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Nltp Activities

NLTP activities by activity class

State highway improvements

Activity class: New and improved infrastructure for state highways

This activity class covers the funding for state highway capital improvements, which includes:

  • investment in infrastructure and systems (such as ramp metering) to maximise the use of existing networks
  • new roading links and structures
  • additional capacity on existing roading links
  • improvements to address safety and efficiency issues on existing roads
  • strengthening, upgrading or replacing structures such as bridges.

Funding priorities

State highway improvements given the highest NZTA priority are those that deliver the greatest impacts in economic growth and productivity. In this NLTP that means investing:

  • in RoNS, or
  • in activities that have the potential to make major contributions to national economic growth and productivity on freight and tourism routes, or routes that are critical for maximising access to significant markets and areas of employment or economic growth.

The next priority for funding is where significant improvements are possible in one or more of:

  • the risk and number of fatal and serious injuries
  • the implementation of a relevant road safety strategy
  • journey time reliability on key routes
  • severe urban congestion
  • capacity constraints
  • risk from natural hazard or other transport operations disruptions.

The NZTA seeks to ensure effective transport solutions, and where these involve large, complex projects and packages aims to deliver on:

  • improving integration within and between transport modes, as appropriate
  • providing solutions that integrate land transport, land use and other infrastructure, as appropriate
  • supporting networks from a national perspective
  • provide the most efficient and effective transport solutions.

Funding allocated

This NLTP allocates a record $3.075 billion in funding for state highway improvements activities during 2009-2012. Figure 4 illustrates the spending breakdown among large, group (less than $4.5 million cost per project) and minor improvements.

Figure 4: State highway improvements - funding by project type

figure-4

However, while this NLTP invests additional funding in activities designed to stimulate economic development and growth, the NZTA cannot afford, within the NLTF funding constraints, to complete all the elements of the roads of national significance within 10 years.

This means that trade-offs will be required across the range of state highway activities, so that funding is used most effectively to deliver best value for money from a national perspective. It introduces more complex risks (mainly because of the relative weight of large projects), requiring the NZTA to consider innovative, value-for-money solutions for maintaining, improving and operating the network.

As part of its 'Jobs and Growth Plan', the government has allocated an additional $142.5 million to advance selected state highway projects (of which $107 million is available in 2009-2012). These include:

  • replacing Kopu Bridge on SH25
  • safety improvements on the Rimutaka Hill and Matahorua Gorge on SH2
  • the Christchurch Southern Motorway extension
  • the Hawke's Bay Expressway southern extension.

An additional $100 million will target small and medium-sized projects and pavement renewals throughout New Zealand that improve safety and efficiency.

R and N funds will be allocated to projects according to their priority and the availability of R funds in each region.

Table 7 outlines the funding allocation, which is based on the NZTA's priorities and has the aim of delivering the GPS's desired impacts.

Table 7: Funding for state highway improvements, 2009-2012

New and improved infrastructure
for state highways
Expected funding ($000)
2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 Total
Committed projects 739,321 668,209 367,754 1,775,284
New projects 205,329 307,936 609,510 1,122,775
New minor improvements 30,000 30,000 30,000 90,000
Administration 28,895 28,895 28,895 86,685
Total 1,003,545 1,035,040 1,036,159 3,074,744

Committed projects include the:

  • Victoria Park Tunnel and Newmarket Viaduct projects in Auckland
  • Tauranga Harbour link
  • Hawke's Bay Expressway southern extension
  • Dowse to Petone interchange
  • Christchurch Southern Motorway extension.

Significant projects seeking funding approval in the 2009-2012 NLTP include the:

  • Waterview connection in Auckland
  • Te Rapa bypass in Hamilton
  • Tauranga Eastern Link
  • Memorial Avenue to Yaldhurst four-laning in Christchurch
  • Homer Tunnel investigation in Southland.

Smaller activities are managed as group projects in each region. The regional tables identify the funding allocated to groups of small state highway activities. Expenditure is expected to be within these allocations over 2009-2012. The allocations may be varied over 2009-2012 in response to differences between the indicative priority for activities shown in this NLTP and the final priority assessed when the activities are ready for implementation, and to changes to implementation programmes. These variations may lead to variations in group allocations between regions to ensure funding is allocated to the highest priority activities.

State highway operation, maintenance and renewal

The two activity classes: renewal of state highways; and maintenance and operation of state highways cover the funding of the operation, maintenance and renewal of state highways to ensure that they continue to deliver a reliable service.

Operation and maintenance activities for state highways include:

  • pavement and drainage maintenance
  • road markings
  • road corridor maintenance, including vegetation control and grass mowing, and the maintenance of roadside furniture such as signs and guard rails
  • the operation of traffic management centres, traffic signals and other access control and information systems.

Renewal activities arise from the deterioration of the roading infrastructure, and aim to minimise the long-term costs of retaining it. They include:

  • resurfacing roads
  • replacing culverts or street-lighting infrastructure
  • renewing bridge abutments and road pavements.

