Minutes of Regional Transport Committee

1. Welcome/Apologies/Notices

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Crs Fenton Wilson and Ann Redstone advised that they need to leave the meeting at 12.20pm and 12.30pm respectively.

The Chair also congratulated Oliver Postings (NZTA) on his new position as System Manager in Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne region, replacing Wayne Oldfield.

Resolution

RTC1/19 That the apologies for absence from Mayor Craig Little (Wairoa District Council), Steve Young (Napier Port), Jag Pannu (Hastings District Council) and Mayor Alex Walker (Central Hawke’s Bay District Council) be accepted.

Redstone/Price

Carried

2. Conflict of Interest Declarations

There were no Conflict of Interest Declarations.

Short Term Replacements for the 22 February 2019 Regional Transport Committee Meeting

RTC2/19

Resolution

That Libby Young be appointed as member of the Regional Transport Committee of the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council for the meeting of Friday, 22 February 2019 as short term replacement on the Committee for Mayor Craig Little.

Wilson/Price

CARRIED

4. Confirmation of Minutes of the Regional Transport Committee Meeting held on 7 December 2018

RTC3/19

Resolution

Minutes of the Regional Transport Committee held on Friday, 7 December 2018, a copy having been circulated prior to the meeting, were taken as read and confirmed as a true and correct record.

Wilson/Price

CARRIED

Follow-Ups From Previous Regional Transport Committee Meetings

Stock effluent disposal facility in Wairoa: Cr Wilson had a discussion with AFFCO Management regarding making use of their facility rather than having to build a new facility. Cr Wilson thanked Libby Young for WDC’s comprehensive report by OPUS. AFFCO very receptive in finding a solution and currently looking to see whether they can manage the extra volumes under their current consent conditions. Cr Wilson to follow-up on this matter.

Plan for safety to be considered for reopening of the Napier-Wairoa line: Will report in full to the next meeting.

Implications on the transport network of water bottling plants at Awatoto and Tomoana: Steve Young (Napier Port) who was not present at the meeting, gave a short summary on the water volumes.

· Dec 2018 – 48 containers exported

· Jan 2019 – 25 containers exported.

· B-Double Unit for empty containers: Unit being manufactured currently and will hopefully be completed and commissioned in mid-March.

Not having an adverse effect on the road network at this stage.

Business case for route between Wairoa District and Bay of Plenty via SH 28: Emma Speight reported that this is progressing through the PGF process.

Napier to Wairoa Log proposal: About 3 weeks away for completing the civil works on the land slide at Raupunga. Planning the opening event for the beginning of May 2019. To update the committee on progress.

Tom Skerman – the business proposal with KiwiRail is progressing. Council is considering a request from KiwiRail at their next meeting on 27 February.

RTC4/19

Resolution

That the Regional Transport Committee receives the “Follow-ups from Previous Regional Transport Committee Meetings”.

Redstone/Speight

CARRIED

Call for Minor Items of Business Not on the Agenda

That Regional Transport Committee accepts the following “Minor Items of Business Not on the Agenda” for discussion as Item 13

Item	Topic	Raised by
1.	Update on the funding assistance rate for emergency works	Shawn McKinley
2.	Future RLTP changes based on the PGF	Shawn McKinley

Variations to the Regional Land Transport Plan

Anne Redgrave reported on this and asked the committee to consider the proposed variations to the Regional Land Transport Plan 2018. Further discussions traversed:

· It was noted that the Land Transport Management Act allows for an RLTP to be varied at any given time.

· Flexibility is required in order to respond to funding opportunities, timing changes and other variations.

· The requests include the LED Accelerated Replacement on State Highways, the Black Beach Nuhaka to Opoutama Resilience Improvement and the Whirinaki Cycleway extension projects in the 2018 RLTP.

· Libby Young reported that Wairoa is aiming to become a Dark Sky Reserve and asking NZTA to take the LED design into consideration. Emma Speight acknowledged the comment but requested that NZTA be formally notified as it is a different process to follow.

