Regional Transport Committee Wednesday 13 February 2019 at 10.00am

 

13 February 2019

Regional Transport Committee Agenda

 

 

Recommendations contained in the agenda are NOT decisions of the meeting. Please refer to minutes for resolutions.

 

MEMBERSHIP OF THE Regional Transport Committee

Chairman, Councillor John Bain

FNDC Councillor Ann Court	Deputy Chairman Paul Dimery	KDC Councillor Julie Geange
WDC Councillor Greg Martin	NZTA Representative Mr Steve Mutton

 

 

Item                                                                                                                                                                                   Page

1.0       apologies   

2.0       declarations of conflicts of interest

3.0       Confirmation of Minutes

3.1       Confirmation of Minutes - Regional Transport Committee Meeting - 05 December 2018 3

4.0       Financial Reports

4.1       Northland Regional Land Transport Plan 2018 - 2021 Funding Uptake                                   7

5.0       Operational Matters

5.1       New Zealand Transport Agency Report to Regional Transport Committee                         13

5.2       Northland Regional Road Safety Update                                                                                          14

6.0       Decision Making Matters

6.1       Waikato Regional Transport Committee and Regional Road Safety Forum - New National Road Safety Strategy 2020 - 2030.                                                                                                                 17

6.2       Investigation into the Needs and Availability of Total Mobility/Disability Transport Services in Northland                                                                                                                                                     23

6.3       Request to Vary the Regional Land Transport Plan 2015/21 - Northland Transport Alliance Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) Projects                                                                                             26    

   

13 February 2019

 

TITLE:	Confirmation of Minutes - Regional Transport Committee Meeting - 05 December 2018
ID:	A1154080
From:	Evania Arani, Planning and Policy Team Admin/PA

 

That the minutes of the Regional Transport Committee meeting held on 05 December 2018, be confirmed as a true and correct record.

 

Attachment 1: Unconfirmed Minutes of the Regional Transport Committee Meeting - 05 December 2018 ⇩  

Name:	Tony Phipps
Title:	Group Manager - Customer Services - Community Resilience
Date:	05 February 2019

 

13 February 2019Attachment 1

 

 

 

13 February 2019

 

TITLE:	Northland Regional Land Transport Plan 2018 - 2021 Funding Uptake
ID:	A1156264
From:	Chris Powell, Transport Manager

 

Reports on the Northland Regional Land Transport Plan – Funding Uptake are tabled at each Regional Transport Committee (RTC) meeting.

 

These reports serve to update the RTC on the progress of funding uptake by each of the regions four approved road-controlling authorities and the Northland Regional Council.

 

This report covers the first year of the 2018/2021 three-year funding period and details the funding uptake by each approved authority for the financial period 1 July 2018 to 31 December 2018.

 

 

1.    That the report ‘Northland Regional Land Transport Plan 2018 - 2021 Funding Uptake’ by Chris Powell, Transport Manager and dated 24 January 2019, be received.

 

 

Reports on the Northland Regional Land Transport Plan – Funding Uptake are tabled at each Regional Transport Committee (RTC) meeting.

 

These reports serve to update the RTC on the progress of those Activities/Programmes approved for funding assistance in the National Land Transport Programme for each of the regions four approved road-controlling authorities and the Northland Regional Council.

 

Comparisons on Budgeted Expenditure against Actual Expenditure by Activity/Programme for both the full financial year and year to date for the relevant financial year are provided.

 

It is important to note that the Activities/Programmes reflected in the attached spreadsheet do not include non-subsidised projects or work categories.

 

Please note that at the time the agenda was compiled NZTA funding uptake figures were not available.  This will be tabled at the meeting.

 

The base information contained in the spreadsheets is sourced directly from the New Zealand Transport Agency’s (NZTA’s) ‘2018 – 21 National Land Transport Programme for Northland’ and from the relevant subsidy claims as submitted to NZTA by the approved authorities.

 

Any questions in regard to the information reflected in the attached spreadsheets can be directed to the relevant approved road controlling authority.

