NLTP - National Land Transport Programme

Southern region | June 2007

Also available in PDF (730 KB)

• National overview
• Canterbury
• West Coast
• Otago and Southland

National overview

This year’s National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) outlines the funding for New Zealand’s land transport system for 2007/08. A record level of expenditure of $2.40 billion has been allocated for 2007/08, representing a four percent increase from last year. This comprises $2.14 billion funded from the National Land Transport Account (NLTA), with the remaining $259 million funded from the National Land Transport Fund (NLTF) for NZ Police. This national allocation includes Crown and regionally distributed funds.

The activities funded through the 2007/08 NLTP continue to reflect Land Transport NZ’s intention to align funding with its strategic objective of contributing to an integrated, safe, responsible and sustainable land transport system. Land Transport NZ’s strategy envisages a future where there is:

• increased use of active and shared modes of transport
• reduced number of crashes
• improved safety, environmental and energy performance of vehicles and vehicle use
• reduced need to travel
• more efficient commercial transport
• better connected transport solutions
• improved reliability, safety and efficiency of networks
• improved value for money in maintenance and development of networks.

We face a number of challenges. As the economy grows, so too will demand for transport from the commercial transport and business services sector, putting pressure on our infrastructure and networks. There will be more traffic congestion if the current preference for travel by motor vehicle, coupled with the development of increasingly sprawling and dispersed communities, continues. As more vehicles travel our roads, vehicle emissions will increase, resulting in negative impacts for the environment and public health. Meeting the government’s goals of reduced greenhouse gas production will be more difficult. As demand for energy outstrips the availability of resources, we can expect more volatility in the price of oil and a corresponding impact on the cost of transport. And, as our country’s population ages, communities can expect to have to deal with increasing accessibility and mobility requirements for the elderly.

We believe that good funding and policy decisions made now will contribute to a transport system where people can make choices that have lasting benefits for public health, the economy and the environment. Choices and actions that support this progress come from people, local government and businesses being well informed about the contributions they can make in their development of transport infrastructure and services, their choice of transport mode, their choice of vehicle, and their driving behaviour.

This year’s NLTP contains information that can be used by local government to inform the development of 2009–19 long-term council community plans. The 10-year forecast published in the NLTP indicates where we believe activity should be directed to better contribute towards achieving an integrated, safe, responsive and sustainable land transport system. The forecast provides for growth in passenger transport services and walking and cycling while maintaining, operating and renewing the existing transport infrastructure.

Allocations for local road maintenance in 2007/08 are at the level negotiated with councils during maintenance negotiations. Allocations over the next nine years will gradually increase to fund extra activity in regions with traffic growth. We do not expect there to be a need for increased activity in areas with little growth and assets in good condition.

The ‘use of the land transport system’ activity class has been included in the NLTP for the first time this year. Within this activity class, allocations have been made for community focused activities as agreed with local councils and for 25 percent more local walking and cycling projects than in 2006/07. The walking and cycling allocation continues to grow over the next nine years, reflecting the priority given to it by Land Transport NZ and councils.

Allocations for passenger transport services have increased markedly from 2006/07 to accommodate recent input cost increases and to allow some growth in services. Future allocations also incorporate an allowance for two percent per annum growth in service levels.

Allocations for local road improvements are at a similar level to those indicated in the 2006/07 NLTP. In most years, these are higher than forecast in 2006/07.

Forecast expenditure from NLTP	2007/08
	$ million	%
Maintenance and renewal local roads	420.2	19.6
Maintenance and renewal state highways	427.2	19.9
Improvement local roads	211.8	9.9
Improvement state highways	664.4	31.0
Regional development	20.0	0.9
Use of the transport system	36.2	1.7
Passenger transport	262.8	12.3
Research, education and training	25.7	1.2
Administration	75.9	3.5
TOTAL	2144.2	100.0
Road policing activities	259.2

Notes:
Local maintenance includes emergency works, and escalation contingency
State highway maintenance includes property operations
Passenger transport includes escalation contingency

Allocations for state highway construction activity have been prepared on the basis of the funding guarantee that the government announced last year.

