Reshaping Streets is a package of regulatory changes that will enable communities and local authorities (like councils) to work together to modify their existing streets to provide more space for people to move around using a variety or transport options.
It does this by giving councils the option to:
Reshaping Streets reduces administrative complexity for councils and makes it clearer to communities how councils will work with them to make any changes on the ground.
Most Councils will need to embed Reshaping Streets into their processes and delegations before the rule can be utilised changes can take effect in their region.
The Reshaping Streets changes do not eliminate the need for councils to work with their communities to implement street changes. Councils will still need to engage and consult effectively with their communities.
If you’d like to talk to us about Reshaping Streets, please email: rules@nzta.govt.nz
The Land Transport Rule which enables Reshaping Streets is called the Land Transport Rule: Street Layouts 2023.
Land Transport Rule: Street Layouts 2023
The legislation on Community Streets, also known as Play Streets, will make it easier for local communities to work with councils to temporarily restrict traffic on quiet local streets for resident led events.
Reshaping Streets makes it easier for residents to apply to host these kinds of events by making the approval framework clearer for councils. Residents can apply to host their event on a regular basis (e.g. once per month) for a period of up to 12 months.
Event organisers will need to consult with neighbours as part of the application process, and if approved, notification of events is required a minimum of four weeks in advance of the event. Councils may also impose conditions on residents hosting Community Streets to ensure that safety and traffic management considerations are catered for.
The legislation on School Streets makes it easier for communities to manage traffic/safety around schools.
Councils, working alongside schools and communities, have the options to restrict traffic on streets outside schools during drop off and pick up times, allowing students more ability to travel to and from school independently.
Councils will have to consider a variety of factors when enabling school streets including alternative drop off points, bus routes, traffic levels, setting up a school travel plan and guidelines from NZTA.
RCAs have the option to create a School Street by prohibiting or restricting through traffic outside schools at drop-off and pickup times, with the exact times to be specified by the RCA through approved signage. RCAs also have the power to install objects, such as bollards, on the roadway to give effect to the prohibition or restriction.
RCAs must work with schools to establish a School Street, alternatively schools could approach their RCA to set up a School Street. To implement School Streets, RCAs must notify the public, including people who could be impacted by the School Street such as parents and caregivers, local businesses and those that live in the school’s surrounding area. They must also notify emergency services.
In this notification, RCAs must include:
If a School Street is implemented as a Street Pilot, it must adhere to Street Pilot rule including notification of the pilot and enabling the public to feedback on the changes, monitoring and modification of the pilot and the duration of the pilot.
If a School Street is not installed as a Street Pilot, there is no maximum period a School Street can run for, provided it operates only during pick up and drop off times. Normal consultation and decision-making requirements for installing street changes under the Local Government Act would also apply, as well as the RCAs own standards and policies for engaging with the public.
CloseThe legislation on Street Pilots enable councils to pilot, or make short-term changes to streets, to test different street layouts and features. This allows communities to experience these changes in real time and provide feedback.
Reshaping Streets provides a clear framework to enable councils to run pilots with appropriate safeguards.
Pilots do not remove consultation requirements for new street layouts. Instead, they allow councils to consult while the pilot is in place. Councils must notify the public at least four weeks before installation and provide a reasonable opportunity for feedback during the pilot. Pilots can be modified in response to consultation. They can operate for up to two years, after which a decision must be made to either remove the pilot or make it permanent. Infrastructure may remain beyond two years if the public is informed that it is being retained permanently.
An RCA may choose to install a street layout change as part of a Street Pilot. A street layout change means a change to the way a street or road is set up using traffic filters and other traffic control devices.
Two types of RCAs can implement Street Pilots: government RCAs such as local authorities and NZTA. Community representatives/organisations can also implement a pilot if they partner with an RCA.
Notification
Prior to installing a Street Pilot, an RCA must notify:
Notification must be given at least four weeks prior to the start of the Street Pilot and needs to be provided in a reasonable way. The level and scale of the Street Pilot will impact the level and means of notification. For example, councils may utilise their council website, social media channels, and/or letter drop.