Funding priorities

State highway operation, maintenance and renewal activities given the highest NZTA priority are those that:

  • make the most efficient and effective use of the existing infrastructure on key routes to reduce congestion
  • optimise service levels for safety and road network security and resilience
  • undertake timely interventions to make the best use of existing infrastructure
  • manage adverse environmental effects from land transport.

State highway operation, maintenance and renewal service levels reflect these priorities. They consider economic imperatives to use the network to move freight and people efficiently, as well as meet users' expectations in terms of delineation, consistency, appearance and ride comfort.

Maintaining existing assets effectively ensures that the network can deliver on these expectations and retain its value and utility. For example:

  • signage and delineation, together with appropriate wet road skid resistance, are major contributors to the safety record
  • appropriate road surfaces and drainage prolong the lives of roads and minimise the highways' impact on adjacent communities
  • traffic management, including traffic signals, variable message signage, contra-flow lanes, incident management and road condition reports, contributes to reducing congestion and increasing the network's reliability and availability.

An accelerated programme of new construction in the past five years (and envisaged for the next 10 years) is increasing demand for maintenance funding. In particular, the operation and maintenance of facilities such as tunnels increase costs significantly.

The 2008/09 annual survey of the state highway network indicates that, while most of the parameters are reasonably consistent with previous years, the trend for rutting on the network has risen significantly. The recent growth in heavy vehicle travel, together with the ageing road pavements, has resulted in worsening pavement condition. Increased pavement renewal works are funded in this NLTP to address this trend and reduce the risk of road failure.

Initiatives are already in place to address congestion issues, enabling road users to make informed choices on when and how to travel, and reduce delays at bottlenecks. Others planned for 2009-2012 include:

  • in Auckland, traffic management technologies such as ramp signalling, closed-circuit television and variable message signing
  • in Wellington, lane-control signals and variable mandatory speed management signs
  • in Christchurch, the completion of the Traffic Management Unit
  • nationally, an expanded variable message sign network, a national operations centre, a comprehensive weather prediction model that will improve safety management processes, and a greater NZTA involvement in incident responses.

Funding allocated

This NLTP allocates a record $1,530 million for the ongoing maintenance and operation of state highways. In addition, the government's economic stimulus package allocate $15 million to further support an increased pavement renewals programme in 2009/10.

The NZTA is expected to manage its programmes efficiently and effectively and will do so within the funding allocations provided. The NZTA is also expected to review its activities continually to ensure that they deliver value for money, and will take steps to improve their efficiency.

An allocation of $111 million has been set aside in the NLTP for emergency reinstatement, to enable an effective response to any adverse events happening during 2009-2012. A separate allocation for preventive maintenance has also been established for non-routine work required to protect the serviceability of the road corridor.

All activities are funded from N funds. Expenditure is expected to be managed to stay within the three-year allocation.

Table 8 summarises the funding allocated to state highway operation, maintenance and renewal.

Table 8: Funding for state highway operation, maintenance and renewal, 2009-2012

 
Expected funding ($000)
2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 Total
Maintenance and operations 251,106 251,106 251,106 753,318
Renewals 213,374 186,374 186,374 586,122
Maintenance block programme 464,480 437,480 437,480 1,339,440
Administration 18,520 18,520 18,520 55,560
Preventive maintenance 8,000 8,000 8,000 24,000
Emergency reinstatement 36,000 37,000 38,000 111,000
Total maintenance allocation 527,000 501,000 502,000 1,530,000

An additional $27 million in 2010/11 and $31 million in 2011/12 have been requested to fund an increased pavement renewal rate. No funding approval has been given for this work. This funding request will be reviewed and prioritised in 2009/10 considering trends in performance measures, such as indicators of pavement deterioration, and input costs before any further funding approval is given.

The challenge in future will be to improve this investment's effectiveness by extracting the maximum value from past and current investments and carefully targeting expenditure to agreed service levels. This will require a management approach that levers off any decreased cost pressures on input prices during the delivery of maintenance operations and uses whole-of-life assessment principles in treatment selection.

Local road improvements

Activity class: New and improved infrastructure for local roads

This activity class provides funding assistance to approved organisations for capital improvements to local roads, including:

  • new traffic management facilities eg traffic signals
  • replacements of bridges and other structures
  • road reconstruction and new roads
  • minor improvements (small projects costing less than $250,000).

Funding priorities

Local road projects accorded the highest NZTA priority are those that make a significant contribution to:

  • RoNS, which include local roads that the NZTA has identified¹ as critical to the operation of a RoNS, or
  • national economic growth and productivity in freight routes, tourism routes or urban arterials critical for maximising access to significant markets and areas of employment or economic growth.

Projects assessed as having a medium strategic fit are those that contribute to significant improvements in one or more of:

  • the risk of fatal and serious injuries
  • the implementation of a relevant road safety strategy
  • key routes in relation to one or more of: journey time reliability; severe urban congestion; capacity constraints; and risk from natural hazard or other transport operation disruptions.

By number, most of the NLTP's local road improvement projects are small scale, providing improvements in transport networks for a wide range of communities throughout New Zealand. Typically, they are delivered as part of the 'minor improvements' allocation or as groups of generic projects (with costs of less than $4.5 million per project).

