Whether it is a power outage, a major earthquake, or flooding, NZTA needs to ensure that it can continue to provide our essential functions.
While we need to ensure that our physical transport network is robust, resilience ultimately depends on the ability of the entire system to absorb and withstand disruptive events. This means that we need to ensure that we and other lifeline partners are appropriately ready to respond in a timely way.
This section provides guidance and examples to improve the resilience of your organisation through readiness.
Within NZTA we have business continuity plans to ensure we can operate effectively during and after any event that disrupts our key business activities, and that we can deliver specific critical functions through any type of event.
If you would like to discuss developing plans for your organisation, contact resilience@nzta.govt.nz and we can provide more detail of our plans and talk through our lessons learnt.
The state highway maintenance service providers are the first line of defence for NZTA when an event happens. NZTA has established clear operational and procedural guidelines and contractual and commercial structures which support the availability and mobilisation of resources immediately when an event happens (and often on standby beforehand).
One of the building blocks for responding to events are Emergency Preparedness and Procedures Plans. For state highways these plans are developed as part of the NOCs and have been implemented across the state highway network. The plans are tested regularly and updated as needed to ensure their effectiveness. They help to ensure the effects of an emergency are minimised on our network and that recovery is achieved as fast as possible.
Further information - Network outcomes contracts
Appropriate inspection and maintenance regimes, management plans and controls, and active risk management procedures all help to ensure that timely risk reduction (or response, if failure cannot be avoided) is undertaken. These are monitored and reported regularly.
NZTA heavily relies on the NOC and Structures Management Consultant (SMC) mechanisms to lead these elements as part of the contractual agreements.
Expectations are set through the suite of technical standards and guidelines which support the state highway network.
Technical standards and guidelines
A TARP defines the minimum set of actions required by workers in response to a deviation from normal working conditions. TARPs can be used to demonstrate the relationship between conditions and a potential network or customer effect. For example, the controls in place for a vulnerable rock face may dictate that when weather forecasts predict rainfall densities over a certain threshold, early warning signage is installed, and the maintenance contractor is placed on standby for road clearance.
Each TARP will differ depending on the location, scenario and factors in play – they may also mature over time if remote monitoring or automation can be utilised to make response more efficient. An example of a TARP in action can be seen in this news update for Mangamuka Gorge in Northland.
SH1 Mangamuka Gorge slip repairs information boards - September 2023 [PDF, 1.8 MB]
As a lifeline utility, NZTA has several procedural guidelines which have been developed to guide response and recovery efforts and align with other lifeline providers regionally and nationally. These are specifically discussed under response.
Response and Recovery - Emergency management
Scenarios are a useful readiness tool in establishing possible impacts and response requirements, particularly when there are broad impacts that create dependencies between networks, utility providers and wider community groups. There is currently a significant scenario planning approach underway for a possible 8 magnitude earthquake on the Alpine Fault in the South Island.
AF8 (Alpine Fault magnitude 8)(external link)
Bailey bridges are a physical readiness tool used by NZTA and other sector partners to minimise the length of a disruption. Bailey bridges are ideal for emergency situations and as temporary structures for planned events. Find out about our complete design, build, maintenance and transport service.
