Agenda of Land Transport Committee

HAWKE’S BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL

Regional Transport Committee

Thursday 23 September 2010

SUBJECT: Annual Report 2009/10 - Regional Land Transport Programme and Regional Land Transport Strategy

REASON FOR REPORT

1. This agenda item requests that the Regional Transport Committee approves the 2009/10 Annual Report on the Regional Land Transport Programme (RLTP) and the Regional Land Transport Strategy (RLTS).

Background

2. One of the requirements of the Land Transport Management Amendment Act 2008 is that the Regional Land Transport Programme must include a description of how monitoring will be undertaken to assess its implementation. The RLTP states that the Hawke’s Bay Regional Transport Committee (RTC) will report annually on the implementation of the RLTP by:

2.1 Collating information used to inform the monitoring stage of the funding allocation process

2.2 Gathering and reviewing information from organisations responsible for the delivery of Programme activities and projects to determine the effectiveness of the Programme

2.3 Annually measuring the delivery of the activities and projects that receive funding, listed in Appendix 1 of the Programme

2.4 Annually updating progress toward completion of activities and projects that receive funding including expenditure, listed in Appendix 1 of the Programme

2.5 Maintaining an overview of regional trends and statistics that measure progress against the objectives, priorities and targets in the Programme and Regional Land Transport Strategy for Hawke’s Bay

2.6 Reviewing the ‘Annual Achievement Report’, detailing how all funded activities are being delivered, for all of the approved delivery organisations.

3. The attached report addresses each of the aspects above and provides a review of the implementation of the RLTP and RLTS for the 2009-2010 year. A full review of the programme will be undertaken by the Hawke’s Bay Regional Transport Committee prior to the completion of the programme’s three-yearly cycle 30 June 2012.

DECISION MAKING PROCESS

4. Council is required to make a decision in accordance with Part 6 Sub-Part 1, of the Local Government Act 2002 (the Act). Staff have assessed the requirements contained within this section of the Act in relation to this item and have concluded the following:

4.1 Sections 97 and 98 of the Act do not apply as these relate to decisions that significantly alter the service provision or affect a strategic asset.

4.2 Sections 83 and 84 covering special consultative procedure do not apply.

4.3 The decision does not fall within the definition of the Council’s policy on significance.

4.4 Section 80 of the Act covering decisions that are inconsistent with an existing policy or plan does not apply.

4.5 Council can exercise its discretion under Section 79(1)(a) and 82(3) of the Act and make a decision on this issue without conferring directly with the community or others having given due consideration to the nature and significance of the issue to be considered and decided, and also the persons likely to be effected by or have an interest in the decisions to be made.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The Regional Transport Committee recommends that Council:

1. Agrees that the decisions to be made are not significant under the criteria contained in Council’s adopted policy on significance and that Council can exercise its discretion under Sections 79(1)(a) and 82(3) of the Local Government Act 2002 and make decisions on this issue without conferring directly with the community and persons likely to be affected by or to have an interest in the decision due to the nature and significance of the issue to be considered and decided.

2. Adopts the 2009/10 Annual Report on the Regional Land Transport Programme and the Regional Land Transport Strategy.

Esther-Amy Bate

Planner

Helen Codlin

Group Manager Strategic Development

Attachment/s

2009-10 Annual Report on the Regional Land Transport Programme and the Regional Land Transport Strategy

Under Separate Cover

HAWKE’S BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL

Regional Transport Committee

Thursday 23 September 2010

SUBJECT: Public Transport Update

REASON FOR REPORT

1. This agenda item was provided to Council’s Strategic Planning and Finance Committee (SP&F) meeting in July with further information provided to that committee in September. It is now presented to the Regional Transport Committee and covers public transport issues since the previous update in April 2010.

General Information

2. Total Passenger Numbers

2.1. The following graph outlines total passenger numbers from June 2009 to June 2010.

2.2. The average monthly passenger stats for January to June 2010 were 41,988, this equates to 41% capacity. The farebox recovery rate for January to June was 30.5%.

Diagram 1 – Total Passenger (Pax) Numbers

3. Patronage and Financial Trends

3.1 The SP&F Committee asked for further detail on the revenue and passenger numbers. The following graph shows the total number of passengers and the total revenue received from fares for the period of 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010.

3.2 The graph below shows a comparison of passenger numbers for February to August 2009 and the same period during 2010. This graph indicates that passenger numbers have consistently increased since the same period last year.

4. Commuter Express Trial

4.1. The Commuter Express service was introduced by Council as a two-year trial in September 2008. The purpose of the service is to provide a sustainable mode of transport for commuters travelling to work between Havelock North, Hastings and Napier.