 

 

 

Attachments

 

Attachment 1: RTC Funding Uptake Report for January 2019 (for February Meeting) ⇩  

Name:	Tony Phipps
Title:	Group Manager - Customer Services - Community Resilience
Date:	07 February 2019

 

13 February 2019Attachment 1

 

 

 

 

13 February 2019

 

TITLE:	New Zealand Transport Agency Report to Regional Transport Committee
ID:	A1157877
From:	Chris Powell, Transport Manager

 

The New Zealand Transport Agency will provide an update report to the Regional Transport Committee.

 

Mr Steve Mutton will be speaking to this presentation.

 

1.    That the report ‘New Zealand Transport Agency Report to Regional Transport Committee’ by Chris Powell, Transport Manager and dated 31 January 2019, be received.

 

 

 

Name:	Tony Phipps
Title:	Group Manager - Customer Services - Community Resilience
Date:	05 February 2019

 

13 February 2019

 

TITLE:	Northland Regional Road Safety Update
ID:	A1158016
From:	Ian Crayton-Brown, Transport Projects Officer

 

 

That the report ‘Northland Regional Road Safety Update’ by Ian Crayton-Brown, Transport Projects Officer and dated 31 January 2019, be received.

 

Regional road safety progress reports are tabled at each Regional Transport Committee (RTC) meeting.  Previously, these shared reports; including input from the Northland Road Policing Manager, provided an overview of the progress made on both the strategic and programme outcomes for the Northland region.

 

Inspector Wayne Ewers will again provide a presentation to the Committee detailing activity and Road Policing interventions.

 

Members of the Regional Transport Committee (RTC) will note that the format of reporting relevant statistics relating to regional road safety has been amended to provide a more user-friendly method of accessing the information. The format now includes graphical and pictorial representation of the salient points.  Attached to this item is the Draft Northland Region Road Safety Strategy 2018 which covers the period 2014-2018 which is very useful as it shows the current rolling trends.  Also included is the statistical information and a condensed action plan.

 

From the April 2019 meeting forward, an additional spreadsheet will be included detailing what action is being taken to address these issues.  In support of the above, maps detailing the regions high risk roads and intersections will be provided.

 

It is also important to note, that the method of reporting will be expanded from road safety promotion and enforcement to include the important aspect of what planning, engineering, infrastructure design and construction is being undertaken by the relevant road controlling authorities to address identified high-risk roads, safe roads and roadsides, safe speeds, safe vehicles, safe road use and high-risk intersections.

 

 

 

Attachment 1: Northland Safety on a Page ⇩  

Name:	Tony Phipps
Title:	Group Manager - Customer Services - Community Resilience
Date:	06 February 2019

 

13 February 2019Attachment 1

 

13 February 2019

 

TITLE:	Waikato Regional Transport Committee and Regional Road Safety Forum - New National Road Safety Strategy 2020 - 2030.
ID:	A1156613
From:	Chris Powell, Transport Manager

 

This report serves to present a letter from the Waikato Regional Council’s Regional Transport Committee and their Regional Road Safety Forum to the Road Controlling Authorities Forum (NZ) INC. titled “Please help us to reverse the current growth in fatal and serious road crashes”.

 

These bodies are calling for regional transport committees support for the above letter to the Road Controlling Authorities Forum (NZ) INC.  encouraging their members to get involved in the development of the upcoming National Road Safety Strategy 2020-2030 and support a new approach to road safety principles and action in an effort to reduce the current increases in fatal and serious road crashes.

 

 

1.         That the report ‘Waikato Regional Transport Committee and Regional Road Safety Forum - New National Road Safety Strategy 2020 - 2030.’ by Chris Powell, Transport Manager and dated 25 January 2019, be received.

2.         That the Regional Transport Committee support the proposals as contained in the letter to the Road Controlling Authorities Forum (NZ) INC.by the Waikato Regional Transport Committee and Regional Road Safety Forum.

3.         That the Chairman of the Regional Transport Committee write to the Waikato Regional Transport Committee and Regional Road Safety Forum advising them of this support.

