Extraordinary Regional Transport Committee
4 July 2024
Extraordinary Regional Transport Committee Minutes
Meeting held in the NRC Council Chamber
36 Water Street, Whangārei
on Thursday 4 July 2024, commencing at 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Tuhinga/Present:
Chairperson, Councillor Joe Carr
Deputy Chairperson, Councillor John Blackwell
FNDC Councillor Steve McNally (online – arrived 2.02pm)
WDC Councillor Simon Reid
KDC Councillor Ash Nayyar (online)
Waka Kotahi Director Regional Relationships Steve Mutton (online)
KiwiRail Programme Director Northland Eric Hennephof
I Tae Mai/In Attendance:
Full Meeting
NRC Council Chair, Geoff Crawford
FNDC Councillor, Ann Court (online)
WDC Councillor, Phil Halse
KDC Councillor, Rachael Williams
WDC Chief Executive Officer, Simon Weston
Group Manager - Community Resilience, Louisa Gritt
NTA Transport Manager, Chris Powell
NTA Representative, Jeff Devine
NTA Representative, Kayla Gunson
NTA Representative, Dawn Spence
Waka Kotahi NZTA Representative, Martin Taylor
NRC Policy Specialist, Michael Payne
KDC Representative, Anin Nama
Personal Assistant - Community Resilience, Haylee Labelle
NZ Police, Anne-Marie Fitchett
Part Meeting
WDC Mayor, Vince Cocurullo (arrived 2.20pm) (left meeting 2.33pm and returned 2.43pm)
The Chair declared the meeting open at 2pm.
Ngā Mahi Whakapai/Housekeeping (Item 1.0)
Ngā whakapahā/Apologies (Item 2.0)
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Moved (Carr / Nayyar) That the apologies from NTA General Manager, Calvin Thomas for non-attendance be received. Carried Moved (Carr / Blackwell) That the apologies from Councillor Steve McNally for non-attendance be received. Carried Secretarial note: Councillor McNally joined the meeting virtually soon after this |
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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Regional Land Transport Plan 2021/2027 - Three Year Review (Item 4.1) Report from Chris Powell, Transport Manager - Northland Transportation Alliance and Michael Payne, Policy Specialist |
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Moved: (Carr/Nayyar) · That the report ‘Regional Land Transport Plan 2021/2027 - Three Year Review’ by Chris Powell, Transport Manager - Northland Transportation Alliance and Michael Payne, Policy Specialist and dated 21 June 2024, be received.
Secretarial note: Issue raised by KDC regarding “errors in the funding spreadsheets” as they did not align with KDC’s Long Term Plan. The speaker was concerned that if the RLTP and their LTP did not reflect the same figures, the public would be getting the wrong message as the RLTP would be released prior to the LTP. It was explained to the meeting that there were no errors in the spreadsheets and that these reflected what KDC had entered into NZTA’s Transport Investment Online for funding assistance. This is what KDC had requested and had made no changes. The staff that compiled the RLTP did not have the relevant access or authority to change these figures. That was the responsibility of KDC. As the spreadsheets had already been formally adopted and approved for release by the RTC, they would need to agree to any changes. As the proposed changes were deemed significant, this would trigger the Significance Policy and would require further public consultation. This was not advisable as there was insufficient time available. Cr Nayyar said the spreadsheets were to remain as is and no changes be made. Secretarial note: The RLTP is an application for funding, it is not a guarantee. Chris Powell tabled an amendment to the foreword to be added to the RLTP and the following updates are required · Foreword: Insert the word ‘capital’ before the word funding in line 3 of the first paragraph. · Foreword: Amended statement on ONRC. Wording below provided by Steve Mutton: “It is extremely important that the Government acknowledges that the process presently in use to determine capital funding allocations is detrimental to the long-term survival of the Northland regions roads. The present method which places an emphasis on traffic is not appropriate when one considers that whilst the roads in the rural regions of New Zealand experience lower traffic volumes, the number of heavy vehicles using them are considerably higher than in the bigger urban areas. Not only does this practice adversely affect the life of the asset but comprises the safety of other road users. This is particularly prevalent on State Highway 1 north of Whangarei which can exceed 800 heavy vehicle trips a day.” Carried Action: · Steve Mutton to share with the RTC, the calculation used to determine financial assistance rates (this is used across the entire country not at anyone’s discretion to change) · Chris Powell to work with Jeff/Gavin/Steve to amend the foreword as requested – important we still highlight the message
