Regional Transport Committee
13 February 2024
Regional Transport Committee Minutes
Meeting held in the NRC Council Chamber
36 Water Street, Whangārei
on Tuesday 13 February 2024, commencing at 11.00am
Tuhinga/Present:
Chairperson, NRC Councillor Joe Carr
Deputy Chairperson, NRC Councillor John Blackwell
FNDC Councillor Steve McNally
WDC Councillor Simon Reid
KDC Councillor Ash Nayyar
Waka Kotahi Director Regional Relationships Steve Mutton
KiwiRail Programme Director Northland,
Eric Hennephof
I
Tae Mai/In Attendance:
Full Meeting
NRC GM Community Resilience, Louisa Gritt
NRC Policy Specialist, Michael Payne
NRC Governance Specialist, Gavin Dawson
NRC Secretariat, Erica Wyatt
NRC Policy and Planning Administrator, Rachael King
NTA General Manager, Calvin Thomas
NTA Transport Manager, Chris Powell
NTA Representative, Jeff Devine
NTA Representative, Nicole Cauty
NTA Representative, Kayla Gunson
NTA Representative, Elizabeth Stacy
Automobile Association Representative, Tracey Rissetto
Waka Kotahi, Martin Taylor (online)
Waka Kotahi, Gavin Smith (online)
Waka Kotahi, Craig Crawford (online)
FNDC Councillor, Ann Court (alternate)
WDC CE, Simon Weston
WDC Councillor, Phil Halse (alternate)
Member of the Public, Steve Cornwall
The Chair declared the meeting open at 11.00am.
Ngā Mahi Whakapai/Housekeeping (Item 1.0)
Ngā
whakapahā/Apologies (Item
2.0)
There were no apologies.
Nga
whakapuakanga/Declarations of Conflicts of Interest (Item 3.0)
It was advised that members should make declarations
item-by-item as the meeting progressed.
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Confirmation of Minutes - 04 December 2023 (Item 4.1)
Report from Erica Wyatt, Personal Assistant - General
Manager Community Resilience
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Ngā
mahi tūtohutia / Recommendation
Moved (Reid /
Nayyar)
That the minutes of the Regional
Transport Committee meeting held on 4 December 2023, be confirmed as a true
and correct record.
Carried
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Receipt of Action Sheet
(Item 5.1)
Report from Erica Wyatt, Personal Assistant - General
Manager Community Resilience
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Nga mahi
tutohutia / Recommendation
Moved: (McNally
/ Mutton)
That the action sheet be
received.
Carried
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Regional Land Transport Plan 2021/2027 -
Funding Uptake Report (Item 6.1)
Report from Chris Powell, Transport Manager - Northland
Transportation Alliance
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Ngā mahi tūtohutia /
Recommendation
Moved:
(Blackwell / Nayyar)
That the report ‘Regional
Land Transport Plan 2021/2027 - Funding Uptake Report’ by Chris Powell,
Transport Manager - Northland Transportation Alliance and dated 14 December
2023, be received.
Carried
Action:
·
Secretariat will circulate an out of meeting report once
councils have had their funding uptake reports finalised.
·
Councillor Nayyar would like to have the reasons for the
Kaipara and Far North Transport Choice Projects being stopped in
writing. A response was verbally provided from NTA during the meeting
and will be followed up with an email response.
·
In future, consistent with NZ Treasury directive, future
reporting will move from a focus on defining performance purely in terms of
expenditure and outputs to one that incorporates quality of delivery and
results.
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2024/27 Regional Speed Management Plan
– Impact of Government Announcement on the 2024/27 Regional Speed Limit
Plan and Associate Consultation (Item 8.1)
Report from Chris Powell, Transport Manager - Northland
Transportation Alliance
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Ngā mahi tūtohutia /
Recommendation
Moved: (Blackwell / Mutton)
That the report ‘2024/27
Regional Speed Management Plan – Impact of Government Announcement on
the 2024/27 Regional Speed Limit Plan and Associate Consultation’ by Chris
Powell, Transport Manager - Northland Transportation Alliance and dated 14
December 2023, be received.
Carried
Secretarial note:
Report taken as read.