 

The Waikato Regional Transport Committee and Regional Road Safety Forum have forwarded a letter to the Road Controlling Authorities Forum (NZ) INC. encouraging them to get involved in the development of the upcoming National Road Safety Strategy 2020-2030.

Attached to this report is a copy of the letter.

With the ongoing increase in the number of fatal and serious crashes on the nation’s roads, there is a very real need for all road safety partners to align to support and/or implement strategies and infrastructure that will lead to a reversal in this trend.

The letter lists a number of options that the Road Controlling Authorities Forum can support Road Controlling Authorities (RCA’s) in implementing to assist in achieving better transport safety outcomes. These are:-

·    Encourage a Safe System response;

·    Adoption of Vision Zero;

·    Better planning, planning tools and land use integration;

·    Better public and community options;

·    Support of public transport and active modes of transport;

·    Education on the Safe System; and

·    Best practice infrastructure design.

 

 In addition, the letter calls for “a change to funding and investment evaluation that could have a significant impact on the ability of RCA’s to deliver quality infrastructure and services…”

The letter directs the reader to two websites that will assist in providing greater clarity on the position paper and on upcoming Ministry of Transport opportunities for participation. (See paragraph titled “Help Us to Save Lives”).

The Waikato Regional Council’s Regional Transport Committee and their Regional Road Safety Forum are sharing this information with all other regions to encourage the following actions with regards to road safety issues:-

·    Support healthy and robust conversation;

·    Adopt a strategic approach;

·    Use of policies and actions; and

·    Involvement in the development of the National Road Safety Strategy 2020-2030.

 

Northland

For Northland, the approved Regional Road Safety Action Plan (RRSAP) both identifies and where possible, addresses the regions evidence based road safety issues.

In order for the RRSAP to be successful, the participation and assistance of the Northland RCA’s is extremely important, not only with regards education but also in providing safer transport infrastructure.

Whilst every effort has been made by the regional road safety partners to promote safer and more responsible driving, the number of deaths and serious injuries on Northland’s roads continues to rise. This upward trend is also reflected nationally.  

Recommendation

Based on the above, it is recommended that the Regional Transport Committee support the above proposals and that the Chairman of the Regional Transport Committee advice the Waikato Regional Council of this decision in writing.

Options

No.	Option	Advantages	Disadvantages
1	Support the recommendations of the Waikato Regional Transport Committee and Regional Road Safety Forum	To have district/regional/national input and support in attempting to reverse the current growth in fatal and serious crashes.	None
2	Status Quo. To continue to address the current growth in fatal and serious crashes individually from a regional district council/regional council	A centred approach to addressing road safety issues on the regions roads.	Losing the opportunity to be involved in a nationally co-ordinated effort to reduce deaths and serious injuries on both the regions and the nation’s roads.

 

The staff’s recommended option is Option 1.

2.         Significance and engagement

Whilst the issue of road safety does not invoke the Significance Policy contained in the Regional Land Transport Plan 2015-2021 – Three Year Review, crash related deaths and serious injuries have a significant impact on the lives and well-being of whanau, family, loved ones and friends.

In addition to the above the estimated social costs of a road related

·    Death                      = $4,970,000

·    Serious Injury       = $1,044,000

 

3.         Policy, risk management and legislative compliance

The content of this report addresses the requirements of the:

·    Government Policy Statement;

·    Land Transport Management Act 2003;

·    Safer Journeys Strategy 2010-2020;

·    Safer Journeys Action Plan 2016-2020;

·    Safe Systems Approach model;

·    Vision Zero; and

·    Regional Road Safety Action Plan.

 

Further considerations

4.         Community views

The views of the community are taken into consideration in the compilation of the:-

·    Regional Land Transport Plan; and

·    Regional Road Safety Action Plan.

 

5.         Māori impact statement

At this early stage, there are no known particular impacts on Māori, which are different from general users of the road network.