4.2. Since it was introduced, two years ago, the Commuter Express has carried almost 26,000 passengers with the majority of passengers who use the service being professional people, and a smaller number of students also using the service.

4.3. The average monthly cost of providing the Commuter Express is $23,800. NZTA’s current FAR (funding assistance rate) is 50%. The average monthly farebox recovery is $4,693. The real cost to Council of providing this service is approx $7,200 per month.

4.4. Promotion of the Commuter Express is ongoing and has included articles in Hawke’s Bay Today and in the monthly ‘It’s all go’ column in the Napier Courier and Hastings Leader; radio advertising; short term promotions offering free trips to major employers (NCC, HDC, HBRC, HBDHB); visual displays including posters and flyers.

4.5. The service was also promoted and listed as one of the top priorities in the Hastings District Council (HDC) bid for model communities. HDC are promoting the use of the service to enhance the model communities approach.

4.6. In July the Council resolved to make this a permanent service. Under the current gross contract with Go Bus Transport Ltd it was not necessary to tender this service out at the conclusion of the trial, and this was confirmed by the New Zealand Transport Agency. The current budget allocations have allowed for this service to continue.

4.7. Below, for the information of the Committee, are two graphs, the first shows the number of passengers who travelled on the service since the last update provided to the Committee in March and the second shows the total number of passengers who have used this service since it began.

Diagram 2 - Number of Passenger Trips – Commuter Express

Diagram 3 – Total Number of Passenger Trips – Commuter Express

5. SuperGold Card Review

5.1 As identified to the Committee in July the Ministry of Transport have completed the review of the SuperGold Card (SGC) scheme and propose changes to the scheme for the 2010/11 year. The Chief Executive has now received formal notification from the Ministry of Transport on changes to the scheme.

5.2 The impact to this Council of the proposed changes is the reduction in the reimbursement rate from 75% to 65% of the average adult fare, with this revenue reduction to be borne by this Council, as it operates a gross contract. The second impact is that Councils can no longer make any claim for costs for administering the scheme; in the 2009/10 year $10,000 was paid to HBRC for this. The financial shortfall of both these funding reductions will be approximately $25,000 for the 2010/11 year.

5.3 As requested by the SP&F Committee, the Chief Executive discussed the proposed changes to the SGC scheme at the Regional CEO’s meeting held in August and there was no support from any Regional Council for the changes proposed by the Ministry of Transport to the scheme. It was resolved by the SP&F Committee at their meeting on 15 September, that a letter would be sent from the Chief Executive to the Ministry of Transport stating Council will not accept the changes to the scheme and the subsequent resulting loss of revenue.

5.4 For the Committee’s information, the following graph shows the number of passengers who travelled using SuperGold cards on bus services since the last update was provided to the Committee in March.

Diagram 4 - Number of SuperGold Card Passenger Trips

6. Infrastructure

6.1. Bus Stops

6.1.1. Four new bus stops along Te Awa Road, Napier have been introduced on the Route 11 Commuter Express service. These bus stops are marked and two have on-street timetable information.

6.1.2. Work is continuing with staff at Hastings District Council and K-Mart management to relocate the current K-Mart bus stop due to safety concerns and congestion problems.

6.1.3. Submissions were made to Napier City and Hastings District Council Annual Plans, for bike shelters at Dalton St and Eastbourne Street termini.

6.1.4. Staff are continuing to work on the production of an on-line bus stop map.

6.1.5. New bus timetables were printed and distributed in June 2010. Minor adjustments were made to some services. All on-street timetables have been updated.

6.1.6. Staff are in the early stages of investigating a community project to replace and paint an old, vandalised bus shelter in Maraenui. Staff believe that involving the local community may result in fewer incidents of vandalism.

7. Travel Plans

7.1. Although funding assistance from NZTA for travel plans was not approved, a School Travel Plan brochure was designed and mailed out to all urban primary schools in Napier and Hastings, inviting them to join the HBRC school travel plan programme. There has been no response to date.

7.2. HBRC is undertaking a workplace travel plan. Phase one entails surveying all staff to establish current modes of transport to and from work.

8. Change to Fare Structure

8.1. Drivers report that replacing the beneficiary/disabled fare category with a Community Services card fare category is working very well and June adult fare numbers were the highest since the new contract with Go Bus commenced.

9. Total Mobility Update

9.1. This scheme is continuing to increase in client numbers, with an average of 22 new clients in the past year, bringing a total of 2156 clients in the scheme at the end of June 2010. Below is a table showing details of client numbers and expenditure to date for the 2009/10 financial year.