By value, a small number of higher-priority, large projects make up a substantial proportion of this activity class, continuing a trend of larger projects being funded by approved organisations with NZTA funding assistance. Figure 5 shows the split among minor improvements, generic projects and large projects over time. The forecast expenditure is shown spread evenly over the three years of the NLTP.

¹ These roads and/or services will be identified by the NZTA in consultation with relevant stakeholders.

Figure 5: Local road improvements - funding by project type

figure-5

Funding allocated

The funding allocated to this activity class is below the GPS midpoint but reflects the level of 2008/09 funds claimed for local roads at around $160 million per year. This recognises that economic conditions forecast for the next three years make it unlikely that approved organisations, in general, will be in a position to increase the local share from ratepayers and developer contributions for local roading projects. There are indications that some approved organisations will reduce expenditure on local road improvements in favour of maintenance and other priorities.

R and N funds will be allocated to projects based on their priority and the availability of R funds in each region. A limited provision for funding transport improvements for deprived communities² continues into the 2009-2012 NLTP through the availability of T funds³.

Table 9 summarises the funding allocations for local road improvement projects.

² These are established communities in areas of high socio-economic deprivation (NZDep2006 Index of Deprivation of 8 or higher).

³ T funds are allocated to areas of high social deprivation as determined by a Ministry of Health index. The funds focus on areas with significant transport issues affecting an established community.

Table 9: Funding for local road improvements, 2009-2012

New and improved
infrastructure for local roads
Expected funding ($000)
2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 Total
Committed projects 116,185 51,938 4,830 172,953
New projects 37,815 78,062 101,170 217,047
New minor improvements 30,000 30,000 30,000 90,000
Total 184,000 160,000 136,000 480,000

Committed higher-priority projects include:

  • Taupo District Council's East Taupo Arterial
  • Invercargill City Council's Tiwai Bridge replacement
  • Auckland City Council's Tiverton Road/Wolverton Street project.

Significant projects seeking funding approval in the 2009-2012 NLTP include:

  • Auckland and Manukau City Councils' Auckland Manukau Eastern Transport Initiative (the AMETI project)
  • Rodney District Council's PENLINK project
  • Waitakere City Council's New Lynn town centre development
  • Christchurch City Council's Wigram/Magdala grade separation link.

The proportion of funding likely to be allocated to large projects in the 2009-2012 NLTP will mean less funding for lower-priority projects. This reinforces the need to manage the programme closely to ensure that available funding is allocated according to priority. Funding approval for any large project will be dependant on agreeing a funding and implementation plan to ensure the cashflow from the NLTP can be managed.

Funding has been allocated to groups of similar activities delivered by an organisation in a region. That organisation can be confident that this funding will be available to fund the activities it has within the group as indicated in the regional tables. NZTA expects that the projects within the group will have a similar priority overall to that shown in the regional tables when they are fully developed and ready for funding approval, and that expenditure on these generic roading projects will be within the funding allocated to each group activity.

The NZTA will respond to programme variations proactively; if some higher-priority, larger projects are not advanced for funding, perhaps owing to local share funding difficulties, it will consider allocating that funding to projects of the next closest priority.

Local road operations, maintenance and renewal

Activity class: Renewal of local roads, Maintenance and operation of local roads

These two activity classes provide funding assistance to local authorities for:

  • renewing local roads, through:
    • the renewals portion of the block-funded maintenance programme
    • preventive maintenance
  • operating and maintaining local roads, through:
    • the maintenance and operations portion of the block-funded maintenance programme
    • emergency reinstatement.

The NLTP allocates a 'block' of funding to each programme, which provides approved organisations with the flexibility to manage their programmes to deliver the greatest financial and roading benefits. The only exceptions to this approach are emergency reinstatement and preventive maintenance, which are funded on a project or event basis.

Activities included in the maintenance block are those necessary to provide a secure and resilient transport network and to maximise the transport efficiency of existing infrastructure. They cover:

  • network management and control, including network inspections, performance monitoring, inventory data upkeep and legalisation of the existing road reserve
  • the operation of the network and traffic monitoring infrastructure, including the costs of running the traffic management centres, incident response and power for street lighting, and a cost share for upgrading rail crossing warning devices
  • routine maintenance activities to keep assets operating at required service levels, including pothole patching, grading, street sweeping, snow clearing, grass mowing, handrail painting, stream clearing and guardrail strike repairs
  • renewal activities related to replacing components of the existing roading infrastructure (pavements, bridges, traffic signals etc) owing to normal deterioration. Some minor improvements can be undertaken as part of renewal work, but only when they are the most cost-efficient options.

'Emergency reinstatement' involves repairing and restoring roading infrastructure after adverse events such as earthquakes and rainstorms. Approved organisations apply for funding assistance as and when damage happens, from an allocation set aside in the NLTP for this purpose.

In the past few years, expenditure has been much higher as a result of floods in the lower North Island, Hawke's Bay/Gisborne region and Northland. In 2009-2012, $171 million has been allocated for local road emergency works. This includes funding of commitments from events in previous years.

'Preventive maintenance' is non-routine work required to protect the road network's serviceability and to minimise the threat of road closures. The NLTP provides $15 million for preventive maintenance works in 2009-2012. Approved organisations will be able to request this funding from the NLTP for activities identified during 2009-2012.