6.         Financial implications

The financial implications are detailed in the report and are not considered significant

7.         Implementation issues

There are no implementation issues recognised at this point.

8.               

Attachment 1: Letter to RCA's ⇩  

Name:	Tony Phipps
Title:	Group Manager - Customer Services - Community Resilience
Date:	07 February 2019

 

13 February 2019Attachment 1

 

13 February 2019

 

TITLE:	Investigation into the Needs and Availability of Total Mobility/Disability Transport Services in Northland
ID:	A1157012
From:	Anita Child, Transport Project Officer

 

This paper serves to provide a report to the Regional Transport Committee outlining the proposed investigation into the transport needs of the person with impairments in Northland.

 

1.         That the report ‘Investigation into the Needs and Availability of Total Mobility/Disability Transport Services in Northland’ by Anita Child, Transport Project Officer and dated 29 January 2019, be received.

2.         That the Regional Transport Committee approve the investigation into what transport options are currently available to people who would be eligible for subsidised transport under the Total Mobility Scheme in the Far North and Kaipara. 

 

It must be noted that in order for the Scheme to operate, there must be licenced and trained service providers (operators).  In addition, clients must belong to an Agency that registers and manages the clients use of the scheme.  Currently there is a lack of transport operators within the FNDC and KDC areas.

 

As this investigation will be undertaken in the 2019/2020 financial year, the project plan has as yet to be fully completed.  Once completed this will be submitted to the RTC for consideration and approval.

To date however, NRC staff have been engaging with the FNDC DAG group (Disability Advisory Group) to start a conversation about what transport is currently available and what are the community’s needs.

 

NRC staff have also been investigating the suitability of Environment Canterbury’s Community Vehicle Trust concept for use in Northland.  NRC staff met with the ECAN Transport Officer responsible for the development of their network, who provided more background information, and offered to help set up a similar system in Northland.  Trials are being looked at for the Whangarei District.

 

Staff are currently gathering information from similar regions, to see if a similar investigation has been carried out, how was this implemented, and what the results were.

 

No.	Option	Advantages	Disadvantages
1	Status Quo	No increase in local rates	Eligible Total Mobility clients outside of Whangarei have no access to the benefits of the Scheme.
2	Undertake a regional investigation for Total Mobility/Disability Needs in Northland.	Obtain sufficient information for informed decision-making.	Insufficient information for informed decision –making.

 

1.    Significance and engagement

No significance and engagement has been identified at this early stage.

2.    Policy, risk management and legislative compliance

No policy, risk management and legislative compliance has been identified at this early stage.

Further considerations

3.    Community views

Northland Regional Council staff have been engaging with the FNDC DAG group (Disability Advisory Group) to start a conversation about what transport is currently available and what are the community’s needs. 

4.    Māori impact statement

Māori will be consulted. However, at this early stage there are no known impact on Māori, which are different from the needs of the wider disability community. 

5.    Financial implications

Until such time as accurate numbers of potential clients and their travel requirements are known, no funding implications can be ascertained.

On completion of the above, an application along with a detailed business case will need to be submitted to the NZTA for national funding assistance.

The local share funding assistance required will be for FNDC and KDC respectively, an application from the NRC will be made to NZTA for a subsidy.  

There is also a cost to the operators, as equipment must be installed in all vehicles for the Ridewise System (The electronic Total Mobility swipe card).

 

Implementation issues Should both the FNDC and KDC decide to join the Total Mobility Scheme, national and local subsidies are obtained and service providers sourced, this will place additional administrative work on existing staff, and if warranted may necessitate additional resourced being required at a cost to the Northland Regional Council. 

 

Nil

Name:	Tony Phipps
Title:	Group Manager - Customer Services - Community Resilience
Date:	07 February 2019

 

13 February 2019

 

TITLE:	Request to Vary the Regional Land Transport Plan 2015/21 - Northland Transport Alliance Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) Projects
ID:	A1159362
From:	Neil Cook, Northland Transport Alliance - Acting Manager

 

The purpose of this report is to request that the Regional Transport Committee (RTC) approve a variation to the Regional Land Transport Plan 2015/21 (RLTP).