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2021/27 RLTP Key
Performance Indicators Achievement Update
(Item 8.2)
Report from Chris Powell, Transport Manager - Northland
Transportation Alliance and Kayla Gunson, Regional Transport Coordinator
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Ngā mahi tūtohutia /
Recommendation
Moved: (McNally
/ Reid)
That the report ‘2021/27
RLTP Key Performance Indicators Achievement Update’ by Chris Powell,
Transport Manager - Northland Transportation Alliance and Kayla Gunson,
Regional Transport Coordinator and dated 14 December 2023, be received.
Carried
Action:
·
The Committee requires more time to better understand the set
Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s). A deep dive workshop is to be
organised.
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Northland Road Safety
Activity Update (Item 8.3)
Report from Chris Powell, Transport Manager - Northland
Transportation Alliance; Nicole Cauty, Road Safety Project Manager and Kayla
Gunson, Regional Transport Coordinator
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Ngā mahi tūtohutia / Recommendation
Moved: (Mutton
/ Blackwell)
That the report ‘Northland
Road Safety Activity Update’ by Northland Transportation Alliance staff
dated 14 December 2023, be received.
Carried
Secretarial notes: Report taken as read.
An update on figures since report was
distributed: 45 deaths compared to 40 in 2023. Eight in Northland
compared to seven in 2023.
Committee would like to acknowledge Ann-Marie Fitchett
(NZ Police) and her team for the work put in to exceeding their targets.
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Official Information
Request to NZTA: SH1 South Side of the Brynderwyns (Item 8.4)
Report from Louisa Gritt, Group Manager - Community
Resilience
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Ngā mahi tūtohutia /
Recommendation
Moved:
(Blackwell / Carr)
1. That
the report ‘Official Information Request to NZTA: SH1 South Side of the
Brynderwyns’ by Louisa Gritt, Group Manager - Community Resilience and
dated 25 January 2024, be received.
Carried
Moved: (Carr / Reid)
2. NZTA
are to have completed an independent peer review of their intended imminent
Brynderwyns work and arrange a walkover of the three proposed routes with RTC
members and a Geotech expert. This is to be treated with urgency and preferably prior to the Brynderwyn closures on 26
February.
Carried
Secretarial Note: Amendments
were made to include resolution 2, following conversation of the Joint
Committee members.
The committee requested that
they hold an elected member only time, with no staff present to discuss this
matter.
A WSP/Fulton Hogan report on the Brynderwyns was
distributed to committee members. This will be attached to the outgoing
minutes.
Due to major concerns of under slips the two lanes will
be pushed further into the hill leaving the existing northern lane for
construction equipment to use. This option is to last between 5-10
years allowing time to scope a safer and more resilient route.
Until the release of the
Government Policy Statement (GPS) and funding is secured to develop the
business case for an alternative route, no further work can be done.
Community feedback on the
proposed closure of the Brynderwyns to carry out this work was
received from holding webinars and sending out surveys. A Steering
Group was also formed and included community leaders, the mayor, local
businesses including tourism and Northland Inc, hapu/iwi and others.
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Formal reporting by
the RTC to NRC and the 3 Northland RCA TLAs
(Item 8.5)
Report from Louisa Gritt, Group Manager - Community
Resilience
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Ngā mahi tūtohutia /
Recommendations
Moved: (Nayyar
/ Blackwell)
1. That
the report ‘Formal reporting by the RTC to NRC and the 3 Northland RCA
TLAs’ by Louisa Gritt, Group Manager - Community Resilience and dated 30
January 2024, be received.
Carried
Moved: (Carr / McNally)
2. That the Chair of the RTC compiles
a draft report to the Northland Councils advising on the following matters:
a. The Southside of the Brynderwyns including the need
for an OIA request from NZTA,
b. Matters pertaining to the NTA/ Northland councils
‘CEO’s’ Aldridge Review.
Carried
Action:
·
The chair will circulate the draft to RTC members for their
consideration and response before delivery to the respective councils.
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Review of Northland
Transportation Services - Update (Item 8.6)
Report from Louisa Gritt, Group Manager - Community
Resilience
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Ngā mahi tūtohutia /
Recommendation
Moved:
(Blackwell / McNally)
That the report ‘Review of
Northland Transportation Services – Update’ by Louisa Gritt,
Group Manager – Community Resilience and dated 31 January 2024, be received.