Apart from commitments for work already underway, no specific project recommendations have been made for approval as part of adopting the NLTP.

Funding priorities

The NZTA's priorities for the operation, maintenance and renewal of local roads are to:

  • make efficient and effective use of the existing infrastructure on key routes to reduce congestion
  • optimise service levels for safety and road network security and resilience
  • undertake timely interventions to make the best use of existing infrastructure
  • manage adverse environmental effects from land transport.

The funding constraints on lower-priority programmes will require greater efficiencies in largescale routine maintenance and renewal activities, limits to the number of incremental improvements and reassessments of service levels on low-volume networks.

The local roading network is eight times the length of the state highway network, and a large proportion comprises sealed and unsealed low-volume roads.

Managing large roading networks with variable traffic volumes is a challenge for all road-controlling authorities. Seasonal fluctuations in travel, weather and ground conditions can affect asset deterioration as much as traffic does, and pavements can fail quickly under a small change in demand. Funding must be managed efficiently and carefully to ensure the total network provides appropriate service levels for all road users.

National averages for network performance indicators have remained steady for the past few years, although there is some variance regionally. Some local networks, such as those in Waikato, Opotiki, Whanganui, Mackenzie and Timaru, show marginal improvements while others, such as those in Waitakere, Dunedin, Auckland, Wellington and Gisborne, are below average.

Funding allocated

This NLTP allocates $1,439 million for these activity classes in 2009-2012.

The NZTA expects that approved organisations will manage their programmes efficiently and effectively and within the funding allocations provided because there is no provision for indexing funding approvals in the NLTP and funding approvals will only be increased in exceptional circumstances. It also expects that they will continually review their activities to ensure they are delivering value for money, and will take steps to improve their efficiency.

All activities within these two activity classes are funded from N funds because R funds are allocated to improvement projects.

Table 10: Funding for local road operations, maintenance and renewal, 2009-2012

 
Expected funding
($000)
2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 Total
Maintenance and operations 182,631 185,543 187,477 555,651
Renewals 217,983 221,895 225,807 665,685
Maintenance block programme 400,614 407,438 413,284 1,221,336
Administration 10,386 10,562 10,716 31,664
Preventive maintenance 5,000 5,000 5,000 15,000
Emergency reinstatement 56,000 57,000 58,000 171,000
Total maintenance allocation 472,000 480,000 487,000 1,439,000

As with the state highway operation, maintenance and renewal activity class, the challenge in future will be to improve this investment's effectiveness by extracting the maximum value from past and current investments and carefully targeting expenditure to agreed service levels. This will require a management approach that levers off any decreased cost pressures on input prices during the delivery of maintenance operations and using whole-of-life assessment principles in treatment selection.

Road policing

The road policing activity class, known as the Road Policing Programme (RPP), is the programme of land transport enforcement activities delivered by New Zealand Police. Its key purpose is to improve road safety by reducing the deaths and injuries on New Zealand roads in accordance with the Road Safety to 2010 Strategy, and its successor, Safer journeys (the road safety strategy to 2020).

The RPP is included in this NLTP to integrate the planning, funding and delivery of road policing activities with other NLTP activities that also contribute to improving land transport particularly with regard to safety. The programme for 2009-2012 has been prepared by the NZTA and approved by the Minister of Transport, in consultation with the Minister of Police, and in accordance with the LTMA.

Funding priorities

The priority areas for road policing funding are those that align with road safety strategies and analysis and deliver the greatest reductions in road trauma - that is, activities that address the fatal five road safety issues of speed, drink/drugged driving, restraint wearing, dangerous/careless driving and high-risk drivers.

Road policing also focuses on commercial driving, community engagement, incident and emergency management and resolutions.

NZTA commitment to road policing

Road policing is essential to improving road safety. The NZTA is committed to supporting and working with New Zealand Police to reduce road trauma by developing innovative operational and technological solutions to make the best use of NLTF resources.

New technological developments that enable New Zealand Police to carry out its duties more effectively include digital mobile and fixed speed cameras, red-light intersection cameras, electronic ticketing, automatic number plate recognition and in-car technologies such as mobile data terminals to support 'police vehicles as police stations'.

Funding allocated

At this stage, approved funding for the 2009-2012 RPP is below its GPS funding range (see Table 11). The programme will be subject to funding variations during the three years in order to respond to the emerging strategic context, and in particular to Safer journeys.

Table 11: Funding for New Zealand Police activities, 2009-2012

  2009/10
($000)
2010/11
($000)
2011/12
($000)
Approved RPP 282,071 284,581 284,925

Road policing activities are grouped as follows:

  • Strategic road policing: proactive road policing activities addressing the 'fatal five' road safety issues through speed control, drinking and/or drugged driver control, restraint device control, visible road safety and general enforcement (addressing dangerous/careless driving, high-risk drivers, and other traffic law), and commercial vehicle investigation and road user charges enforcement.
  • Community engagement on road policing: proactive road policing activities by Police community services and school road safety education.
  • Road policing incident and emergency management: crash attendance and investigation, and traffic management.
  • Road policing resolutions: sanctions and prosecutions, and court orders.