In this notification RCAs must include details of the Street Pilot including the objective of the pilot, where it will be located, what layout changes will be installed, the period during which the Street Pilot is expected to operate and how the public can provide feedback to the RCA on the pilot.
CloseAs part of a Street Pilot, RCAs can pilot a speed limit change, provided the permanent speed limit is 60km/h or less. Pilot speed limits must accompany other changes to the road and cannot be trialled on their own. A pilot speed limit can only apply for the duration of the Street Pilot.
Traffic Control Device trials can be introduced at the same time as Street Pilots. RCAs are expected to notify the public about where the trial will be held, the placement of the Traffic Control Device and the purpose of the trial. RCAs should also provide a link to the gazette notice in this notification. This removes the requirement in 3.4 of the Traffic Control Device Rule to provide 2 weeks’ notice in at least 2 newspapers.
Street Pilots are a form of consultation and any feedback received about the Street Pilot, or other information collected such as monitoring data can be used to inform decision making around future permanent changes. RCAs need to be satisfied that their consultation and decision-making processes meet their statutory requirement under the Local Government Act 2002.
CloseA Street Pilot can be installed for a maximum period of two years. There is no minimum period. If something unexpected occurs that makes it difficult to monitor or test the true impacts of the pilot, RCAs can put it on pause. In this case, RCAs can remove the Street Pilot completely and reinstall and restart the two-year period at a more appropriate time or keep the installation (or parts of the installation) in place and notify the public the Street Pilot is paused. The two-year maximum applies even if the Street Pilot has been paused for a period.
If, in the view of the RCA, modifications would improve the Street Pilot, the RCA can make changes while collecting feedback. Modifications do not impact the two-year maximum trial duration. Modifications should not fundamentally change the layout or objective of a Street Pilot. RCAs are not required to notify the public of changes to the pilot but should consider whether further notification is appropriate.
CloseRCAs can decide to make piloted changes (or a part of a change) permanent at the end of a Street Pilot. They are not required to carry out additional consultation on a change to a street layout if that change has been tested and consulted on as part of a pilot. If an RCA decides to make a piloted change permanent, they must notify the public before the end of the two-year period. There is no time limit for permanent infrastructure to be installed.
If a Street Pilot is to be removed, RCAs must reasonably notify partners, emergency services, utility providers and the public that the pilot will be removed, when it will be removed, and whether the removal process will impact travel/movement or other issues.
CloseReshaping Streets lets councils restrict or limit traffic in busy areas like town centres, neighbourhoods, and near schools. This helps councils plan transport interventions by starting with the most effective and least disruptive options—choices that also offer the best value for money. It also supports improving how the whole transport network functions, making it more efficient and better suited to community needs.
Councils can use signage or physical barriers to manage access and use on certain streets, reducing traffic. To do this, councils must take account of the purpose of a road and can only filter or restrict traffic in certain situations.
Reshaping Streets does not override by-law-making powers, decision-making and consultation requirements, and appropriate signage will still be required when filtering or restricting traffic.
To effectively filter traffic, RCAs must first have a comprehensive understanding of their current network and the reasons for managing it differently. This involves a clear vision of how they want the network to function compared to its current state. Only with this understanding should the RCA proceed with implementing traffic filters.
While a filter might be applied to a specific point, its impact is felt across the entire network. It is crucial to consider where the displaced traffic will go and whether it will move to the desired locations. This network-level perspective ensures that traffic management strategies achieve their intended outcomes without causing unintended congestion or issues elsewhere.
As part of their decision-making RCAs must consider:
Before implementing traffic filters, an RCA must notify the public and any emergency services that, in the opinion of the RCA, may be affected by the action. If the restriction is implemented via bylaw or other provision, it must comply with the notification provisions within the bylaw and within the Local Government Act 2002.
Appropriate traffic control devices will still be required when filtering traffic.
ClosePublic consultation on the Reshaping Streets package of rule changes ran from August to September 2022.
Further changes were consulted on as part of the Reshaping Streets package of regulatory changes, including making the process for creating pedestrian malls more consistent with other types of street changes and simplifying the process for creating transport shelters (eg., bus shelters, as opposed to bus stops). We will update this page to reflect any progress as it happens.