Moved: (Reid/Nayyar) · That the Regional Land Transport Committee approve the content of the Regional Land Transport Plan for Northland 2021-2027 and the Chair of the Regional Land Transport Committee be delegated authority to make any necessary minor formatting, typographical and administrative changes or minor changes to the wording of the foreword to include comments on One Network Road Classification for Northland. Secretarial note: Change to recommendation 2 (as above) was tabled at the meeting by Chris Powell. Content of the RLTP has been endorsed, provided the following amendments are to be made to the RLTP prior to submission · Page 15 – Table 2 – Summary of Northlands freight movement. Correct third row to refer to “% of State Highways”. · Page 16 – Table 3 – summary of Northland cycling network. Add length of cycleways for Kaipara. Michael to double check WDC figures with staff and amend through the chair. Update naming convention from “separated cycleway/share paths” to “cycleway/shared paths · Page 21 – Objective 2: Choice to be corrected “choices to success jobs” to “choices to access jobs”. · Page 22 - Policy 1.3- Update to: “Support economic activity by improving freight and passenger connections by maintaining or investing in fit for purpose transport infrastructure, including transport by road and rail.” · Page 44 – Figure 11 – Traffic volumes in Northland (2014-2018) Refers to SH1 Maungaturoto. amend to SH12 · Page 45 - Update wording from: “The Whangarei to Auckland corridor is approximately 191 km long (1.7% of the state highway network). Under the NZTA One Network Road Classification system, the Puhoi to Wellsford section is classified as a high volume…”. to: “The Whangarei to Auckland corridor is approx. 191 km long (1.7% of the State Highway network) and includes the recently completed Puhoi-Warkworth motorway upgrade. Under the NZTA One Network Road Classification system, the Puhoi to Wellsford section is classified as a high volume…” · Page 68 – Remove reference to NZ Upgrade Programme · Page 76 – Police request amendment to table: Speed – Measure 1 & 2 to be swapped positions so that “Number of drivers identified and tasked for action takes position 1 and “Number of effective partnerships and media messages delivered” takes position 2. · Entire document - Macrons removed from all references to Whangarei. – to be confirmed to ensure consistency throughout the document (it was decided at a Council meeting that this should not be there) · Financial spreadsheets: Brief note on timing and why changes couldn’t be done. · Financial spreadsheets: Disclaimer added to the bottom of each spreadsheet: - ‘Please note that the figures in the above table are a request for funding assistance and are not a guarantee that this funding will be approved.’ Carried Action · Changes to the RLTP to be made by Michael Payne and Chris Powell Recommendation 3 · That the Regional Transport Committee approve that should the finalised Government Policy Statement be released prior to the cut-off date for papers to the Northland Regional Council meeting of 25 July 2024, the Regional Transport Committee Chairman be delegated authority to make minor corrections and changes to the wording of the Strategic Front End of the Regional Land Transport Plan 2021/2027 - Three Year Review– Three Year Review to ensure it better aligns the new Government Policy Statement on Land Transport 2024. Secretarial note: Recommendation 3 was removed, not required as the GPS was already issued
Moved: (Blackwell/Nayyar) · That the Regional Transport Committee approve the release of the Regional Land Transport Plan for Northland 2021-2027 – Three Year Review to the Northland Regional Council with the recommendation that they approve the content of the Regional Land Transport Plan for Northland 2021-2027 – Three Year Review and submit it to NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi by 1 August 2024 Secretarial note: Thanks given to Steve Mutton by the chair for answering the questions forwarded to him and thank you to the team for the work done on getting this together. Conversation about a request for a review point in 12 months Carried Action: · Come back to RTC individually as Councils in 12-months for elected members to present their individual strategies
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Whakamutunga (Conclusion)
The meeting concluded at 3.05pm.