Figure 6 displays policing activities by funding level. More than 70 percent of this funding is dedicated to proactive strategic road policing, the purpose of which is to directly deter crashes and the resulting trauma.

Figure 6: Road policing funding by activity

figure-6

More details of police activities can be found in Appendix 1, while details of the RRP for 2009/10 can be viewed at www.police.govt.nz/service/road(external link). The work programmes for 2010/11 and 2011/12 will also be published on the site when they become available. Region-specific details of the RPP can be found in the regional sections of this NLTP.

Funding

Police activities are N funded.

Public transport services

The public transport services activity class provides funding assistance to regional authorities (or local authorities under regional authority delegation) to deliver public transport services and operations. It covers:

  • bus services
  • passenger ferry services
  • passenger rail services
  • public transport facilities, operations and maintenance
  • total mobility operational funding (transport assistance for people with disabilities).

Funding priorities

Public transport services activities with the highest NZTA priority are those that have the potential to make significant improvements in one or more of:

  • peak-time public transport patronage in major urban areas with severe congestion
  • optimising public transport services and infrastructure
  • farebox recovery rates.

Those with a medium strategic fit have potential for significant improvements in one or more of:

  • transport choice in major urban areas, particularly for those with limited access to cars or who are vulnerable to fuel price changes
  • transport interconnections and ease of changing modes in major urban areas
  • safety, including implementing a relevant road safety strategy
  • network security and resilience
  • reducing the adverse environmental effects from land transport.

As part of its commitment to improving public transport networks' effectiveness by extracting the maximum value from past and current investments, the NZTA is developing a national farebox policy framework that will provide direction for regional authorities.

Funding allocated

This NLTP allocates $630 million to the public transport services activity class for the 2009-2012 NLTP, as detailed in Table 12. This is near the midpoint of the GPS funding range of $585 million to $675 million, and represents a 30 percent increase on the allocation for the previous three-year period.

Table 12: Funding for public transport services and operations, 2009-2012

 
Expected funding ($000)
2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 TOTAL
Base programme 195,775 204,000 212,325 612,100
New initiatives 4,000 6,000 7,900 17,900
Total 199,775 210,000 220,225 630,000

The funding allocation reflects the NZTA's priorities, with about 89 percent allocated to the major urban centres of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Figure 7 illustrates the allocations and existing patronage levels.

Funding for public transport services and operational base programmes is allocated as block funding. This means regional authorities have the flexibility to move the funding to cover variability in the delivery of programme activities, as long as the total expenditure stays within the overall allocation.

Figure 7: Public transport operations funding and patronage breakdown

figure-7-1

figure-7-2

Over time, patronage levels in Auckland are expected to grow to become more closely aligned with NLTP expenditure, while operations are expected to become more efficient to optimise the return from investments in infrastructure and services.

The NZTA expects that regional authorities will manage their programmes efficiently and effectively and within the funding allocations provided because there is no provision for indexing funding approvals in the NLTP and funding approvals will only be increased in exceptional circumstances. It also expects that they will continually review their services to ensure that they are delivering value for money, and will take steps to improve their efficiency.

This NLTP includes a provision of $18 million for new service starts in key areas. Requests for new service and operational initiatives include:

  • integrated ticketing and ferry operations improvements in Auckland
  • bus services and supporting operations in Queenstown
  • service improvements in Tauranga
  • a reconfiguration of the bus service in and around New Plymouth
  • additional services in Palmerston North
  • additional services in Hawke's Bay.

Funding for any new initiatives will be allocated based on an assessment of each proposal against the NZTA's priorities. Low-priority initiatives are unlikely to be funded.

Public transport infrastructure

The public transport infrastructure activity class provides funding assistance for 'public transport road improvements' and 'public transport infrastructure works' undertaken by regional councils, local authorities, ARTA and the NZTA (as part of state highways infrastructure activities). Activities comprise:

  • public transport road improvements: public transport-related infrastructure on any road constructed or re-designated specifically to enable the movement of high-occupancy road vehicles
  • public transport infrastructure works for new, improved or replacement public transport infrastructure, such as passenger rail, ferry, bus and multi-modal stations, exchanges, waiting areas and shelters costing more than $20,000, park and ride facilities, station access, and real-time information and ticketing system infrastructure.

Funding priorities

Public transport infrastructure projects that have high NZTA priority are those that demonstrate a potential to make significant improvement in one or more of:

  • peak-time public transport patronage in major urban areas with severe congestion
  • optimising public transport services and infrastructure.

Projects with a medium strategic fit are those that demonstrate potential to make significant improvements in one or more of:

  • transport choice in major urban areas, particularly for those with limited access to cars or who are vulnerable to fuel price changes
  • public transport network and interchange capacity constraints in major urban areas
  • transport interconnections and ease of changing modes in major urban areas
  • safety, including implementing a relevant road safety strategy
  • network security and resilience.

The funding allocation for 2009-2012 recognises the number of large, high-priority projects, many of which are required urgently in large urban areas, especially in Auckland and Wellington.