The Authority’s land transport programme for 2007/08, prepared by Land Transport NZ and approved by the Minister of Transport in accordance with the Land Transport Management Act, provides funding for the New Zealand Police only and is now referred to as the road policing programme (RPP). A package of new initiatives focusing on road safety for 2007/08 targets specific driver behaviours and specific locations which are demonstrating high social cost caused by crashes in comparison with the policing resources available in those areas. The initiatives are aligned with the Road Safety to 2010 Strategy, in particular drink-driving and speed limit enforcement. The initiatives also provide a strong focus on trauma promoting offences and provide for an investment in technology to increase officer productivity and safety. The government’s road safety goals for New Zealand are to reduce the number of road deaths to no more than 300 per year and hospitalisations to no more than 4,500 per year by 2010. Road deaths in 2006 totaled 391 and hospitalisations 7,470. Total funding for the 2007/08 RPP is $259.15 million.

A full research, education and training (RET) programme forms part of the NLTP for the first time. Each year Land Transport NZ commissions research that contributes towards making New Zealand’s land transport system more integrated, safer, more responsive and sustainable. The education and training components of the RET programme are a collection of activities from a range of other programmes, along with some new initiatives to address the wider objectives of the New Zealand Transport Strategy (NZTS). These activities include national advertising on land transport related issues, national promotion of walking and cycling and other nationally managed land transport education and training, including support for land transport related academic programmes. Total funding for all components of the RET programme for 2007/08 is $25.71 million.

Individually and collectively, the activities funded through this programme contribute to the purpose and objectives of the Land Transport Management Act 2003 and to Land Transport NZ’s objective of contributing to a safe, integrated, responsive and sustainable land transport system.

Key features of this NLTP

• A large part of the NLTP represents continued funding for ongoing activities such as road maintenance and passenger transport services and funds committed to projects approved in previous years.
• Maintenance funding for local roads and state highways, which accounts for 40 percent of the NLTP, has increased by $44.5 million to $847.4 million in 2007/08. The increase in maintenance funding is being driven by increased input costs, growth in heavy vehicle traffic, the use of higher quality road surfacing materials and a greater provision for emergency works.
• Funding for state highway construction has increased by $43.6 million from last year’s allocation to $664 million in 2007/08. Funding for local roads construction increases $5.4 million to $211.8 million in 2007/08.
• Community focused activities, which include what was previously known as the Community Road Safety Programme (CRSP), have been integrated into the NLTP for the first time. This brings the planning and funding of community focused activities alongside other behaviour change projects that are delivered through approved organisations and alongside engineering and other NLTP activities. Community focused activities comprise both road safety and sustainability projects and activities (such as travel behaviour change and neighbourhood accessibility plans). Funding for community focused activities totals $17 million for 2007/08.
• Passenger transport will receive $262.8 million in 2007/08. The overall allocation is lower than in 2006/07, due to the near completion of the Northern busway and a change in Wellington’s rail improvement programme. The allocation to passenger transport services increases by $23.7 million to $165 million in 2007/08.

Regional summaries

The estimated amount of expenditure, as shown in each regional section, includes both known allocations from the National Land Transport Account and estimated expenditure on projects for which funding approval has yet to be given. Generally, funding has been approved for road maintenance activities and passenger transport services. Also included are commitments to projects continuing from prior years or approved at the time the 2007/08 NLTP was adopted. A large portion of road construction, walking and cycling and passenger transport infrastructure projects have not been given funding approval at this time. Actual expenditure may differ from the amount shown in the table if either a greater or lesser quantity of projects are developed and brought forward for funding approval than expected.

National, regional and Crown funding

Funding is allocated from three sources – the national (N) fund; the regionally distributed (R) fund and the Crown (C) fund.

• R funding is distributed geographically based on population and is used for a range of transport activities including local road and state highway construction and passenger transport infrastructure projects that have insufficient national priority to be funded from N. Details of the indicative projects can be found in the NLTP book. In general, the same financial assistance rates apply to projects whether they are N, R or C funded.
• C funding comes from the Crown account contributed by government for specific regions’ land transport needs. In 2007/08 C funding has been set aside for:
  • Auckland for local roading projects
  • Waikato for local roading and state highway projects
  • Bay of Plenty to allow the Harbour Link project to proceed without tolling
  • Wellington to advance passenger transport and local roading projects.

