National summary

Significant issues

There are formidable challenges facing the land transport sector if it is to find affordable ways to support the economic transformation of New Zealand, improve the health, safety and accessibility of New Zealanders, while at the same time addressing climate change and the local environmental impacts of land transport.

A major change of direction will be needed if the land transport sector is to meet the expectations that have been placed on it. 

The significant issues facing the sector are the same as those set out in the 2007/08 NLTP. These issues are:

• Growth in transport demand resulting from:
  • increased desire for mobility as household incomes increase
  • growth in the freight task and business services as the economy develops
  • the growing population of some communities
• Increased congestion on road networks resulting from:
  • the general preference for travel by private motor vehicles
  • the growth of dispersed communities, leading to the private car becoming the dominant transport mode, and increased travel to access employment, education and social amenities
  • the difficulty for transport authorities to implement road and passenger transport improvements to ‘keep up’ with demand
• Negative impacts on the environment and communities resulting from:
  • growth in emissions, contaminants, noise and waste from increasing road vehicle use
  • air pollution causing respiratory illnesses and increased dependence on motor vehicles affecting physical fitness
• Reduced accessibility and mobility for certain groups in society resulting from:
  • an ageing population, and reduced mobility for older people and others in society who do not have a car or are unable to use one
  • increasing costs of public transport, and providing mobility services for the transport disadvantaged
• Reducing the crash rate and the consequences of crashes while
• encouraging more fuel efficient light vehicles
• increasing walking and cycling
• Providing sustainable funding for the transport system:
  • to support operation and maintenance of current transport networks and services while also funding key strategic developments of the system
  • through new mechanisms to replace funding from traditional sources that is expected to slow as the vehicle fleet becomes more fuel efficient and travel reduces in response to higher fuel prices
  • to implement high cost strategic projects funded from many sources:
• Ensuring continued performance of the transport system despite the occurrence of:
  • fluctuations in global fuel prices and changes to the $NZ exchange rate
  • short term responses to cost volatility by transport users, for example by increases in passenger transport patronage following fuel price rises
  • adverse weather, or traffic incidents on key strategic routes.

The issues described above are not new and they are certainly not unique to New Zealand.  Traditionally transport authorities have responded by building new road capacity in an attempt to meet demand; by providing increased subsidies for public transport; and by mitigating the environmental impacts through, for instance, increased expenditure on landscaping and tunnelling of roads.  This has become known as the ‘predict and provide’ approach.

Towards greater safety and sustainability

Land Transport NZ has identified a number of trends that need to happen if the sector is to progress towards land transport sustainability and safer transport on land.  These are set out below:

• CO2 emissions from land transport reduce
• Fatal and serious injury crashes reduce
• More people choose active and shared modes of transport
• The availability and use of shared transport, passenger transport and services for the transport disadvantaged increases
  People drive in a way that uses less energy and is safe in the conditions
• The commercial and private vehicle fleets become more energy efficient, safer and have improved environmental performance
• Commercial transport operators adopt management practices that promote safety, use less energy and reduce emissions, noise and vibration
• A higher proportion of freight is carried on rail and coastal shipping
• The freight industry productivity improves
• Development patterns of towns and cities reduce the need for people to travel
• Development of towns and cities, design of networks, and operating rules provide a safe and convenient environment for walking, cycling and other personal travel options
  People use private vehicles less at congested times
• Traffic flows more efficiently with greater reliability on the road network.

This NLTP addresses these trends by allocating funds to key activities. Examples are:

Improving the way the land transport system is planned

• Reducing the need to travel
  • Funding for the New Lynn transport interchange
• Encouraging better connected transport solutions
  • Increased funding for strategy development coupled with an increased emphasis on the effectiveness of strategies in addressing transport issues improves the value for money of activities in this and subsequent NLTPs.

Improving the performance of land transport networks

• Developing and managing transport networks
  • New $6 million funding for domestic sea freight.
  • Implementation of key State highway links including: Mt Roskill, SH20 Manukau extension, Tauranga Harbour Link, Dowse to Petone upgrade and the Manukau Harbour Crossing projects
  • Continued implementation of ramp metering on Auckland motorways to improve traffic flows
  • Implementation of bus priority lanes in Auckland, and Wellington to improve public transport services
• Providing greater choice of modes
  • Purchase of passenger rail rolling stock in Wellington to improve services
  • Development of the new bus interchange in Christchurch
  • Increased allocation for walking and cycling activities from $14.5 million in 2007/08 to $18 million in 2008/09
• Obtaining better value for money
  • Greater focus given to the scope of strategies and to the development of complimentary projects to ensure that value for money is built into programmes as they are developed

Improving the way the land transport system is used

• Influencing travel choices
  • $6 million more funding than in 2007/08 for community focused activities including, school and business travel plans, and walking school busses
  • $3.5 million more funding for walking and cycling projects, and $2 million more for minor safety projects to make local environments safer for vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians
• Promoting road safety
  • Increased funding for community focused activities
  • Increased funding for road safety education and promotion
• Road policing or enforcement targeting road safety
  • Developing and targeting the Road Policing Programme

The future approach

The government will soon release an update to the New Zealand Transport Strategy to provide strategic direction and establish long term targets for the transport sector. The Government’s Policy Statement will also be released once the Land Transport Management Amendment Bill is enacted. The GPS will provide short to medium term objectives and targets and allocation of funds to land transport activity classes. These documents are the government’s response to significant transport issues facing New Zealand.

 

< previous | next >

Page updated: 30 June 2008