A funding loan of $32.8 million to Auckland Regional Council will assist the council with local share constraints for rolling stock that was planned to be funded from regional fuel tax.

From 2009/10, the NZTA will not be responsible for funding new rail rolling stock, track- and signalling-related activities or station platforms in Auckland or Wellington. This change will consolidate the funding of all these activities directly from the Crown.

Funding allocated

This NLTP allocates $269 million to the public transport infrastructure activity class for the 2009-2012, as set out in Table 13. This is towards the upper end of the GPS range, and similar to the spend in the previous three-year period.

Table 13: Funding for public transport infrastructure, 2009-2012

 
Expected funding ($000)
2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 TOTAL
Commitments 114,200 10,100 1,900 126,200
New projects 15,100 39,900 55,100 110,100
ARC loan 32,800 0 0 32,800
Total 162,100 50,000 57,000 269,100

Significant projects and groups of projects seeking funding approval in the 2009-2012 NLTP include:

  • an Auckland integrated fares system
  • Auckland Stage 2 rail stations
  • AMETI - Sylvia Park
  • Auckland ferry terminal upgrades
  • Auckland central business district tunnel investigation
  • peak congestion relief and optimising a group of generic projects.
  • Christchurch bus exchange
  • Queenstown SH6A multi-modal corrior.

R and N funds will be allocated to projects according to their priorities and the availability of R funds in the regions.

Demand management and community programmes

The demand management and community programmes (DMCP) activity class is a new classification in the GPS. It comprises a mix of national activities delivered by the NZTA and local activities delivered by approved organisations.

The DMCP includes the management or purchase of activities that promote safe and sustainable use of the land transport networks. These activities include:

  • changing transport demand to improve network performance
  • encouraging travel behaviour change
  • national and local advertising on land transport-related issues
  • national and local promotion of walking and cycling
  • road safety education in schools
  • education and information for users, operators and approved organisations
  • implementing national and local strategies.

Approved organisations submit annual programmes for approval, being combinations of low-cost activities targeting identified community and road safety issues. The combinations of activities are unique to each approved organisation, but use tools and resources created nationally by the NZTA.

Activities are identified through the annual road safety action planning process, in response to community-identified needs, or though a strategic planning process to address congestion or travel behaviour issues.

Review of the DMCP activity class

The NZTA Board has requested a review of the DMCP activity class to provide evidence of the benefits and value for money that its programmes deliver.

Accordingly, the funding for this activity class is approved for 2009/10 only, with the review expected to establish the funding direction for the subsequent two years. One result of the review is expected to be the development of guidelines and processes to ensure that demand management and community programmes are supported by evidence of benefits and value for money.

Funding priorities

DMCP activities accorded the highest NZTA priority are those that have the potential to:

  • deliver a significant part of, or significantly support, a relevant road safety strategy, and/or
  • achieve change in travel behaviour in a way that will reduce severe congestion in major urban areas.

DMCP activities of medium strategic fit are those that have the potential to deliver significant improvements in one or more of:

  • safety, including implementing a relevant road safety strategy
  • transport choices in major urban areas, particularly for those with limited access to cars or who are vulnerable to fuel price changes
  • adverse environmental effects from land transport
  • public health outcomes.

Activities delivered by approved organisations and the NZTA are expected to have proven effectiveness or be supported by sufficient evidence and planning that demonstrates their strategic fit, effectiveness and value for money.

Funding allocated

This NLTP allocates $42 million for 2009/10, as summarised in Table 14.

Table 14: Funding for DMCP activities, 2009/10

 
Expected funding
($000)
Commitments
1,179
New activities
40,405
Administration
416
Total
42,000

Activities funded by approved organisations are classified by theme. Table 15 summarises the 2009/10 funding allocations, which are made up of activities targeting specific areas.

Table 15: Funding for local authority community programmes by targeted theme, 2009/10

Activity theme
2009/10
($000)
Alcohol
1,005
Community travel planning/car pooling
801
Cycling (including Bike Wise)
1,704
Driver education and licensing
1,680
Fatigue
256
General coordination/administration
2,950
Intersections
436
Neighbourhood accessibility plans
447
Other initiatives
1,105
Restraints
714
School travel plans
2,317
Speed
626
Unallocated (contested) community fund
423
Vehicles (heavy vehicles, motorcycles, mobility scooters, cycles)
336
Walking (including Feet First)
1,257
Workplace travel plans
1,307
Drive to the conditions
182
Demand management activities
20
Total
17,566

Nationally delivered activities are not classified by theme, but each addresses an identified road safety issue or national priority area. This NLTP allocates $23 million to these activities, which include:

  • advertising (drink-driving, fatigue, Maori and Pacific, safety belts, speed, vehicle safety, research and evaluation)
  • national promotion programmes (TraffiNZ, Safe 2 Go, Safe with Age, Tracks are for Trains, Practice, Feet First, Walking School Bus)
  • walking and cycling programme (strengthening user group networks, cyclist skills training, Getting There implementation, Bike Wise, conference sponsorship, Neighbourhood Accessibility Plans)
  • community resources and guidelines
  • the Rightcar and Fuelsaver websites.