Canterbury

Since 2004, the Christchurch City Council, Selwyn District Council, Waimakariri District Council, Environment Canterbury and Transit have been working on an Urban Development Strategy (UDS). This strategy arose as a result of concerns about the lack of collaborative leadership and institutional arrangements to manage growth in a sustainable way in the sub-region. With a long-term outlook to 2041, it provides a comprehensive context for decision making that will affect present and future generations. The UDS reinforces the importance of careful management of a range of issues including the impact of land use change on transportation networks. It also highlights the need to address issues in a more integrated manner.

The first step for implementation of the UDS is the amendment of the regional policy statement (expected in September 2007) and, in due course, district plans. The second step is to amend the Regional Land Transport Strategy to reflect the UDS and to ensure the strategy adequately addresses the impact of growth across the region. This includes travel demand management opportunities such as encouraging walking and cycling, and a plan for the development of a regional network of cycle paths.

A second major study consulted upon in 2006/07 was the Christchurch Rolleston and Environs Transportation Study (CRETS). CRETS is seen as a key component in the planning for the development of Canterbury’s roading network to the west and south of Christchurch. It also comments on a range of public passenger transport and cycle opportunities within the area and how these will contribute to an integrated, safe and sustainable land transport system in the future. More work will be completed on this project during 2007 to ensure that implementation is consistent with the UDS.

The sprawling land use and settlement patterns around metropolitan Christchurch mean that travel by car is increasing as distances become too great for walking and cycling. Passenger transport initiatives have become more difficult to implement due to the sprawl and are less viable economically because of low population densities.

The southern motorway extension will assist with the regional goals of development and maintenance of the strategic road network. The design phase of this project will continue into 2007/08.

The Road Safety to 2010 Strategy goal for the Canterbury region is that by 2010 fatalities and hospitalisations will be fewer than 530 per annum. There were 36 fatalities and 699 hospitalisations due to road crashes in Canterbury during the 2006 calendar year.

Completed improvement activities

Land Transport NZ funding in the past year enabled the successful completion
of:

• passing lanes on SH 1 at Hinds ($880,000) and Clarence North ($1.05 million)
• a slow vehicle bay at Limestone creek on SH 1 ($310,000)
• major improvements to the SH 1 east/west intersection in Ashburton ($1.12 million)
• intersection improvements, including new traffic lights on SH 1 at Rolleston, as an interim safety measure while long-term improvements are considered ($1.31 million)
• two stock effluent disposal facilities – one in Kaikoura and one in Pareora ($608,000)
• the realignment of Blenheim Road including a new rail overbridge in Christchurch City ($1.03 million of subsidisable roading costs and other costs)
• the Prebbleton to Lincoln section of the Christchurch to Lincoln cycleway/walkway ($346,000)
• realignment of the intersection of Flaxton, Skewbridge and Threlkeld roads in the Waimakariri district ($114,000).

Continuing improvement activities

Continued funding has been committed to projects from last year. In the Canterbury region this includes:

• an update of the Christchurch transportation model for Christchurch city, Transit, the Waimakariri district and Environment Canterbury ($2.4 million)
• improvements and widening to the Tram Road intersection in the Waimakariri district ($6.9 million).

Road maintenance and renewals

A total of $70.8 million has been allocated for the maintenance of the Canterbury region’s road networks, an increase of $7.8 million over the 2006/07 allocation. Of the total, $37.4 million has been allocated for the maintenance of the region’s local roads and $33.42 million for state highways.

Forecast expenditure in NLTP	2007/08
	$ million	%
Maintenance and renewal local roads	37.4	32
Maintenance and renewal state highways	33.4	28
Improvement local roads	9.8	8
Improvement state highways	9.2	8
Use of the transport system	2.8	2
Passenger transport	22.1	19
Administration	4.4	4
TOTAL	118.7	100
Road policing activities	24.6

Note:
Local maintenance does not include emergency works, and escalation contingency
State highway maintenance does not include property operations
Passenger transport does not include escalation contingency
Actual expenditure in 2007/08 may differ from the estimates, depending on activity levels.