Diagram 5 – Total Mobility Statistics

DECISION MAKING PROCESS

1. Council is required to make a decision in accordance with Part 6 Sub-Part 1, of the Local Government Act 2002 (the Act). Staff have assessed the requirements contained within this section of the Act in relation to this item and have concluded that, as this report is for information only and no decision is to be made, the decision making provisions of the Local Government Act 2002 do not apply.

RECOMMENDATION

1. That the Regional Transport Committee receives the report “Public Transport Update”.

Carol Gilbertson

Governance and Public Transport Manager

Andrew Newman

Chief Executive

Attachment/s

There are no attachments for this report.

HAWKE’S BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL

Regional Transport Committee

Thursday 23 September 2010

SUBJECT: Strategic Inter-regional Transport Issues Between Hawke's Bay and Gisborne

REASON FOR REPORT

1. The purpose of this item is to consider one of the action points arising from the joint Napier-Gisborne Rail Link meeting held on 23 August 2010 and how it might be achieved.

2. The action point in question relates to the need to understand the potential freight volumes from existing and new forestry plantations in the East Coast area and to understand the cost impacts on both road and rail if both services were available and if only road was available to transport the freight to the Port of Napier.

Background

3. KiwiRail have indicated that the Napier- Gisborne Rail Link will either be closed or mothballed by the end of 2012 unless an anchor company can be found to make the rail line viable. Regional leaders and key stakeholders have met on two occasions to discuss what actions can be taken collaboratively to ensure that the Napier-Gisborne rail link remains available as a transport choice.

4. Hawke’s Bay Regional Council commissioned a background paper which summarised the information available on regional freight in the Gisborne region. Sixty-six percent of Gisborne’s current outward freight goes to Hawke’s Bay and 28% of Gisborne’s current inwards freight comes from Hawke’s Bay. Only 1% of current freight leaves Gisborne by rail.

5. In terms of coastal shipping, Eastland Port is suited to break-bulk shipping and currently services some Roll-on Roll-off (RORO) container vessels but it is not currently set up for extensive container shipping. The port of Napier on the other hand is already well structured to manage extensive container trade.

6. Given the age class of some parts of the existing forestry estate in the Gisborne area, the ‘wall of wood’ that has long been talked about will come in some form or another whether it is logs or processed timber. And that product will need to be transported out of the region by either road, rail or sea.

7. An analysis of the existing and future forestry estate in the Gisborne and Wairoa area (taking into account initiatives such as the ETS and sustainable land management objectives on potential land use changes) is required to assess log/product volumes (wood flow) and freight units for the available transport modes. It was noted that forestry freight data is included in the Gisborne to Napier Coastal Shipping Study which is not yet available for public release.

8. The minutes of the joint meeting noted that a strategic inter-regional transport study would pull together this information to better inform the assessment of transport mode suitability and deficiencies.

9. A study of this nature in itself will not protect the rail from closure; it is recognised that securing an anchor company is key to the Napier-Gisborne rail lines survival. It will be the market that ultimately determines whether the Napier-Gisborne rail link is financially sustainable; it will depend on what service are the transport operators able to provide consumers and what are the consumers prepared to pay.

10. However, a study would provide information as to the future freight flows and timing around forestry and the impact of that freight on existing transport modes. It will provide information to transport operators / providers to be considered in their decision making.

Revised funding criteria for the Strategies and Studies category

11. The criteria for funding this category of study has also been recently released. Two of the review findings was that transport planning investment has not consistently encouraged planning for the long term (thirty plus) pressures on the transport system and that transport planning activities have not always been integrated with land use planning, inter or intra-regionally.

12. NZTA’s requirement of studies are:

12.1 Purpose is to directly inform or respond to strategies and plans

12.2 Not intended to be precursors to investigations – need to be wider in scope and reach

12.3 Studies do not always need to include use of complex transport models where other simpler, more cost effective methods will do the job.

13. NZTA’s Planning Outcomes, Objectives and Criteria for High Strategic Fit are shown in Table 1.

Current studies in the National Land Transport Programme for the Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne regions

14. There are no relevant studies in the National Land transport Programme (NLTP) for the Gisborne area.

15. In the Hawke’s Bay Region, two key studies are included in the NLTP to inform its review of the Regional Land Transport Strategy; one being the Heretaunga Plains Transportation Study which is currently underway; the other being a Wider Regional Transport Study (referred to in the NLTP as the Hawke’s Bay Rural Transport Study) which is programmed for this year. The estimated budget is $50,000.

16. The latter study will include an assessment of the inter-regional freight movements – from Manawatu- Wanganui, Taranaki, South Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Gisborne. It will provide a high level assessment of the potential freight scenarios and consider the alternative transport scenarios. It is not considered necessary to specifically extend the study to address in the inter-regional issues with Gisborne in terms of forestry freight.