The NZTA intends to request that programmes for 2010/11 and 2011/12 be submitted following the review of this activity class, aligned with local authorities' annual plan processes.

Walking and cycling facilities

The walking and cycling facilities activity class covers the construction of new and improved walking and cycling facilities by local authorities and the NZTA. These include:

  • cycle paths and lanes
  • new footpaths
  • crossing and parking facilities
  • lighting and signage.

All activities funded are required to be part of current walking and cycling strategies.

Funding priorities

Walking and cycling projects given the highest NZTA priority are those that are part of model walking and cycling communities4, with the objective of reducing congestion in main urban areas.

Projects that have a medium strategic fit are those with potential to make significant improvements in one or more of:

  • safety, including implementing a relevant road safety strategy
  • links to complete or complement existing key walking and cycling networks with the objective of reducing congestion in main urban areas.

Typically, walking and cycling activities have tended to be small projects of less than $1 million in construction costs. However, an increasing commitment to walking and cycling networks is being reflected in larger and more complex projects being submitted for funding through the NLTP.

Figure 8 illustrates the substantial increased in demand for walking and cycling funding in the past few years. Note that the historic and forecast expenditure does not include walking and cycling components associated with roading infrastructure improvements and renewals that are incorporated in other activity classes. The $20.3 million spend in 2008/09 is above the allocation of $18 million, which is in line with the average $17 million per year allocated in the 2009-2012 NLTP.

4 The NZTA Model Communities Plan is in development and due to be released in December 2009.

Figure 8: NLTF spending on walking and cycling activities since 2002

figure-8

Funding allocated

This NLTP allocates $51 million for the walking and cycling activity class for 2009-2012. This is approximately the midpoint of the GPS funding range of $30 million to $75 million and reflects the activity class's role in providing increased mode choice and resilience in the transport network. Based on the level of submissions, the NZTA expects strong demand for the funding available.

Funding commitments of $13 million for previously approved projects means that the funding available for new projects has reduced.

Table 16: Funding for walking and cycling activities, 2009-2012

 
Expected funding ($000)
2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 Total
Commitments 9,289 1,561 2,196 13,046
Model communities provision 0 2,000 5,000 7,000
New projects 10,261 13,056 6,489 29,806
Administration 450 383 315 1,148
Total 20,000 17,000 14,000 51,000

R and N funds will be allocated to projects based on their priority and the availability of R funds in each region.

Sector training and research

The GPS defines the sector training and research activity class as 'training for the purpose of developing the competence and capacity of the sector to develop and implement land transport programmes by providing information, education and support to organisations and their agents, and research for the purpose of allocating funding for research into land transport issues'.

Sector training

The NZTA manages sector training by contracting external parties to deliver activities that align with its strategies for land transport.

These include, for example, supporting graduate and postgraduate programmes in transportation, bursaries for postgraduate studies and the development of training materials relating to roading infrastructure construction and maintenance.

Sector research

Sector research is managed by the NZTA's Research Programme, through which the NZTA commissions innovative research that contributes to an affordable, integrated, safe, responsive and sustainable land transport system.

Funding priorities

The NZTA's Research Programme aligns with NZTA's priorities for research funding, giving increased priority to:

  • research with the greatest potential to improve the valuation of contributions to economic growth and productivity, and the benefits of land transport activities
  • activity management research to improve the performance of land transport activities and assets
  • integrated land use and transport systems research to improve the efficiency of transport management and integrated land use.

It maintains its focus on research into:

  • transport demand management
  • safety, security and public health
  • sustainable land transport
  • the environmental impacts of land transport.

The NZTA's commitment to sector research

The NZTA's commitment to sector research is documented in its Approach to research and the research funding process available through the NZTA's website. The approach contains the strategic direction and funding framework and will be updated for 2010/11 and 2011/12 to ensure it aligns with the land transport sector's strategic development.

Funding allocated

Table 17 summarises the funding for sector training and research activities for 2009/10. The 2010/11 and 2011/12 programmes will be developed and funded in accordance with a revised version of the NZTA's Approach to research. More details can be found in Appendix 2 on page 59.

Table 17: Funding for sector training and research, 2009/10

Sector research and training activities for 2009/10
2009/10 funding
($000)
2009/10 training activities total
1,292.5
2009/10 Research Programme total
4,343.4
Management
364.1
Sector training and research total
6,000.0

Funding

Sector training and research activities are N funded.

More information

Appendix 2 and www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/research/index.html contain more information about the NZTA's sector training and research programme.

ferry

Domestic sea freight development

This activity class provides seed funding for the development of new or improved coastal shipping freight services and related infrastructure. The funding is being phased out during 2009-2012, being used only for committed activities.

Rail and sea freight

This activity class funds initiatives in regional land transport programmes that encourage freight movement by rail and coastal shipping instead of by road, with the aim of reducing the costs of road freight to the community. The funding is being phased out during 2009-2012, being used only for committed activities.

Transport planning

The 'transport planning' activity class provides funding for planning in three main categories:

  • Regional land transport planning; that is, the development and management of regional land transport strategies and regional land transport programmes, plus funding for regional transport committee operations.
  • Studies and strategies that contribute to strategic, service, network or asset management plans.
  • Activity management planning (AMP) covering service provision, network management and asset management.