Road improvements

Projects that may be approved over the year if local authorities or Transit submit applications and the projects continue to meet funding requirements include:

Local roading projects

• New bus priority projects in Christchurch city to improve service reliability on key corridors in the city ($6 million over three years).
• Improvements to Timaru intersections and road network, as identified in the Timaru Corridor Management Study ($250,000).
• Three bridge renewals, two between Sawmill Road and Duvauchelle and one on Little Akaloa Road in Christchurch ($427,000).
• Road widening projects in the Ashburton district on Northpark Road,
• Works Road and Bremner Road ($80,000).
• Renewal of the Marshland Road bridge in Christchurch ($2.64 million).
• A seal extension on Hayland Road in the Waimakariri district ($300,000).
• Four-laning of Hills Road in Christchurch ($8.26 million).

State highway projects

• Design of the Christchurch southern motorway extension (SH 1), to provide better access in the southwest corridor to and from the city and Port Lyttelton ($3.1 million).
• Investigation of the Christchurch northern arterial route ($2.98 million).
• Investigation of improvements to the Russley Road/Memorial Avenue
  intersection (SH 1) to provide congestion relief ($1 million).Smaller state highway projects
• Improvements to the Marshland Road/Queen Elizabeth II Drive intersection on SH 74 in Christchurch, to reduce delays ($2.45 million).
• Improvements to the Yaldhurst/Curletts roads intersection on SH 73 to relieve congestion ($490,000).
• Improvements to the Pound Road intersection on SH 73 ($2.79 million).
• Installation of traffic signals at Halswell Junction Road/SH 1 intersection ($1.41 million).
• Improvements at intersection of SH 1 and SH 8 to assist with route efficiency ($1.21 million).
• A realignment of Burkes Pass west curve on SH 8 to improve safety ($385,000).
• Improvements to SH 75/Dunbars Road intersection to improve route efficiency ($1.73 million).
• Design of a deluge system safety upgrade to Lyttelton tunnel on SH 74 ($206,000).
• Construction of passing lanes at Ealing on SH 1 ($1 million).

Use of the transport system

A total of $1.67 million has been allocated in the Canterbury region for use of transport system activities for 2007/08:

Walking and cycling

• Provision of various small safe cycling facilities on state highways and local roads within Christchurch city.
• Cycle lane construction between Archibald Street and West Street in Ashburton.
• Waimakariri district’s walking and cycling strategy implementation.

Community focused activities

From 1 July 2007, community focused (formerly CRSP) activities will be funded through the NLTP. Councils will work with their local community groups to plan, develop and deliver local land transport safety and sustainability activities. These activities include:

• ongoing support for the Christchurch city’s Cycle Safe programme – a travel behaviour change project
• provision and expansion of community road safety programmes
• new travel behaviour change activities including school travel planning, carpooling initiatives, cycling and walking promotions
• the appointment of a road safety coordinator on the Chatham Islands with three key projects earmarked for completion including a programme to reduce the incidence of drink-driving, encourage safety belt compliance and target vehicle warrant of fitness compliance.

Travel demand management

• Implementation of a travel demand management project as outlined in the Regional Land Transport Strategy is ongoing. This project is being undertaken in conjunction with Transit, Environment Canterbury and the Christchurch City Council.

Other transport demand management projects include:

• Halswell Road strategic study
• study on the section of the southern motorway from Halswell Junction Road to Waterholes Road
• SH 1 Woodend bypass study
• SH 73 route security strategic study.

Passenger transport

A total of $16.34 million has been allocated to Canterbury passenger transport operations and total mobility activities for 2007/08. Included in this figure is the continuation of Land Transport NZ’s funding for the disabled and transport disadvantaged within the region through a subsidised taxi service.

In addition, an investigation study for a new Christchurch city bus exchange has been proposed for 2007/08.