The Far North District Council, Kaipara District Council and Whangarei District Council have requested that the Northland Transport Alliance prepare an Application to Vary the Regional Land Transport Plan 2015/2021 – Three Year Review (RLTP) to include the projects as listed in the Recommendations below.

These projects are proposed to be included in the RLTP to enable them to be eligible for consideration under the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF).  This does not mean that these projects will actually be funded, it just enables them to move onto the next stage of the PGF assessment process.

This application is in addition to the potential PGF projects already approved for inclusion in the RLTP at the 3 December 2018 RTC meeting.

This application does not require public consultation, as it does not invoke the Significance Policy as contained under Section 8.3 of the RLTP.

Section 18D of the Land Transport Management Act 2003 allows for the variation of a regional land transport plan under certain conditions. These conditions are detailed in the main body of this report.

 

1.         That the report ‘Request to Vary the Regional Land Transport Plan 2015/21 - Northland Transport Alliance Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) Projects’ by Evania Arani – Planning and Policy Team Admin/PA on behalf  of Neil Cook – Acting Northland Transport Alliance Manager be received.

2.         That the Regional Transport Committee approves the request to vary the Regional Land Transport Plan 2015/21 – Three Year Review to include the following projects:

Far North District Council

·     Pou Herenga Tai (Twin Coast Cycle Trail) – Scenic Coastal Route from Taumarere to Opua

Kaipara District Council

·     Kaihu Valley Rail Trail

·     Kick Start for Kaipara (Package of Numerous Roading Upgrades)

Whangarei District Council

·     Riverside Drive Four-Laning

·     Port Road/Kioreroa Road Intersection Upgrade and Bridge Four-Laning

·     SH1 to SH14 Hospital Connection

 

Application to Vary the Northland Land Transport Plan 2015/21 – Three-Year Review

The Far North District Council, Kaipara District Council and Whangarei District Council have requested that the Northland Transport Alliance prepare an Application to Vary the Regional Land Transport Plan 2015/2021 – Three Year Review (RLTP).

The application has been made because, for transport related projects to be considered eligible for the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF), they need to be included in the relevant RLTP. 

It should be noted that the inclusion of these projects in the RLTP is just the first stage of the PGF application process.  There is no guarantee that these projects will be funded or implemented through the PGF.

This application is in addition to the potential PGF projects already approved for inclusion in the RLTP at the 3 December 2018 RTC meeting.

This is a joint application by the NTA on behalf of the Far North, Kaipara and Whangarei District Councils.

The impact of these changes is shown in the tables below:

Far North District Council

Council	Activity	Estimated Cost 2018/21	Comments
FNDC	Pou Herenga Tai (Twin Coast Cycle Trail) – Scenic Coastal Route from Taumarere to Opua	$7,340,000	Public Consultation as part of the Northland Walking and Cycling Strategy 2018 and Far North District Council Long Term Plan (LTP) 2018-2028

 

Kaipara District Council

Council	Activity	Estimated Cost 2018/21	Comments
KDC	Kaihu Valley Rail Trail	$9,675,000	Public Consultation as part of the Northland Walking and Cycling Strategy 2018
KDC	Kick Start for Kaipara (Package of Numerous Roading Upgrades)	$23,000,000	Individual projects less than $7M each.

 

 

 

Whangarei District Council

Council	Activity	Estimated Cost 2018/21	Comments
WDC	Riverside Drive Four-Laning	$24,200,000	Public Consultation as part of the Whangarei District Council Long Term Plan (LTP) 2018-2028
WDC	Port Road/Kioreroa Road Intersection Upgrade and Bridge Four-Laning	$8,600,000	Public Consultation as part of the Whangarei District Council Long Term Plan (LTP) 2018-2028
WDC	SH1 to SH14 Hospital Connection	$6,950,000	Project value less than $7M.

 

The benefit of this change is that these projects will be eligible for consideration under the PGF and will allow these projects to progress to the next stage of the PGF process.

