Minutes of Regional Transport Committee

1. Welcome/Karakia /Apologies

The Chair welcomed everyone, including Matt Radford from Te Whatu Ora who is attending for the first time as an alternate representative for Te Whatu Ora.

Api Robin opened the meeting with a karakia tīmatanga.

Resolution

RTC1/24 That the apology for lateness from Mayor Craig Little be accepted.

Williams/Taylor

CARRIED

2. Conflict of interest declarations

There were no conflicts of interest declared.

3. Confirmation of Minutes of the Regional Transport Committee meeting held on 3 November 2023

RTC2/24

Resolution

Minutes of the Regional Transport Committee meeting held on Friday, 3 November 2023, a copy having been circulated prior to the meeting, were taken as read and confirmed as a true and correct record.

van Beek/Price

CARRIED

Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst joined the meeting at 1.09pm.

Follow-ups from previous Regional Transport Committee meetings

Bryce Cullen introduced the item, which was taken as read.

RTC3/24

Resolution

That the Regional Transport Committee receives and notes the Follow-ups from previous Regional Transport Committee meetings.

Williams/Taylor

CARRIED

Regional Land Transport Plan adoption for consultation

Bryce Cullen and Mark Allan introduced the item, and discussions covered:

· The proposed Plan has been trimmed down but remains focussed on– maintenance, rebuild and resilience.

· The Plan is for $5.5b programme spread over 10 years, with maintenance and some lower level projects being carried out during the first three year period – 2024-27. The larger projects will be in the outer years. $4.6b of the budget spend is for state highways with some $887m being spent on ‘local roads’ including the rural roading network.

· RLTP costs are generally shared on a 51% NZTA - 49% local councils basis. Councils will be struggling to pay their share, funded by rates.

· Submissions on the Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport close after the close of the HB RLTP submission process, which will allow HB to incorporate its RLTP feedback into a GPS submission from the region.

· The draft GPS broadly aligns with the HB RLTP, however it does include moves to reduce public transport funding which is contrary to the HB RLTP and Regional Public Transport Plan.

· The GPS recognises SH2 Napier-Hastings Expressway as a road of national significance and HB will support this.

· When the GPS has been confirmed/approved, NZTA will work through the details with RTCs across the country.

· The intent of the Plan is unlikely to change and the major capital projects are expected to stay the same.

· Porangahau is not mentioned in the Plan and a note needs adding about CHB facing $50m roading repair costs before Cyclone Gabrielle.

· The Plan should incorporate all projects that may be considered over the next 10 years (a wish list approach) not just those seeking funding.

· Local roads and highways are poorly maintained and need to be returned to good condition - 82% of HB roads are rural.

Mayor Craig Little joined the meeting online at 1.34pm

· HBRC Māori Committee has been involved the engagement plan preparation with further hui planned to encourage submissions and iwi involvement in the consultation process.

· Some mismatches between facts and figures need correcting before consultation documents are released.

· The Form and Function Programme Business Case is the foundation for all project work in the draft RLTP and funding for it (up to $1m) is itself one of the projects in the Plan that still requires approval before work starts.

· A submission on the GPS will be prepared on behalf of the RTC covering matters raised at this meeting and echoing the draft HB RLTP.

· HB health statistics are poor. Promotion and uptake of active transport options and reducing vehicle emissions can only help improve these. If people can safely use active transport alternatives they are more likely to use these.

· The RLTP process is basically a bid to particular funding pools available to RTCs. There are some major roading projects underway in HB being funded separately (Cyclone Recovery through Treasury). It seems logical to identify these projects in the RLTP to provide a complete overview, and to note when particular projects are funded from sources other than the National Land Transport Fund.

RTC4/24

Resolutions

That the Regional Transport Committee:

1. Receives and considers the Regional Land Transport Plan adoption for consultation staff report.

2. Agrees that the decisions to be made are not significant under the criteria contained in Council’s adopted Significance and Engagement Policy, and that the Committee can exercise its discretion and make decisions on this issue without conferring directly with the community or persons likely to have an interest in the decision.

3. Adopts the draft Regional Land Transport Plan and consultation document, incorporating the minor amendments agreed at today’s meeting, for consultation for a period of four weeks from 18 March 2024, ending on 14 April 2024.

4. Agrees that a submission on the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport 2024 is to be made, and delegates staff and two Regional Transport Committee members, being Councillors Tania Kerr and Martin Williams, to develop that submission.

Williams/Taylor

CARRIED

MyWay Trial evaluation

Mark Allan introduced the item, which was taken as read. Discussions covered:

· Passenger patronage increased during the trial, however the trial expenses were higher than expected due to maintenance and labour costs and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) adjustments required.