Road policing activities

Funding for NZ Police road policing and associated activities in the Canterbury region (excludes the Kaikoura district as this council has clustered with the Marlborough district for planning and delivering road policing) totals $24.57 million for the 2007/08 year. This comprises:

• $18.91 million for strategic road policing activities (ie, enforcement of speed limits, alcohol and/or drug affected driving, restraint wearing and general road safety)
• $1.47 million for community engagement on road policing (school road safety education and police community services)
• $4.01 million for road policing incident and emergency management (crash attendance and investigation, and traffic management), and $181,000 for road policing court orders.

The $24.57 million funds all road policing vehicles, communications, equipment, accommodation and 163.1 full time equivalent (FTE) staff, including 3.5 additional FTEs for crash attendance and investigation for the 2007/08 year.

West Coast

The large and diverse West Coast region faces network-wide and local land transport pressures. Significant increases in freight levels over the next 10 to 20 years and growing numbers of tourist vehicles and cycles will require route improvements. The most pressure will come with the development of the Pike River coal mine. From March 2008 it is expected that 1–1.5 million tonnes of coal per annum will be transported from the mine on local roads and through the township of Greymouth to the port.

Key issues for the area include maintaining critical strategic corridors to and from the region. A significant step in the coming year will be the replacement of the ageing road/rail bridge taking SH 6 over the Arahura River. Both the West Coast and Canterbury regional land transport strategies have identified the need to upgrade stretches of SH 73 and, as a result, Arthurs Pass village to Klondyke corner was included as a strategic study in 2006/07.

The Road Safety to 2010 Strategy goal for the West Coast region is that by 2010 fatalities and hospitalisations will be fewer than 70 per annum. There were four fatalities and 76 hospitalisations due to road crashes in West Coast during the 2006 calendar year.

Completed improvement activities

Land Transport NZ funding in the past year enabled the successful completion of:

• the realignment of Millerton Track in the Buller district to improve safety to Millerton and the Stockton coal mine by reducing landslide risks on the existing route ($2.20 million)
• a seal extension of Logburn Road in the Grey district to provide access to the Pike River coal mine ($1 million).

Continuing improvement activities

Continued funding has been committed to projects from last year. In the West Coast region this includes further investigation work on the SH 6 Gates of Haast bridge replacement/realignment. This will cover route designation work to be carried out and extensive geotechnical investigations that will assist with emergency works and potential future bridge replacement ($800,000).

Road maintenance and renewals

A total of $22.78 million has been allocated for the maintenance of the West Coast region’s road networks, an increase of $500,000 over the 2006/07 allocation. Of the total, $6.76 million has been allocated for the maintenance of the region’s local roads and $16.02 million for state highways.

Road improvements

Projects that may be approved over the year if local authorities or Transit submit applications and the projects continue to meet funding requirements include:

Local roading projects

• A number of roading improvements in the Grey district to provide enhanced access to the Pike River coal mine including the Taylorville Blackball Road strengthening and widening and Atarau Road strengthening and widening ($2 million).
• Replacement of the Tidal Creek No 2 bridge in the Buller district ($650,000).

State highway projects

• Construction will commence on the replacement Arahura road/rail bridge, which will ensure route security to Hokitika and will improve safety ($21 million).
• Small and medium projects planned include safety improvements on onelane sections of SH 6 in the Buller Gorge and Goat Creek bridge replacement on SH 73 ($1.44 million).
• Stock effluent disposal facilities for the Reefton-Springs Junction (SH 6) area and Jackson on SH 73 ($36,000).

Use of the transport system

A total of $171,000 has been allocated in the West Coast region for use of transport system activities for 2007/08.

At the community level, these activities address a range of local issues, including driver fatigue, restraint wearing, urban/rural speed and intersections.

Passenger transport

A total of $53,000 has been allocated to the West Coast passenger transport operations and total mobility activities for 2007/08. Included in this figure is the continuation of Land Transport NZ’s funding for the disabled and transport disadvantaged within the region through a subsidised taxi service.

Road policing activities

Funding for NZ Police road policing and associated activities in the West Coast region totals $3.41 million for the 2007/08 year. This comprises:

• $2.77 million for strategic road policing activities (ie, enforcement of speed limits, alcohol and/or drug affected driving, restraint wearing and general road safety)
• $80,000 for community engagement on road policing (school road safety education and police community services)
• $542,000 for road policing incident and emergency management (crash attendance and investigation, and traffic management), and $20,000 for road policing court orders.

