Minutes of Regional Transport Committee

1. Welcome/Apologies/Notices

The Chair welcomed all to the meeting, and spoke briefly about the organisation required for the Rail familiarisation trip. Details will be confirmed.

RTC10/17

Resolution

That the apologies for absence from Councillors Fenton Wilson and Tania Kerr, Mark Clews, Julia Alexander, Kim Santer, Matt Broderick, Jon Kingsford and David Murray be accepted.

Rossiter/Walker

CARRIED

2. Conflict of Interest Declarations

There were no conflict of interest declarations for this meeting.

Short Term Replacements for the 9 June 2017 Regional Transport Committee

RTC11/17

Resolution

That Jag Pannu, be appointed as member of the Regional Transport Committee of the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council for the meeting of Friday, 9 June 2017 as the short term replacement on the Committee for Councillor Tania Kerr.

Dick/Price

CARRIED

4. Confirmation of Minutes of the Regional Transport Committee held on 10 March 2017

RTC12/17

Resolution

Minutes of the Regional Transport Committee held on Friday, 10 March 2017, a copy having been circulated prior to the meeting, were taken as read and confirmed.

Rossiter/Little

CARRIED

Follow-ups from previous Regional Transport Committee meetings

The Chair had already spoken of the rail familiarisation trip being organised.

The items from 2016: Awatoto water bottling plant newly commissioned and the Elwood Road plant just producing very small amounts with no impact on roading as yet.

Mr Cox from Wairoa District Council spoke of the SH38 Waikaremoana Road, the business case for improvements and upgrades to the route. Recent flood events have cost a large amount of money and the plan faces a number of obstacles. NZTA commented that things were moving slower than expected but there was progress being made.

RTC13/17

Resolution

That the Regional Transport Committee receives the Follow-ups from Previous Regional Transport Committee meetings.

Walker/Paanu

CARRIED

Deputation from the Citizens' Environment Advisory Centre – Mr & Mrs Crispin

Mrs Crispin provided an update of the problems experienced by residents living in close proximity to the Hawke’s Bay Expressway, which date back to the building of the Kennedy Road overbridge. The group monitors air pollution, noise and traffic volumes. They do not believe that traffic volume statistics they receive from NZTA accurately reflect what they experience.

Progress has been made with wooden fences built by Napier City Council, screening and vegetation planted by Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, and quiet road surface provided by NZTA, however activity ceased in 2006 and in 2014 they lost the benefit of the quiet road surface when NZTA resealed the roadway.

Traffic has increased significantly in ten years, especially heavy traffic, and the group feels that mitigation measures should be increasing.

The group has done their own traffic counts on the road in 2017 and the figures are three times the 2015 figures from NZTA, with 22-2300 trucks per day as opposed to NZTA’s stated figures of 7-800. The group is looking for further mitigation of what they see as a growing problem.

Ms Rossiter confirmed that NZTA will be installing a low noise surface on the road in the 2017-18 summer

6.	Call for Items of Business not on the Agenda
	There were no items raised.

Review of Regional Land Transport Plan Strategic Direction - Problem Descriptions

Ms Anne Redgrave introduced the item, the result of collaboration between the TAG members. This mid-term review does not require a complete back to basics look but changes in the region do need to be incorporated. The changes include the first couple of chapters of scene setting and a summary of the key issues in the area. The next stage will be to develop the strategic responses and policies and then the details of the measures that will be used to measure progress.

Mayor Walker commented on, Problem no 1, asking the committee to recognise the population changes across the region, and how all people require good links through to hospitals and airports.

Mayor Little also commented that according to a Berl report commissioned by the council, Wairoa’s population is not declining, it has recently grown by 80 to 200. Mayor Walker also commented that CHB has also experienced population grown 7% in the last four years. Both mayors absolutely endorse the priority given to SH2 from Napier to Wairoa. Mr Daly from AA also endorsed the SH2 work.

In regard to high productivity motor vehicles, Waipukurau bridge investigations will be underway over next 12 – 18 months and once this improvement is complete there will be full HPMV capability right through to Manawatu.

Ms Rossiter observed that the RLTP was an excellent piece of work, but noted the omission of SH50 as a primary connector route.

RTC14/17

Resolutions

That the Regional Transport Committee:

1. Agrees that the decisions to be made are not significant under the criteria contained in Council’s adopted Significance and Engagement Policy, and that Council can exercise its discretion 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.

2. Receives the ‘Review of the Regional Land Transport Plan Strategic Direction - Problem Description’ report

3. Approves the revised sections 4 and 5 of the Regional Land Transport Plan, including changes agreed at the meeting.

Walker/Rossiter

CARRIED

Verbal presentation from John Wright, Hastings District Council

Mr John Wright - Project Manager for the Whakatu Arterial project told the committee that a good team had been assembled with Higgins Contractors for the roading, a very experienced bridge builder with Concrete Structures and Gemco Construction for the relocation of Nimons’ fuel stop.