17. The total costs of the project are $50,000 of which 75% could be funded by NZTA if it meets the criteria and receives funding approval.

18. Hawke’s Bay Regional Council is the only local share funding partner.

19. It is considered that the Wider Hawke’s Bay Transport Study will meet the revised criteria and this assessment has been given in column four of Table 1.

Table 1: Extract of High Level Strategic Fit Criteria for the Transport Planning Activity Class

NZTA transport planning outcomes	Objectives (relevant Integrated Planning Strategy areas of focus)	High Strategic Fit	Assessment of fit
Better integrated transport and land use Security for key routes of tomorrow Intelligent responses to changing demographics	Support review of Regional Land Transport Strategies (RLTSs) and Regional Policy Statements (RPSs)	Transport studies and plans to inform (or respond to) RLTSs and RPSs where a significant change in strategic context requires a renewal of these strategies.	Very good fit – this study will inform the 30 year RLTS which we are required to review. It will integrate the freight originating from outside the region including existing and future forestry freight and dairy products, with existing transport modes and identify potential deficiencies. This will include an assessment of land use change from pastoral to forestry and consider the impacts on transport infrastructure. The potential for timber processing in the Gisborne area will change the type of freight to be transported and therefore a review of what mode of transport is the most appropriate.
	Improve journey time reliability at peak times	Studies and plans that will improve travel time reliability at peak travel times in (a) severely congested urban areas; and / or on (b) key freight routes; and/or on (c) key tourist routes.	N/A
	Promote compact, mixed use settlement patterns	Transport planning activities that seek to understand and address the best methods to achieve settlement patterns that minimise travel demand in urban and major urban areas projected to experience significant growth.	N/A
	Planning for Roads of National Significance	Plans that address impacts of RoNS on local and other state highway networks where these updates are required. (i.e. a RoNS will go through or link to the regional or local authority)	N/A
	Improve public health and reduce adverse environmental effects	Studies and plans to identify and address risk of breach of environmental statute or standards at a regional network level	N/A
	Support development of regional strategic growth plans	In areas experiencing significant growth, transport studies that inform regional strategic growth plans	Very good fit – this study complements the Heretaunga Plains Urban Development Strategy which promotes compact settlement. It looks at the transport linkages from the Heretaunga Plains Study area as analysed by the Heretaunga Plains Transportation Study, to the wider region.
	Optimise existing significant transport investment	Transport Planning activities that understand or respond to network optimisation in areas projected to experience significant demographic or other significant change pressure.	Good fit – this study particularly seeks to understand the impacts of the future freight coming from the Gisborne region arising out of the potential for wood processing on the currently available transport networks.
	Adopting a safe system approach to improve road safety on local roads and state highways	Note that safety considerations are expected to be components of all strategies, studies (where relevant) and plans
	Enhancing the public realm around significant urban transport networks		N/A
	Reduce private vehicle travel, especially at peak travel times	Covered within strategic fit criteria for: Improving journey time reliability, promoting compact, mixed use settlement and reducing public health / reducing adverse environmental effects.	N/A

Alternative East Coast Forestry Freight Study / Strategy

20. Given the uncertainty about timing of harvest and whether the logs will be processed in Gisborne or Wairoa or no, the Hawke’s Bay-centric study can only consider different forestry freight scenarios. It will need to make some assumptions about the volume of freight in logs vs processed product, and the proportion of export freight that might go to Eastland, Tauranga or Napier, and it will consider the impact on the Napier-Gisborne rail and road corridor based on different scenarios.

21. While the Hawke’s Bay economy would benefit from incoming freight from Gisborne, we need to be realistic that the companies generating the freight have a number of choices in transport mode and export port destinations, and transport operators can influence that choice through cost and ease of services.

22. There is some value in a Gisborne-centric inter-regional Freight Strategy, though, that would look at the existing and potential freight flow and identify strategic freight routes for the future and how those routes might be provided for.

23. NZTA are looking at more strategic integration of land use and infrastructure and the Wairoa-Gisborne area has considerable potential for more forestry as a result of ETS and sustainable land management drivers.

24. Such a study would require a variation to relevant Regional Land Transport Programmes and a commitment of local share from the respective Councils. Staff are meeting with Gisborne District and Bay of Plenty Regional Council transport planning staff at the end of October to discuss inter-regional issues as part of our respective Regional Land Transport Strategy developments and this study can be discussed then.

DECISION MAKING PROCESS

25. Council is required to make a decision in accordance with Part 6 Sub-Part 1, of the Local Government Act 2002 (the Act). Staff have assessed the requirements contained within this section of the Act in relation to this item and have concluded that, as this report is for information only and no decision is to be made, the decision making provisions of the Local Government Act 2002 do not apply.

