At a high level, integrated land use and transport planning is about enhancing prosperity and wellbeing by creating sustainable and productive urban environments and enabling the efficient movement of people and goods.
From a public transport perspective, integrated planning is essential to attracting and retaining passengers.
Effective public transport relies on a wide range of elements such as land use, network planning, infrastructure provision and service delivery coming together in an integrated way. If this integration is not achieved, a journey can become unpleasant, impractical, or even impossible.
This section of the public transport framework outlines context, core concepts and national guidance relevant to integrated planning and public transport.
NZTA sets out an overview of the legislation and statutory documents that are influential in embedding the integrated planning and design of public transport.
Overview of planning documents
The following defines the key concepts and terminology relevant to integrated planning and public transport. These are intended to facilitate shared understanding to enable better and faster alignment across stakeholders.
These documents embed an integrated approach to planning, design and implementation of public transport networks, infrastructure and corridors.
The One Network Framework (ONF) is a national framework for classifying roads and streets by their place and movement roles, providing the framing for integrated transport networks. Road controlling authorities use the ONF to describe aspirations for transport corridors and surrounding integrated land use in activity management plans, future business cases and investment bids.
The ONF is becoming more embedded throughout public transport network planning and the suite of requirements and technical guidance that inform it. The draft 2024 development guidelines for regional public transport plans provide guidance and policy for using the ONF to identify necessary network infrastructure to support integral public transport services.
The Aotearoa urban street planning and design guidance (the Street Guide) outlines nationally consistent urban street planning and design principles and processes, which support the ONF street categories. It embeds the concepts of spatial, network and place-based design. It also outlines adaptive, staged and permanent street change options for working towards the future state of the street networks. The Street Guide translates international planning and design principles into the New Zealand context.
The Street Guide provides high level guidance which supplements the One Network Framework street categories, and links to NZTA multimodal guidance. It also recognises street frameworks and guides already developed by New Zealand’s local authorities.
Aotearoa urban street planning and design guide
Recognising the role that transport plays in shaping well-functioning urban environments, People, Places and Movement is good practice guidance for transport planning and urban design. It illustrates the role public transport can play in shaping urban form, supporting urban centres, and creating connected, safe and attractive urban spaces that enable public transport hubs to be accessible.
The People, Places and Movement Guide is in the final stages of development, following targeted consultation with the sector.
People, Places and Movement – an integrated public transport and urban form design guide
The Public Transport Design Guidance (PTDG) provides best-practice technical guidance to support regional and local councils to design and deliver high-quality, people-focused public transport throughout New Zealand; including, but not limited to, getting to and from public transport, bus stops, priority and optimisation, and interchanges and stations.
The PTDG is governed by the following design principles: accessible, safe, affordable, operationally efficient, and supportive of mode shift and positive urban form. The PTDG is grounded on local insights, international best-practice and research.
The PTDG is currently in draft and is expected to be ratified in late 2024.
Public Transport Design Guidance
The purpose of a Regional Public Transport Plan (RPTP) is to describe public transport services and supporting infrastructure in a region, encourage stakeholder collaboration, and facilitate public engagement.
Under the Land Transport Management Act 2003, public transport authorities must be satisfied that their RPTPs have been prepared in accordance with any relevant guidelines issued by NZTA.
NZTA is updating the development guidelines. Following consultation, the development guidelines are expected to be finalised in August 2024. The draft guidelines are available on the NZTA website.
Draft 2024 development guidelines for regional public transport plans [PDF, 2.4 MB]
