland rail as these are either directly funded by the Government or through the Auckland Regional Council. Passenger rail services in Auckland are funded through the NLTP.

For passenger transport improvements total commitments for 2008/09 are $104.56 million.  Of this total, $74.20 million relates to continued committed funding for Wellington’s new passenger rail rolling stock, signal upgrade and station infrastructure.  The commitments are listed in each regions programme. The 2007/08 commitments totalled $59.1 million.

Proposals for new infrastructure improvements include:

• Auckland’s Integrated Ticketing project across all modes
• New Lynn Passenger Transport Interchange
• Ferry terminal upgrades in Auckland including Bays Water Terminal and Beach Haven Jetty
• upgrades to Wellington’s Rail Stations, rolling stock stabling and the Refurbishment of the Ganz Mavag EMU's
• Implementation of Wellington’s Bus Priority project across the city
• Implementation of Wellington’s Bus and Rail Real time Passenger Information System
• Christchurch’s Central City Bus Terminal

 

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Page updated: 30 June 2008