RECOMMENDATION

1. That the Regional Transport Committee receives the report ‘Strategic Inter-regional Transport Issues Between Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne’.

Helen Codlin

Group Manager Strategic Development

Attachment/s

There are no attachments for this report.

Regional Director's Report

Attachment 1

APPENDIX 1


To		The Hawke’s Bay Regional Transport Committee
From		Jenny Chetwynd - NZTA Regional Director Central
Date		14 September 2010

1. PURPOSE

This agenda item is to update the Hawke’s Bay Regional Transport Committee (RTC) on key NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) projects and initiatives in the Hawke’s Bay Region and other national items that may be of interest to the RTC.

2. NZTA’s FIVE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

As part of NZTA’s strategy, there are five strategic priorities that act as a focus for the work of all staff across the organisation. These are:

· Improve the road safety system

· Improve the effectiveness of public transport

· Improve the effectiveness of freight movements

· Plan and deliver roads of national significance, and,

· Improve customer service and reduce compliance costs

The information below provides you with an update on NZTA’s work across these priority areas.

Improve the Road Safety System

The first package of actions arising from the Safer Journeys 2020 strategy is currently in the final stages of the Cabinet process. The package includes actions relating to Young Driver Changes, Alcohol Changes and Motorcycles. NZTA is working with the Ministry of Transport, together with a number of other agencies, in the development of these actions. Further information will be provided as details of the package are confirmed.

Improve the Effectiveness of Public Transport

NZTA is investigating an outcomes based funding approach to public transport. Such an approach would involve funding services based on outcomes such as reducing congestion, promoting economic development, and addressing access and mobility needs of the community. This differs from the current approach which funds for the delivery of specified services on the basis of input costs. This policy would complement the recently adopted NZTA National Farebox Recovery Policy.

Improve the Effectiveness of Freight Movements

In August the NZTA Board approved a ‘Freight Forward’ plan, which outlines NZTA’s strategic approach to working with freight owners and operators. This approach is based on helping freight owners and operators identify ways to move freight more efficiently in order to unlock economic growth and productivity. NZTA wants to learn more about freight supply chains so we can identify efficiency opportunities to increase business productivity and NZ’s profitability. This will enable NZTA to support businesses in identifying and developing transport solutions to safety and efficiently transport goods. More information on this approach will be available over the coming months.

Plan for and Deliver Roads of National Significance

Auckland Manukau Harbour Bridge duplication completed. SH1 to SH 20 at Manukau is due for completion this year. Good progress continues to be made on Victoria Park Tunnel and Newmarket Viaduct.

Waikato The Waikato Expressway (SH1) Ten sections from Bombay Hills to south of Cambridge. All projects generally on track, with three sections completed. Consents for Cambridge section are due to be lodged later this year.

Bay of Plenty Tauranga Eastern Link (SH2) – Project is on track. Construction anticipated to start in 2011.

Canterbury Christchurch motorway projects – Consultation currently underway on options for the Northern Arterial. Following a final decision on options, consenting processes are anticipated to start in mid 2011.

Wellington Otaki to North of Levin – NZTA is currently calling expressions of interest for investigations, with a decision on the preferred consultant anticipated by November 2010. Investigations are scheduled to commence in 2011.

Peka Peka to Otaki - Two contracts were awarded for the investigation, planning and preliminary design work in July 2010. Consultation on design options anticipated in late 2010.

MacKays to Peka Peka – Information centres has been opened in Coastlands Mall. NZTA is continuing to develop initial design options including interchanges for consultation in late 2010.

All other projects on track.

Improve Customer Service and Reduce Compliance Costs

The Regional Partnerships and Planning (RPP) Group within NZTA is in the process of being restructured. The proposal is designed to improve the way the RPP Group delivers services by ensuring that there is sufficient capacity and capability to meet our primary roles as planner and investor in transport systems across the country. The restructure as proposed is to ensure that a shift from our current role with an emphasis on planning and funding of outputs moves to one with more emphasis on planning and investing in outcomes. This shift is brought about by a desire to improve the way we do business and extract value from every dollar we spend. The outcome of the proposed restructure will be signalled later in September.

3 STATE HIGHWAY REPORT

New and improved infrastructure

Matahorua Gorge

The project has been progressing well with the southern and northern earthworks now 90% complete. The new road-over-rail bridge is complete and the foundation works for the main Gorge bridge are substantially completed on the Wairoa side and 50% complete on the Napier side. Off site fabrication of steel components for the Gorge bridge is continuing and the modular nature of the construction means that on-site construction works is kept to an absolute minimum.

The contractor is currently focussing on the Napier inclined pier foundations, which are virtually complete; this will enable installation of the first section of the bridge on the Napier side of the Gorge. The completion of the steelwork, including the central span is expected in late October 2010.