· The trial will no longer be run in Napier.

· MyWay is seen as a good add-on to a well-functioning public transport system.

· A MyWay trial service in Flaxmere was originally mooted, however up to eight vehicles would have been required. Funding for the MyWay trial was off-set by cancelling three poorly patronised routes and funding a Flaxmere trial would have meant cancelling more routes, negatively impacting services across the city.

· The MyWay service is continuing until July 2025. Expanding it temporarily into Flaxmere was investigated however the bus contractor does not have suitable vehicles available.

· Public transport in HB is very challenging, with twin cities located close to each other, both with relatively small populations but frequent flow between them. There is commuter demand but otherwise public transport is not yet in our culture. There have also been complicating factors such as COVID, Cyclone Gabrielle, bus driver shortages, unexpected CPI costs and significant service cancellations.

· GPS has signalled falling support for public transport right when HB is trying to introduce different bus routes and services and negotiate a new contract for these.

· MyWay may have a future as a feeder to transport hubs. It is the only service over the past decade that has increased passenger patronage because it caters well for the disabled and those who find it difficult to access transport.

· Perhaps MyWay has been too cheap (at $2) – for such a valued service it could be charged at a premium.

RTC5/24

Resolution

That the Regional Transport Committee receives and notes the MyWay trial evaluation report.

Williams/Price

CARRIED

Regional Transport Programme March 2024 update

Bryce Cullen introduced the item, which was taken as read. Discussions covered:

· Regional speed management planning has been put on hold by central government.

· Roadsafe Expo is scheduled in the first week of May 2024.

· Administration issues are hampering public transport contract negotiations. The contract expires at the end of 2025 with any incoming contractor being given 12 months’ notice of approval. This deadline is likely to be missed given a number of factors including the as yet unknown extent of Government funding for public transport.

· Six years ago bus fares in HB ranged from $3.70 to $5.00. Over time the fares were reduced (with Government funding support) to encourage patronage (which didn’t work).

· NZTA subsidises public transport but requires a contribution from customer fares. It is likely that fares will have to rise to offset falling Government contributions, and to meet the minimum fare contribution rules. Five years ago customer fare contributions were three times higher than they are today.

· Total mobility costs have doubled following a rise in the use of the service.

RTC6/24

Resolution

That the Regional Transport Committee receives and notes the Regional Transport Programme March 2024 update.

Williams/Taylor

CARRIED

The meeting adjourned at 3.10pm and reconvened at 3.21pm

NZTA Waka Kotahi Regional Relationships Director's update

Linda Stewart introduced the item and discussions included:

· NZTA and MoT will be at the LGNZ Zone 3 meeting in Gisborne on 21 March 2024 to discuss the GPS. Submissions on the GPS close on 2 April 2024.

· The Government has recently confirmed the introduction of Road User Charges (RUC) for electric and hybrid vehicles as a means of increasing funding for the National Land Transport Fund.

· While highway speed management plan deadlines have been removed, councils can still continue to develop these.

· The NZTA Board has approved the rebuild of SH5 - the full long term business case for this highway continues to be built and funding for the rebuild is now being sought from the Government.

· Cyclone recovery work on the HB and Tairawhiti roading networks are ongoing and substantial- these are expected to be completed by the end of June 2025. Transport Recovery East Coast (TREC) is planning to carry out community engagement sessions for the larger roading projects involved.

· SH2 Waikare Gorge realignment has been endorsed by the NZTA Board and project funding ($220-$280m) has been sought from the Government with a decision expected by the end of 2024. Work continues on the consent applications and administration.

RTC7/24

Resolution

That the Regional Transport Committee receives and notes the NZTA Waka Kotahi Regional Relationships Director’s update and presentation.

Williams/Taylor

CARRIED

Verbal updates from advisory representatives

Martin Williams introduced the item and updates included:

· The trucking industry is impressed with road maintenance and upgrade projects.

· HB roads and Napier Port are busy with seasonal harvest traffic – recovery is underway.

· AA offered the view that Road User Charges would be better based on vehicle weight (as it is in Europe).

· Police roading activity over the holiday period showed good levels of compliance for breath testing and seat belt use. More than 20k speeding tickets were issued in HB in 2023 HB.

RTC8/24

Resolution

That the Regional Transport Committee receives the Verbal updates from advisory representatives.

Williams/van Beek

CARRIED

Api Robin closed the meeting with a karakia whakamutunga.

Closure:

There being no further business the Chair declared the meeting closed at 3.52pm on Friday, 15 March 2024.

Signed as a true and correct record.

Date: 3 May 2024 by RTC resolution Chair: Martin Williams