Mr Wright showed the committee layout of the planned works, to demonstrate how the project was going to improve roads and safety in the area. Several slides demonstrated the challenges that the weather earlier in the year had provided the project. He commented that Unison has been excellent to deal with, working in well with the project.

The stream realignment had been completed and the bridge building over the Karamu stream had commenced, with the estimated date of completion for the whole project being November 2018.

The Chair commented that it is good to see these long planned large projects underway.

NZTA Central Region - Regional Director's Report June 2017

Ms Rossiter spoke to her report, she hoped that everyone would be able to stay for the workshop after the meeting on the NZTA Long Term Strategic View. She also reminded the committee that the speed management submissions close Friday 16 June.

Manawatu Gorge, a vital link to this region, remains closed because of multiple slips since the major Anzac day slip. The Minister has requested a re-look at alternative routes, and asked that the scope of the investigation be widened. It would take a lot of investment to bring the Saddle Road up to state highway standard.

Scope documents for the Napier to Opotiki link have been progressed. but need to be agreed by the RED Ministers. The regional reference group will be convened once the scope is approved.

Mr Oldfield outlined his section of the report, noting there is a lot of activity on stream at the present time which will continue into the future. The NZ Transport Agency is collaborating closely with Whakatu Arterial project and this is going very well. Watchman Road Roundabout progressing well. Prebensen/Hyderabad to start in October and the Agency will be working closely with Napier City Council regarding stormwater management. A consultant is to be appointed shortly for the Pakowhai Link, and works will start in spring.

Mayor Walker told the committee how impressed her Council was with Mr Oldfield’s recent presentation to her councillors and the change in perspective with NZTA working with councils. This collaborative approach was endorsed by Wairoa District Council.

RTC15/17

Resolution

That the Regional Transport Committee receives the NZTA Central Region – Regional Director’s Report for June 2017.

Little/Walker

CARRIED

Road Safe Hawke's Bay Report

Ms Linda Anderson – Road Safe Hawke’s Bay manager spoke to her report and explained the cancellation of the Hawke’s Bay Youth Alcohol Expo and the work that has been done on the Road Safety education school resource which will be embedded into the curriculum. This education resource was being trialed in some schools. Ms Anderson spoke of their work with the Department of Corrections.

Ms Rossiter commended Road Safe for taking on board the feedback around the importance of integrating youth education material into the curriculum.

RTC16/17

Resolution

That the Regional Transport Committee receives the RoadSafe Hawke’s Bay report.

Rossiter/Price

CARRIED

10.

June 2017 Public Transport Update

Bus numbers were in for May and totals are up, which goes against the recent downtrend and is heartening. Car registrations have increased in Hawke’s Bay and the impact of that was seen in the public transport statistics. The bus company is struggling a little with keeping to timetables at peak times but HBRC working with the bus company to try to correct that.

Good progress in bus stop infrastructure with Napier City Council. Traffic at peak times is the main problem in Hastings.

RTC17/17

Resolution

That the Regional Transport Committee receives and notes the March 2017 Public Transport Update report.

Paanu/Price

CARRIED

11.

June 2017 Transport Manager's Report

Ms Anne Redgrave spoke of her appreciation to John Wright, Project Manager of the Whakatu Arterial Route who came to present to the committee as part of this report.

Some discussion ensued about the local councils and their uptake of Electric Vehicles.

Mayor Walker spoke of the Regional Cycling Governance Group, and how welcome the news of the Heartland Ride from Hastings District through to Central Hawke’s Bay District was.

Mayor Walker also told the committee of some driver licensing research being undertaken in conjunction with Massey University in Central Hawke’s Bay which may be of interest to the committee in the future.

RTC18/17

Resolution

That the Regional Transport Committee receives and notes the June 2017 Transport Manager's report.

Price/Little

CARRIED

12.

Advisory Representatives' Verbal Updates

Mr Brian Gregory – Very pleased that the cycleway between Waipukurau and Waipawa was still on the NZ Transport Agency agenda.

Mr Craig Daly – Nothing to report.

Insp. Chris Wallace – Recent data showed an average of 5.5 crashes per day and the fatalities double last year. The more cyclists can do to protect themselves the better. They are looking at programmes regarding Hi-Viz gear and lights.

Mr Ian Emmerson – Nothing to report that hadn’t already been covered.

Mr Steve Young – Wellington’s Centreport was still not operating and the volume was still coming through Napier at this stage, it will be at least another year before everything was rebuilt.

RTC19/17

Resolution

That the Regional Transport Committee receives the “Advisory Representative Verbal Updates”

Dick/Rossiter

CARRIED

Closure:

There being no further business the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 12noon on 9 June 2017.

Signed as a true and correct record.

DATE: ................................................ CHAIRMAN: ...............................................