Carried
Secretarial note: First draft is on track and is to be
delivered at the end of February 2024 and will remain on track for final
delivery in March 2024.
Due to limited funds into this review, there is a query
around the credibility of the report.
Action:
·
NRC to circulate to the committee members the 17A plus Review
Terms of Reference (which includes thirteen more points of reference).
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NZTA update (Item 8.7)
Report from Steve Mutton, NZTA - Director Regional
Relationships, Te Tai Tokerau me Tāmaki Makaurau
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Ngā mahi tūtohutia /
Recommendation
Moved: (Reid /
Blackwell)
That the report ‘NZTA
update’ by Steve Mutton, NZTA - Director Regional Relationships, Te Tai
Tokerau me Tāmaki Makaurau and dated 30 January 2024, be received.
Carried
Secretarial note:
Report taken as read.
Focus is on Mangamuka Gorge
opening end of 2024.
Kaeo bridge opening brought
forward to late February.
Action:
·
Hyperlinks in the NZTA update attachments to be recirculated to committee members.
·
NZTA to circulate to committee members a list of the areas
where reseal and revamps are occurring.
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KiwiRail update (Item 6.8)
Report from Eric Hennephof, KiwiRail - Programme
Director Northland
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Ngā mahi tūtohutia /
Recommendation
Secretarial note: Verbal update given.
Unfortunately, there were technically difficulties at
today’s meeting and the committee were unable to watch the video from KiwRail.
It can be watched at the following link. f.io/udOdtVr9
–
Action:
·
NZTA to confirm the land already purchased for the 4-lane
highway between Whangarei and Marsden is protected and will not be for sale.
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Committee members
priorities and updates (Item 8.9)
Report from Chris Powell, Transport Manager - Northland
Transportation Alliance
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Ngā mahi tūtohutia /
Recommendation
Moved: (Reid /
Blackwell)
1. That
the report ‘Committee members priorities and updates’ by Chris
Powell, Transport Manager - Northland Transportation Alliance and dated 14
December 2023, be received.
2. The
supplementary verbal updates provided by Regional Transport Committee members
be received.
Carried
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Public Consultation Programme for Draft RLTP (Item 7.1)
Report from Chris Powell, Transport Manager - Northland
Transportation Alliance; Michael Payne, Policy Specialist and Kayla Gunson,
Regional Transport Coordinator
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Recommendation(s)
Moved: (Ash / Reid)
1.
That the report ‘Public Consultation Programme for Draft
RLTP’ by Chris Powell, Transport Manager – Northland
Transportation Alliance; Michael Payne, Policy Specialist and Kayla Gunson,
Regional Transport Coordinator and dated 21 December 2023, be received.
Carried
Moved: (Carr / Nayyar)
2. That
the Regional Land Transport Committee approve the dates for the Public
Consultation on the Draft Regional Land Transport Plan 2021/2027 –
Three Year Review
Carried
Secretarial note: Resolution 2 moved with
provision of new dates for the Far North to ensure Cr. Court and Cr. McNally
can attend.
There is concern the proposed dates and times are
during office hours which limits community numbers attending, especially
those in full time work. Historically this has not
been an issue. With the opportunity to submit online this will
help capture those who are unable to attend in person.
NTA staff will be in attendance at Dargaville Field Days
alongside Cr. Nayyar.
Cr. Nayyar, Cr. Carr and Cr. Blackwell will be in
attendance at the proposed ‘Have Your Say Events’ (HYSE) for
their districts. Steve Mutton will be available to take any phone calls
during these events.
Rawene hall was unavailable due to renovations. Opononi
session will be held at the Opononi War Memorial Hall.
An extra HYSE will be arranged at NRC with an online
option available. Date to be confirmed with committee members.
All RTC members were encouraged to attend all
‘Have Your Say’ sessions across the region.
Action:
·
NRC to liaise with Cr. Court and Cr. McNally new HYSE dates.
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Whakamutunga (Conclusion)
The meeting concluded at 12.35pm.