· Dark Sky Reserve is managing lighting pollution in the district and promoting areas that can be used for stargazing etc. Currently 2-3 regions in NZ that have this status.

· Black Beach Nuhaka to Opoutama Resilience Improvement: Wairoa District Council is seeking to have the road realignment added to the RLTP by way of variation and will apply to the Provincial Growth Fund for funding for the route. A successful application would enable WDC to provide a resilient route and safeguard tourism, jobs, businesses and community access to the Mahia Peninsula.

· The cost of the project is $15.5 million over three years.

· Whirinaki cycleway extension: Proposed 7.5km northern extension to the existing Bay View cycleway along the coast.

· This route will connect Napier with PanPac which has over 500 employees and will have a significant value for pedestrians and or commuters.

· Napier City Council and Hastings District Council have made a provision for a contribution to this link in their cycling programmes.

This variation is necessary to add an NZTA contribution to the programme.~~Anne Redgrave reported on this and asked the committee to consider the proposed variations to the Regional Land Transport Plan 2018. Further discussions traversed:~~

~~Anne noted that the Land Transport Management Act allows for an RLTP to be varied at any given time.~~

~~Flexibility is required in order to respond to funding opportunities, timing changes and other variations.~~

The requests include the LED Accelerated Replacement on State Highways, the Black Beach Nuhaka to Opoutama Resilience Improvement and the Whirinaki Cycleway extension projects in the 2018 RLTP.

Libby Young reported that Wairoa is aiming to become a Dark Sky Reserve and asking NZTA to take the LED design into consideration. Emma Speight acknowledged the comment but requested that NZTA be formally notified as it is a different process to follow.

~~Dark Sky Reserve is managing lighting pollution in the district and promoting areas that can be used for stargazing etc. Currently 2-3 regions in NZ that have this status..~~

Black Beach Nuhaka to Opoutama Resilience Improvement: Wairoa District Council is seeking to have the road realignment added to the RLTP by way of variation and will apply to the Provincial Growth Fund for funding for the route. A successful application would enable WDC to provide a resilient route and safeguard tourism, jobs, businesses and community access to the Mahia Peninsula.

~~The cost of the project is $15.5 million over three years.~~

~~Whirinaki cycleway extension: Proposed 7.5km northern extension to the existing Bay View cycleway along the coast.~~

~~This route will connect Napier with PanPac which has over 500 employees and will have a significant value for pedestrians and or commuters.~~

~~Napier City Council as well as Hastings District Council have made a provision for a contribution to this link in their cycling programmes.~~

~~This variation is necessary to add an NZTA contribution to the programme.~~

RTC5/19

Resolution

1. That the Regional Transport Committee receives and notes the ‘Variations to the Regional Land Transport Plan’ staff report.

2. The Regional Transport Committee recommends that Council:

2.1 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.

2.2 Approves the variations to the Regional Land Transport Plan, introducing the LED Accelerated Replacement Programme, the Blacks Beach Nuhaka to Opoutama Resilience Improvement and the Whirinaki Cycleway Extension to the plan.

Price/Wilson

CARRIED

8.	February 2019 HBRC Transport Manager's Report
	Anne Redgrave updated the committee on Provincial Growth fund applications with discussions highlighting: · a request was made for more detail on Driver Licencing funding available · The initial Driver licencing funding two year programme will end on 30 June 2019, and will be re-evaluated for ongoing demand. No local shared funding allocated beyond 2019, thus would rely on Councils, agencies and NZTA to contribute to the fund. 65% of fatalities in the East Coast Region, were unlicensed drivers. The number of police referrals to providers is increasing due to an initiative by the Police to have information on driver licensing providers directly on hand. There should be a strategy put in place supporting the licensing system for those who are unlicensed.
	Cr Alan Dick moved a motion; being: To allocate further funding for Driver’s Licencing to meet sufficient local share and to put a strategy in place supporting the licensing system for unlicensed individuals. Seconded by Cr David Tennent.
RTC6/19	Resolution “That the Regional Transport Committee recommends to Councils and other effected bodies to allocate funding for Driving Licensing to meet sufficient local share and to put a strategy in place supporting the licensing system for unlicensed individuals.” Dick/Wilson CARRIED
	Consideration of the item recommenced, with discussions covering: · A meeting of the Driver Licensing Governance Group will be convened to progress driver licensing further. · The Whakatu Arterial Link, the Region’s biggest project, was successfully opened to traffic on 19 December 2018. · Hastings District Council invited the Chair for the blessing of the road “Te Ara Kahikatea” on Saturday, 23 February at 10am.
RTC7/19	Resolution That the Regional Transport Committee receives and notes the *“February 2019 HBRC Transport Manager's report”. Tennent/Redstone* CARRIED