Regional land transport strategies and regional land transport programmes are statutory documents that each region must develop in accordance with the LTMA. Regional land transport strategies set out the transport issues and outcomes for the region and the strategic options for achieving those outcomes. Regional land transport programmes identify the transport projects and programmes that each region proposes for funding through the NLTP. Funding covers these documents' preparation and management, including consultation, approval, variation, monitoring and reporting. All regional land transport strategies must be reviewed during 2009-2012.

Studies and the development of strategies and their implementation plans are the building blocks for transport projects and packages and support the development and reviews of regional land transport strategies. The value that these ultimately deliver depends on the quality of the studies, strategies and implementation plans that underpin them. Effectively, they link the outcomes sought in the GPS to regional land transport strategies and implementation plans, and are funded because they lead to:

  • better transport programmes
  • integration between land use and transport planning, and between the projects and programmes included in implementation plans
  • early agreement between sector stakeholders on transport strategies and implementation plans
  • more transparent and simplified funding decisions and processes.

Activity management planning covers a wide range of transport activities, including:

  • regional passenger transport plans, which each regional council must develop during 2009-12
  • asset management plans
  • road safety action plans (RSAPs)
  • procurement strategies, which each approved organisation must develop and have endorsed by the NZTA by October 2010
  • risk management strategies, including safety and environmental management strategies.

Studies and plans should draw on previous work, focus on high-priority issues and opportunities and lead to agreed implementation plans.

Funding priorities

Transport planning activities given the highest NZTA priority involve the development of strategies and implementation plans that will:

  • for road renewal, maintenance and operations:
    • optimise the use and service levels of existing infrastructure on key networks or routes
    • deliver timely interventions to meet agreed service levels for other infrastructure
  • where service levels are linked to the contribution of a key network, route or other infrastructure to economic growth and improved productivity
  • for demand management and community programmes:
    • significantly assist the implementation of the Road Safety to 2010 Strategy5, or
    • achieve a change in travel behaviour that will significantly reduce severe congestion in major urban areas
  • for public transport services:
    • significantly improve peak-time public transport patronage in major urban areas with severe congestion
    • optimise the efficiency of existing services and infrastructure
    • improve farebox recovery rates
  • for public transport infrastructure:
    • improve economic growth and productivity through significant increases in public transport patronage during peak times in major urban areas with severe congestion
  • for walking and cycling facilities:
    • implement activities in model walking and cycling communities to reduce congestion in main urban areas
  • for state highways and local roads:
    • develop or improve RoNS including local roads and/or services identified as critical to RoNS operation, or
    • make major contributions to national economic growth and productivity in freight or tourism routes6, or urban arterials critical for maximising access to significant markets and areas of employment or economic growth.

5 Refer to the Ministry of Transport Road Safety to 2010 Strategy, which will be replaced by the Road Safety to 2020 Strategy (to be released in December 2009).

6 Refer to the NZTA Freight and Tourism Plan - interim in development, final to be released in December 2009.

Funding allocated

This NLTP allocates funding for the development of regional land transport strategies and regional land transport programmes, and the operation of regional transport committees, as a contribution based on the size and cost of each region's transport programme. Funding assistance is provided to approved organisations, and to the NZTA for state highways, for studies and the development of strategies and activity management plans. All transport planning funding will be sourced from N funds.

Table 18: Funding for transport planning, 2009-12

 
Expected funding ($000)
2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 Total
Regional land transport planning 4,350 4,371 4,433 13,154
Studies, strategies & AMP - commitments 9,200 0 0 9,200
Studies, strategies & AMP – new activities 13,307 22,486 22,424 58,217
Nationally delivered activities 5,143 5,143 5,143 15,429
Total 32,000 32,000 32,000 96,000

Funding for regional land transport planning was approved when the NLTP was adopted by the NZTA Board.

Most other studies and plans are included as category 2 projects, and will be considered for funding approval when they are ready to commence and have agreed terms of reference.

Management of the funding allocation system

This activity class provides funding for the NZTA to allocate and manage funding expenditure through the NLTP. It includes developing and administering:

  • the NLTP-associated procurement procedures, policies and guidelines
  • performance measurement systems for activities funded through the NLTP, and their impacts
  • assistance and advice to approved organisations and regional transport committees.

Table 19 summarises the allocations for this activity class.

Table 19: Funding for management of the funding allocation system, 2009-12

  2008/09
($000)
2009/10
($000)
2010/11
($000)
2011/12
($000)
Management of the funding allocation system 37,800 36,670 34,140 32,450

This funding illustrates the efficiency gains expected of the NZTA in its operations - achievable through:

  • simplifying funding procedures
  • ensuring that the NZTA's regional offices have a stronger role alongside transport partners in formulating transport strategies and programmes.

As set out in the NZTA's Statement of intent, we will focus on:

  • improving the transport system by influencing transport decision making and by targeting transport investment to activities that assist economic growth and productivity through smarter infrastructure investment, better use of infrastructure space, and improved asset management
  • improved customer service and reducing compliance costs by streamlining the funding allocation process.

Last updated: 6 October 2009