The $3.41 million funds all road policing vehicles, communications, equipment, accommodation and 22.6 full time equivalent (FTE) staff, including an additional 0.6 FTE for crash attendance and investigation for the 2007/08 year.

Forecast expenditure in NLTP	2007/08
	$ million	%
Maintenance and renewal local roads	6.8	21
Maintenance and renewal state highways	16.0	49
Improvement local roads	2.3	7
Improvement state highways	5.7	18
Use of the transport system	0.2	1
Passenger transport	0.1	-
Administration	1.4	4
TOTAL	32.4	100
Road policing activities	3.4

Note:
Local maintenance does not include emergency works, and escalation contingency
State highway maintenance does not include property operations
Passenger transport does not include escalation contingency
Actual expenditure in 2007/08 may differ from the estimates, depending on activity levels.

Otago and Southland

The Queenstown Lakes district is one of the fastest growing districts in New Zealand, experiencing sustained growth in land use development and the number of tourists visiting the region. Three transportation studies are currently being conducted within the district: The Wakatipu Transportation Study, Queenstown CBD Transportation Study and the Wanaka Transportation and Parking Study. It is anticipated that the results of these studies will assist with strengthening the capability of the region to manage the increasing demand on its network.

Tourist traffic is also growing in the Southland region. Traffic volumes are predicted to increase by 50 percent over the next five to 10 years in particular on previously low volume routes, such as the southern scenic route through the Catlins area. Anticipated growth in other economic areas such as dairy, mining and forestry will also impact on the network.

Work is currently underway on a review process for both the Otago and Southland regional land transport strategies.

It is anticipated that the review of the Otago Regional Land Transport Strategy will be adopted by the Regional Land Transport Committee in March 2008. This review will provide an opportunity to ensure the strategy adequately addresses the impact of growth across the region in a number of ways, including road safety projects and travel demand management. The Southland Regional Land Transport Strategy is expected to be adopted by 30 June 2007.

The Road Safety to 2010 Strategy goal for the Otago region is that by 2010 fatalities and hospitalisations will be fewer than 190 per annum. There were 14 fatalities and 277 hospitalisations due to road crashes in Otago during the 2006 calendar year. The Road Safety to 2010 Strategy for the Southland region is that by 2010 fatalities and hospitalisations will be fewer than 110 per annum. There were 10 fatalities and 153 hospitalisations due to road crashes in Southland during the 2006 calendar year.

Completed improvement activities

Land Transport NZ funding in the past year enabled the successful completion of:

• the realignment of Sharpes bend on SH 1 south of Oamaru ($2.7 million)
• the construction of a guardrail on SH 1 near Lookout Point ($300,000)
• the realignment of East Road on SH 1 in Southland ($365,000)
• the Gentle Annie West realignment in the Kawarau Gorge on SH 6 ($520,000)
• extensive remedial work at Nevis Bluff on SH 6 in Otago, removing loose rock from the cliff above the road ($975,000)
• intersection improvements to Mill Road on SH 98 east of Lorneville ($380,000).

Continuing improvement activities

Continued funding has been committed to projects from last year. In the Otago/Southland regions, this includes:

• realignment of SH 1 between Tumai and Waikouaiti to reduce travel time and improve safety ($7 million)
• improvements to Morven Hills bridge on SH 8 ($1.1 million)
• phase one investigation of the Caversham four-laning project on SH 1 ($160,000)
• construction of the Tunnel Hill realignment, west of Lawrence on SH 8, to improve safety ($1.48 million).

Road maintenance and renewals

A total of $83.14 million has been allocated for the maintenance of the Otago and Southland’s road networks, an increase of $700,000 over the 2006/07 allocation. Of the total, $46.33 million has been allocated for the maintenance of the regions’ local roads and $36.81 million for state highways.