NZTA Central Region - Regional Relationships Director's Report February 2019

Emma Speight gave a presentation on the new road safety strategy and updates on the local network with discussions highlighting:

· Next steps in the development of the new road safety strategy will be released for public consultation in April. The Consultation period will include engagement with partners and public to seek feedback on the direction and on whether to adopt a Vision Zero approach.

· The Safe Networks is an initiative with local government, targeting reduction of up to 160 road deaths every year, starting with priority areas of Auckland, Waikato and Canterbury. $1.5 billion will be invested over 3 years.

· Safety Boost programme, which started in 2018, has been extended with safety improvements planned for 11 rural state highways in Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu-Whanganui and the West Coast. Simple improvements like road widening, rumble strips along the side and centre of roads, improving signs, and installing road safety barriers.

· Asset Management Data Standard (AMDS) project now in development. Focus on easier data management and analytics between organisations to improve service using smart technologies. Draft business case will be launched in December 2019 and anticipate that a full business case will be operative in September 2020.

· Motorcycle Safety (Shiny Side Up) is working collaboratively with the Transport Agency and ACC’s Ride Forever safety programme with a range of events currently running from 3 February – 4 March 2019. More info available on NZTA’s website.

· Travel Demand Management is working to achieve a nationally coordinated approach including innovative solutions to demand issues for users, councils and other partners by enabling more travel choices.

· An update on the local network was given.

· Concerns raised in relation to the safety and congestion on the road between Pakipaki and Waipukurau – increase in heavy trucks carrying timber coming from CHB. AA supports the view and disappointed to hear that realignment of the road has been removed.

· NZTA facing financial constraints as a consequence of shifting priorities for Government.

· Waikare Gorge is regarded as a significant investment and important piece of work with the project being initiated and in early stages, however no timeline for completion at this stage.

RTC8/19

Resolution

That the Regional Transport Committee receives the ‘NZTA Central Region – Regional Relationships Director’s Report for February 2019.

Wilson/Price

CARRIED

10.

Roadsafe Hawke's Bay February 2019 Update

Anne Redgrave updated the committee on the statistics on road safety with discussions highlighting:

· Increases in deaths and serious injuries recorded across the country.

· The Communities at Risk Register, compiled by NZTA, has highlighted that Wairoa is now elevated as the highest overall personal risk for all crash types of any district of city in the country.

· Wairoa’s statistics have been trending for a long time despite efforts and investment made in the area.

· Wairoa District Council has taken a good strong look at the investment currently to combat some of the high number of road deaths.

· Statistics also includes state highways in the region and thus not directly related to local roads.

· Cr Wilson reported that drugs, in particular, are a real concern in Wairoa as in other rural towns.

· Following the driver’s licence discussion, Anne Redgrave reported that a teacher from Wairoa College, which is funded by HBRC, is running a programme for students with the aim of getting them through all stages of driver licensing before leaving school.

· RoadSafe has a good presence in Wairoa with different programmes running.

· Currently 10hours a week allocated for a staff member in Wairoa on RoadSafe programmes. Cr Wilson asked whether it is time for this to be increased, in light of Wairoa’s road safety statistics.

· RoadSafe Hawke’s Bay recent activities discussed and listed in the paper.

RTC9/19

Resolution

That the Regional Transport Committee receives and notes the “RoadSafe Hawke's Bay February 2019 Update” staff report.