In the previous meeting, the State Highway Manager for Napier reported a potential opportunity to improve the northern tie-in section at Matahorua Gorge. The Regional Transport Committee approved this proposal in principle subject to the completion of internal NZTA value processes. Following a review of the benefits and costs associated with the proposed northern extension it became evident that the additional works would not deliver value for money. The scope of works has therefore been revised accordingly.

SH50A Southern Extension

Despite considerable wet weather since the project start date, the contractor is making excellent progress. All undergrounding of power and removal of power poles has now been completed at the Longlands Rd roundabout. All culverts on the alignment have now completed and the Vector gas main diversion has also been successfully implemented.

The main road alignment has been substantially complete and is ready for sealing. The contractor is focussing on completion of the York Rd and Longlands Rd roundabouts at either end of the new alignment. NZTA has been working closely with the Hastings District Council to ensure that the provision of cycling facilities at both roundabouts meet the Council's expectations with respect to their Model Community cycling programme.

NZTA has also been working with the Police and has incorporated a safe lay-by area adjacent to the northbound lane to facilitate their operations. It is expected that the new alignment will be fully operational by March 2011, weather permitting.

Progress on Other Projects

· Glengarry Stock Effluent: progress on site has been slower than expected, partially due to delays incurred by adverse weather conditions. This project is 85% complete and is expected to be operational by November 2010.

· SH2 South of SH50 Passing Lane: this contract has now been awarded and is due to start in late August 2010. It is expected that the 1.1km south bound passing lane located on SH2 south of the intersection with State Highway 50, approximately 22km south of Waipukurau will be fully operational by the end of this construction season.

· Te Mahanga Northbound Passing Lane: NZTA propose to advertise for tender submissions in October 2010. It is expected that the 1km north bound passing lane located on SH2 approximately 8km south of Paki Paki will be fully operational in 2011, subject to finalising easements.

· Waitangi Washout Bridge Replacement: Ontrack and other affected parties have stated that they have no objection to the proposed works. The project is currently being reviewed to ensure the timing of this project is appropriate based on the residual life of the asset.

· Napier Road/Pilchers Road: NZTA is expecting to start the detailed design phase late in the 2010/11 financial year.

· Prebenson Hyderbad Road Intersection: the project team have developed an at grade solution which is currently being tested. NZTA has been working with Napier City Council to ensure alignment with the Prebenson Rd project which is being progressed by Council.

Operations and Maintenance Activities

General

The physical works maintenance contracts and the key principal professional service contracts have been awarded and are now well underway. That means that core maintenance activity works are now locked in for the next 5 years and at a price that in most cases was below the estimate for the works. Annual contracts yet to be awarded for other periodic maintenance activities for the upcoming construction season are summarised in the table below.

Contract name	Approx Value	Expected Award	Work components
Highway Pavement Recycling, Hawke’s Bay 2010/2011	$4.4M	Mid November 2010	All pavement renewals and safety seal widening excluding asphaltic concrete works.
Safety Improvements Hawke’s Bay 2010/2011	$0.9M	Late October 2010	Part of the minor safety programme not associated with pavement renewals sites.
Preventive Maintenance and Emergency Works Hawke’s Bay 2010/2011	TBA	February/March 2011	The work requirement will depend on the extent of late winter events and allocations made for preventive works
Routine Bridge Repairs, Hawke’s Bay 2010/2100	$0.756M	Mid November 2010	All routine and structural bridge repairs
High Stress Surfacing, Hawke’s Bay 2010/2011	$2.5M	Late November 2010	Asphaltic concrete works mainly in urban Napier highly stressed areas

Winter Effects

The network has performed very well over the winter with minimal weather related pavement and surfacing deterioration.

July and August saw some significant rainfall events affecting the State Highway network. However, NZTA has been able keep the network open with only one short closure originating from slips in the Matahoura Gorge. The effects of the rainfall are still very evident on State Highway 2 north of Napier, but the clean up operations are progressing well. The net cost of emergency works associated with these events in Hawke’s Bay was $535,000.

Slips in two areas on the northern tip of Bluff Hill caused some concern in August with both areas shedding material from a significant height onto the road. One of these involved a very large limestone boulder that landed on the State Highway. Traffic was moved away from the pavement immediately beneath the high risk areas for several days while a geotechnical risk assessment was undertaken. The NZTA is progressing with the construction of retention fences at the foot of the bluff at both locations to ensure that ongoing fretting will not result in material reaching live traffic lanes.

Heavy Vehicle Issues

HNO has installed a weigh in motion facility on State Highway 5 in the Esk Valley and this facility is now functioning. It will provide more robust data on East Coast network loading and will assist particularly with future bridge loading risk assessments.