Road improvements

Projects on the indicative priority list, which may be approved over the year if local authorities or Transit submit applications and the projects continue to meet funding requirements include:

Local roading projects

• Upgrading the Crown Range zig-zag in the Queenstown Lakes district, to ease existing width and turning constraints on the hairpin bends ($1.1 million).
• Pavement smoothing on Gorge Road in the Queenstown Lakes district to correct the existing shape and enhance surface drainage ($500,000).
• Realignment of the road at McChesneys/Arthurs Point and construction of additional one-lane bridge across McChesneys Creek in the Queenstown Lakes district ($700,000).
• The final seal extension on Bushy Beach Road in the Waitaki District Council which provides access to the yellow eyed penguin colony ($45,000).
• Design of seal extension works on Karoro Creek Road and Ahuriri Road in the Clutha district to provide access to Nugget Point, a popular tourist destination off the southern scenic route ($61,000).
• A seal extension to Seal Point Road in Dunedin, to provide access to Sand Fly Bay, a popular tourist and recreation destination ($450,000).
• Realignment of Three Mile Hill Road in Dunedin, which will provide safety benefits by easing existing bends ($1.25 million).
• Consideration of design options for the replacement of the Tiwai bridge in Invercargill ($9.5 million).
• Construction of the Bond Street heavy traffic bypass in Invercargill, which will relocate heavy traffic on to Bond Street via a new link road (Clyde Street) to SH 1, and construction of a new roundabout at the Bond Street/ Tweed Street intersection ($1.5 million).
• Development of the Stewart Island safety enhancement project, which will provide safety benefits for pedestrians and other road users ($1.7 million).

State highway projects

• Investigation of options to provide a two-lane bridge with improved approaches at Kawarau Falls on SH 6 ($418,000).
• Development of options for a bypass on SH 1 in East Taieri, which will providing safety and traffic management benefits ($418,000).

Smaller state highway projects

• Construction of improvements to the intersection of Andersons Road and SH 84 to assist with route efficiency ($515,000).
• Investigation of improvements to Crawford Street in Dunedin, including intersections at Jervois and Police streets ($46,000).
• Design of improvements to Roaring Meg bridge on SH 6, to improve safety ($36,000).
• Construction of safety improvements on Pig Hunters Road near SH 8 ($2.8 million).
• Investigation of the realignment of Waitati curve on SH 1 to improve safety ($82,000).
• Design of improvements to the intersection of Riccarton and School roads to improve safety ($31,000).
• Construction of a realignment of Jefferis Road on SH 1 to improve safety ($784,000).
• Design of the Boyd Road realignment on SH 6, to improve safety ($100,000).
• Design of the Kakaho creek realignment on SH 1, to improve safety ($129,000).
• Investigation of passing lanes on Waihola north bend ($57,000) and design of passing lanes at Brydone Memorial north bend ($36,000) and Balclutha to Clinton south and north bend ($36,000).
• Design of the Longbush curve realignment on SH 1 in Southland, to improve safety ($31,000).
• Design of the Gill Road realignment in Southland on SH 96, to improve safety $36,000).
• Passing lanes on Dowling and Mona Bush roads ($52,000) and between Baird and Kerr roads ($57,000) on SH 1.
• Investigation of passing lanes at Wilson’s Crossing on SH 6 ($52,000).

Use of the transport system

A total of $954,000 million has been allocated in the Otago/Southland region for use of transport system activities for 2007/08.

Walking and cycling

Several successful cycling and walking initiatives were funded in 2006/07, including:

• a walking and cycling month in Central Otago that involved hundreds of people
• improvements to walking and cycling infrastructure between Adderley Terrace and De Lacy Street on SH 88. Work on this will be ongoing in 2007/08
• a 1.2 km shared walking/cycling path constructed around Otago harbour.

Walking and cycling projects for 2007/08 include:

• cycle and pedestrian facilities projects in the Queenstown Lakes district
• road widening on Portobello Road/Harington Point Road in Dunedin, which will allow more options for footpaths and cycle lanes or shared paths (R funding sought)
• other pedestrian facilities and cycling improvement projects in Dunedin city
• the design of the Dunedin Port Chalmers cycle walkway, which will provide commuter cycling access between Dunedin and Port Chalmers and form part of the cycle route around the inner harbour.