Wilson/Price

CARRIED

11.

February 2019 Public Transport Update

The report was taken as read with Anne Redgrave to highlight the following:

· The bus service webpage has recently being separated from the HBRC’s website with more enquiries being dealt with as a result. Feedback about the new stand-alone website (www.goBay.co.nz) has been very positive.

· The new bus ticketing and smartcard system is further delayed. HBRC has conducted initial testing on its system and has confirmed that the tariffs and passenger categories are loaded into the system correctly.

· However, site acceptance testing by the supplier has indicated a requirement for further development and testing.

· Aiming to have the new system in place in September 2019.

· Overall decline in patronage, however services between Napier and Hastings are increasing, particularly the Express services.

· Initiatives underway with organisations to provide concession discounts.

· HBRC has funded a 6-month trial for HBRC staff to travel more cheaply on the bus. Very good response to date.

· HBRC challenges Napier City Council and Hastings District Council to also introduce staff subsidies to encourage their staff to use the buses.

· DHB continues to see an increase in use of their subsidised staff bus scheme.

RTC10/19

Resolution

That the Regional Transport Committee receives and notes the “February 2019 Public Transport Update” report.

Redstone/Speight

CARRIED

12.

Verbal Updates by Advisory Representatives

· Matt Broderick (NZ Police), updated the committee on the relevant issues raised in the media around a crash which occurred on the Ngaruroro river bridge the previous night.

· 27 incidents from December 2018 at the same location. Seek some collaboration with NZTA to send out some media messaging to dissuade people from jumping from the bridges.

· NZ Police seeking more visible signage warning communities around the safety hazards.

· Currently investigating further road police deployment across the district. Police not always deployed at the highest risk locations.

· Lisa Malde (HB DHB) reported that transport trips for staff increased by 112 %, which is due to the subsidised bus transport scheme. DHB will be marking shared road markings in the vicinity of the hospital site and will be running campaigns in partnership with Hastings District Council to help educate both driver’s and cyclists.

· DHB has been certified through the Certified Emissions Measurement and Reduction programme, with them being the fourth entity in Hawke’s Bay and fifth entity in NZ to be certified.

· This will not only measure emissions, but study emission reduction targets. Will aim to minimise environmental impact and health increase impacts.

· Paul Michaelson (AA) – The AA Research Foundation has completed work on making speed limits clear - a link will be distributed to committee.

· Saddle Road: reduction in speed to 60km/h bit conservative. In response to the comment made, NZTA has commissioned a report on the appropriate speed on Saddle Road.

· Ian Emmerson (Road Transport Association) – Positively commented on Whakatu Arterial which seems to cater for increased traffic during harvest very well.

· Concern raised on the seal condition on State Highway 2 and 5 in various places. Oliver Postings reported that work is underway and will be completed before winter starts.

· Antony Mills (KiwiRail) – “Go Live” of Napier Port level crossing on the western entrance of the Port. Will be operational for trucks and trains on Sunday, 24 February.

· Road integration into the Port will go live by end of March 2019.

· Major improvement in pedestrian control from the carpark to the beach.

Recommendation

That the Regional Transport Committee receives the “Verbal Updates by Advisory Representatives”.

13.

Discussion of Minor Items Not on the Agenda

Item

Topic

Raised by

Future RLTP changes based on the PGF:

· CHB is applying to the PGF for some improvements to enable HPMV access and improved resilience on some of its key rural routes. Advising that these will be brought to the committee for consideration as variations to the RLTP

Shawn McKinley

Update on the funding assistance rate for emergency works:

· Struggling to complete work by 30 June.

· Serious consequences if work is not completed in time – rate payers will have an increase in rates if not completed in time.

· Working collaboratively with NZTA to build a business case in dealing with the issues and concerns.

· Update on the business case to be presented to Mayor Alex Walker, after which it will be presented to local government to lobby for getting the funding assistance rate adjusted.

Shawn McKinley

Closure:

There being no further business the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 12.20pm on Friday 22 February 2019.

Signed as a true and correct record.

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