Safety

The following graph illustrates the general downward trend in serious and fatal crashes for the Hawke’s Bay State Highway network for 2005-2010 (Jan – Dec) period. At this stage, crash statistics for the 2010 year are only available from January to May.

4. NATIONAL LAND TRANSPORT PROGRAMME - UPDATE

Funding Approvals

There were no new approvals for July. Approvals for August are shown below.

Approved Organisation	Project Name	Phase	Amount (NZTA share)	Comment
HB Regional Council	Community Programmes	Implementation	$630,000	Allocation approved for 2010-12 period
Hastings District Council	Community Programmes	Implementation	$314,250	Allocation approved for 2010-12 period
HNO Napier	Community Programmes	Implementation	$49,000	Allocation approved for 2010-12 period

Activity Class review outcomes

Transport Planning

The NZTA Board has recently agreed to new criteria for making investment decisions for transport planning activities. The new funding criteria provides clear incentives for councils and the Highways and Network Operations group within the NZTA to plan for the long term needs of the transport system, and to ensure that transport planning occurs in an integrated and coordinated manner. Integrated planning recognises that achieving the best transport outcomes for New Zealanders can be achieved by being connected to land use, network planning and urban design disciplines.

NZTA will be working directly with AOs on these changes, with detailed information on both the transitional arrangements and the changes to the Planning, Programme and Funding Manual due to be circulated shortly.

Demand Management Community Programmes

In July the NZTA Board approved a new investment framework for the Demand Management & Community Programmes activity class. While the high level strategic fit criteria for this activity class was approved within the context of NZTA’s Integrated Planning Strategy, additional changes have been made to the investment framework to ensure investment is targeted at areas of greatest planning need over the long term.

All funding for Demand Management & Community Programmes for the balance of the 2009-2012 period has now been allocated in accordance with this new framework. NZTA staff will continue to work with AOs in developing programmes for the 2013-16 period.

Vehicle Dimension Mass (VDM) Amendment Rule

A project steering group has been established under the umbrella of the RTC and the Technical Advisory Group to progress implementation of the VDM rule. The steering group includes NZTA staff (RPP and HNO) and officials Napier City Council, Hastings District Council, HB Regional Council, CHB District Council and Wairoa District Council. NZTA has engaged Opus International Consultants Limited on a short term basis to assist with project management.

As part of the national project Opus International Consultants Ltd were contracted to complete a preliminary assessment of the State Highway Network. This analysis has identified a range of bridges and pavements where further information is required. In the Hawkes Bay region NZTA is preparing a multi-party funding agreement to work with local councils to complete a detailed pavement and structure assessment of High Productivity Motor Vehicle (HPMV) routes identified as important to local industry. This assessment is due to be completed by the end of 2010. An economic assessment of any required improvements will then be undertaken by April 2011, to allow councils enough time to consider whether they wish to include any HPMV projects into the 2012-15 Regional Land Transport Plan.

To date, 17 applications have been received in the Hawkes Bay region, with the majority being from the forestry industry. However no applications can be considered until the detailed pavement and structure assessments have been completed. This work is expected to commence shortly, with the focus initially on routes where it is expected that approval can be given without modifying any structures and high use by operators working under the new rule is expected.

5. WHATS HOT

Super Gold

The Ministry of Transport has sent letters to all council transport committees advising them of the Minister’s decisions regarding the next two years of the free off-peak transport scheme for SuperGold card holders. Once these new parameters have been accepted by councils, NZTA will be advised and will follow up with a variation to the Memorandum of Understanding, and proposed variations to the operator contracts for councils to use.

Rugby World Cup

A National Transport Group meeting will be held on 21^st September with representatives from each venue and other stakeholders attending. NZTA is expecting that traffic management plans will be presented at this meeting for all venues, including Napier.

HAWKE’S BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL

Regional Transport Committee

Thursday 23 September 2010

SUBJECT: Regional Transport Committee Establishment and Membership

REASON FOR REPORT

1. The purpose of this item is to let the Committee know that it is a requirement of the Regional Council to establish a Regional Transport Committee as soon as practicable after each election.

Committee Composition

2. The membership of this committee comprises the following:

2.1 2 Regional Council representatives (who must be the Chair and Deputy Chair)

2.2 1 representative from each of the territorial authorities in the region

2.3 1 representative from the New Zealand Transport Agency (Regional director)

2.4 1 person or organisation to represent each of the following objectives:

2.4.1 Economic Development

2.4.2 Environmental Sustainability

2.4.3 Public Health

2.4.4 Safety and Public Security

2.4.5 Access & Mobility

2.4.6 Cultural Interests

3. The process for appointing of the local authority and New Zealand Transport Agency representatives are straight forward but the Land Transport Management Amendment Act is not prescriptive on the process for appointing the representatives for the NZTS Objectives. However, Objective representatives must be from the wider regional community and not a member or employee of a regional council, territorial local authority, or NZTA.