Community focused activities

From 1 July 2007, community focused (formerly CRSP) activities will be funded through the NLTP. Councils will work with their local community groups to plan, develop and deliver local land transport safety and sustainability activities.

Activities include a neighbourhood accessibility plan that will be undertaken over the next two years in North Dunedin (including the Otago University campus). This plan intends to improve walking and cycle access and safety in the area and involves working with communities to identify walking and cycling issues and develop solutions. Additionally, Dunedin City Council will launch a pilot business travel plan to help reduce congestion at key links into the city centre at peak times.

Travel demand management

A number of strategic transport studies are planned for 2007/08:

• Wakatipu Transportation Study (ongoing).
• Queenstown CBD Transportation Study (ongoing).
• Wanaka CBD Transportation Study (ongoing).
• Safe Routes to School Study in the Queenstown Lakes district.
• The Queenstown Lakes District Council Cycling and Walking Strategy (ongoing).
• Township of Oamaru corridor management plan.
• Waitaki River to Waipaha corridor management plan.
• SH 94/95: The Key to Milford (Te Anau).

Passenger transport

A total of $2.45 million has been allocated to Otago and Southland passenger transport operations and total mobility activities for 2007/08.

The Dunedin City and Otago regional councils have embarked on a major initiative to improve Dunedin’s bus services. One of the key goals is a 40 percent rise in commuter trips by bus to help reduce peak-hour traffic loadings on Dunedin’s road network. This five-year programme includes plans for new bus routes, more frequent services and an integrated bus ticketing system.

Passenger transport is also identified as a key component of the Queenstown Lakes District Council’s draft Wakatipu Basin Transportation Strategy, which is likely to be adopted by council in August 2007.

Road policing activities

Otago

Funding for NZ Police road policing and associated activities in the Otago region totals $12.83 million for the 2007/08 year. This comprises:

• $10.68 million for strategic road policing activities (ie, enforcement of speed limits, alcohol and/or drug affected driving, restraint wearing and general road safety)
• $683,000 for community engagement on road policing (school road safety education and police community services)
• $1.39 million for road policing incident and emergency management (crash attendance and investigation, and traffic management), and
• $70,000 for road policing court orders.

The $12.83 million funds all road policing vehicles, communications, equipment, accommodation and 85.2 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff, including 4.3 additional FTEs for the 2007/08 year. One is for crash attendance and investigation and 3.3 are for targeted enforcement on rural roads.

Southland

Funding for NZ Police road policing and associated activities in the Southland region totals $6.45 million for the 2007/08 year. This comprises:

• $5.44 million for strategic road policing activities (ie, enforcement of speed limits, alcohol and/or drug affected driving, restraint wearing and general road safety)
• $161,000 for community engagement on road policing (school road safety education and police community services)
• $818,000 for road policing incident and emergency management (crash attendance and investigation, and traffic management), and $35,000 for road policing court orders.

The $6.45 million funds all road policing vehicles, communications, equipment, accommodation and 42.8 full time equivalent (FTE) staff including 2.2 additional FTEs for the 2007/08 year: 0.5 is for crash attendance and investigation and 1.7 are for targeted enforcement on rural roads.

Forecast expenditure in NLTP	2007/08
	$ million	%
Maintenance and renewal local roads	46.3	39
Maintenance and renewal state highways	36.8	31
Improvement local roads	13.9	12
Improvement state highways	10.6	9
Use of the transport system	1.6	1
Administration	3.8	3
TOTAL	117.5	100
Road policing activities	19.3

Note:
Local maintenance does not include emergency works, and escalation contingency
State highway maintenance does not include property operations
Passenger transport does not include escalation contingency
Actual expenditure in 2007/08 may differ from the estimates, depending on activity levels.

The figures in the tables are Land Transport NZ’s allocations. Costs in brackets refer to total project or total phase costs.

For further information...

Jackie Curtis Partnership Manager Southern | Christchurch Regional Office, PO Box 13364, Christchurch
Telephone 03 964 2854 | Fax 03 964 2855 | Mobile 021 2499566 | jackie.curtis@nzta.govt.nz

Page created: 26 June 2007