 

Land Transport Management Act 2003

Section 18D of the Land Transport Management Act 2003 provides for the variation of a regional land transport plan in accordance with the following requirements:

(1) A regional transport committee may prepare a variation to its regional land transport plan during the 6 years to which it applies if: -

(a) the variation addresses an issue raised by a review carried out under  
 section 18CA; or

(b) good reason exists for making the variation.

(2) A variation may be prepared by a regional transport committee:-

(a) at the request of an approved organisation or the Agency; or

(b) on the regional transport committee’s own motion.

 

Section (3) relates to Auckland Transport only.

(4) The regional transport committee or Auckland Transport must consider any
 variation request promptly.

(5) The provisions of this Act that apply to the preparation of a regional land  
 transport plan apply with the necessary modifications to a variation of a

     regional land transport plan; however, consultation is not required for any  
 variation that:-

(a) is not significant; or

(b) arises from the declaration or revocation of a State highway.

(6) Section 18B applies, with the necessary modifications, to the approval by a 
 regional council of a variation of a regional land transport plan.

(7) The Agency must consider promptly whether to vary the national land
 transport programme after receiving a varied regional land transport plan
 forwarded to it by a regional council or Auckland Transport.

(8) A variation of a regional land transport plan does not create an obligation on the Agency to vary the national land transport programme, but the Agency must give written reasons for any decision not to do so.

 

1.         Options

The variation to a Regional Land Transport Plan must be undertaken in accordance with the conditions of: -

·    Section 18D of the Land Transport Management Act 2003;

·    Section 106(2) of the Land Transport Management Amendments Act 2013; and

·    Section 8.3 of the Northland Regional Land Transport Plan 2015/18.

The staff’s recommended option is as detailed above.

2.         Significance and engagement

This application does not invoke the Significance Policy contained under Section 8.3 of the RLTP.  This is because they either do not involve individual projects that are more than $7 million in value, or involve projects that have already been consulted upon through Council Long Term Plan processes, or Council Walking and Cycling Strategy development.

This is in accordance with the following Significance Policy criteria:-

The following amendments or variations to this plan are considered to be significant for the purposes of consultation:

·    Addition or removal of a prioritised activity with an approved allocation of more than $7 million, irrespective of the source of funding;

·    A scope change to a prioritised activity costing more than 10 percent of the approved allocation but not less than $7 million, irrespective of the source of funding;

·    A change in the priority of an activity with an approved allocation of more than $7 million, irrespective of the source of funding; or

·    A change in the proportion of nationally distributed funding (N funding) allocated to a prioritised activity with an approved allocation of more than $7 million.

The following variations to this plan are considered to be not significant for the purposes of consultation:

·    Addition of an activity or activities that have previously been consulted on in accordance with the sections 18 and 18A of the Land Transport Management Act 2003 and which the Regional Transport Committee considers complies with the provisions for funding approval in accordance with section 20 of that Act.

When analysed against the following documents, this issue is not considered significant and does not require public consultation.

3.         Policy, risk management and legislative compliance

The request to vary the RLTP is undertaken in accordance with the relevant requirements of the: -

·        Land Transport Management Act 2003;

·        Land Transport Management Amendments Act 2013; and

·        Northland Regional Land Transport Plan 2015/18.

 

4.         Community views

As this matter does not exceed any of the above mentioned significance policies, no public consultation is required.

5.         Māori impact statement

At this early stage of the RLTP, there are no known particular impacts on Māori which are different from general users of the road network.

6.         Financial implications

The financial implications are detailed in the report and are not considered significant.

7.         Implementation issues

There are no implementation issues recognised at this point.

 

Attachment 1: Application by the Far North District Council, Kaipara District Council and Whangarei District Council prepared and submitted by the Northland Transport Alliance to Vary the Regional Land Transport Plan 2015-21 - Three Year Review. ⇩  

Name:	Tony Phipps
Title:	Group Manager - Customer Services - Community Resilience
Date:	06 February 2019

 

13 February 2019Attachment 1