4. Guidelines for Representative experience and qualifications have been developed by NZTA. It is expected that the person must be representative of the wider regional community interest in, understanding and aspirations of the objective, not of a specified organisation.

5. The options considered by the Regional Council last time for the appointment process for Objective Representatives included:

6.1 invite suitably qualified organisations or individual to nominate a representative for the position

6.2 publicly seek applications from suitably qualified organisations or individuals

6.3 a combination of 6.1 and 6.2.

6. At that time, the Regional Council discussed the three options for the appointment process for Objective Representatives and agreed that as the Regional Transport Committee was a working committee and given the guidelines, it would be more appropriate to take a targeted approach for the selection of members so the Committee could continue without undue delay.

7. If existing objective representatives would like to be considered for the next Committee term, they are invited to register that interest with staff in the first instance.

8. A paper on the establishment of the new Regional Transport Committee will be considered by the new Council in November. That paper will outline the process and options for making the appointments of the objective representatives.

Acknowledgements

9. The Chairman and members of the staff Transport Advisory Group would like to acknowledge the contribution that this committee has made to transport planning and physical infrastructure in the region, both collectively and individually, over the last two years.

DECISION MAKING PROCESS

10. Council is required to make a decision in accordance with Part 6 Sub-Part 1, of the Local Government Act 2002 (the Act). Staff have assessed the requirements contained within this section of the Act in relation to this item and have concluded that, as this report is for information only and no decision is to be made, the decision making provisions of the Local Government Act 2002 do not apply.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. That the Regional Transport Committee receives the report titled “Establishment of the Regional Transport Committee”.

2. That existing Objective Representatives wishing to be considered for the next committee be invited to register their interest.

Alan Dick

Chairman

Helen Codlin

Group Manager

Strategic Development

Attachment/s

There are no attachments for this report.

Agenda Item	Action	Person Responsible	Due Date	Status Comment
5 Action Items	Bikes on Buses	C Gilbertson	ongoing	NZTA to gather info from other communities and provide to HBRC. To be included for consultation through the Regional Public Transport Plan review process.
5 Action Items	Data inaccuracies re-use of Statistics NZ data for assessing land transport impact of Port activities	H Codlin	September	Letter sent to the National Infrastructure Unit and Ministry of Transport. Response received from Treasury. MoT currently working on the issues raised & it will inform later iteration of the National Infrastructure Plan.
14 Objective and Advisory Representative Reports	Details of the Tukituki cycle pathway	G Hansen	September	Presentation was to be made to the Committee at 23 September meeting, but no significant matters to report. Stage 1 of the Landscapes trail (Blackbridge to Te Awanga) will commence prior to Christmas. Tenders for Blackbridge to Moore Road out before Christmas. Water trail negotiations with landowner issues progressing.
14 Objective and Advisory Representative Reports	Suitability of rail for transport	C Bain		The ‘note’ assessing the suitability of rail as a transport mode for freight was forwarded to Chairman Dick for distribution to the Committee members.

Agenda Item	Action	Person Responsible	Due Date	Status Comment
14. State Highway 38 – Request for Sealing	To be left on the list for regular follow-ups		ongoing	WDC presented submission to Ministers. Difference in costs of sealing to be resolved.

Project Name	NLTP Category	Local funders	Scheduled Date	Status
HB Regional Transportation Study – Heretaunga Plains	Cat 2	HBRC, HDC, NCC, NZTA	Year 1 and 2	NZTA approved funding Tender has been awarded to GHD Consultants Ltd. Stage 1 (building of the transportation model) is still being peer reviewed. Passed scheduled completion date. Outstanding issues are expected to be resolved by end of September. Despite delay the peer review and model signoff, work is able to continue on Stage 2 to incorporate the future land use pattern based on the Heretaunga Plains Urban Development Strategy. There is more work than anticipated to get the HPUDS data in a form to input into the model.
HB Rural Transport Study	Cat 2	HBRC	Year 2	Work has commenced on project brief and terms of reference. NZTA have reviewed the Strategy and Plans Funding category and it is expected that this project will still meet the funding criteria. The scope of this project incorporates inter-regional freight issues particularly between Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay.
Regional Public Transport Plan	Cat 2	HBRC	Year 1 and 2 (due to be completed Jan 2012)	Project Plan now under development, progress in the next few months to include looking at targeted consultation and who should be involved; drafting of some policies for early input into key areas.

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