Draft Regional Land Transport Strategy

Deferred to Council workshop in 2009

Sixty submitters spoke before the Regional Transport Committee on 2 and 3 December about the draft Strategy that was open for consultation through 14 November. Council received a total of 618 submissions. The Committee met on 8 December to consider the submissions and then make recommendations to the Council for its 18 December meeting. At that meeting Council deferred a decision until 2009.

Join the ongoing conversation!!!

A blog has been setup where people can stay updated on the issue, read informational postings, and make comments for the Regional Transport Committee.

Go to the Regional Land Transport Strategy blog and keep the discussion going.

What is the Regional Land Transport Strategy (RLTS)?

The draft Regional Land Transport Strategy (RLTS) for Nelson City sets the direction for the development of Nelson’s land transport system for the next 30 years.

The RLTS signals major anticipated changes in the way people will move into, around and out of Nelson city in response to rising fuel prices.

The draft Strategy represents a consensus view of the Regional Land Transport Committee, which comprises representatives from throughout the transport spectrum such as the AA, The NZ Road Transport Association, Bicycle Nelson Bays, Sustainable Transport Futures, cycling advocacy groups and Nelson City Council.

How has the RLTS been developed?

Focussing on transport issues in the urban areas, an investigation (North Nelson to Brightwater corridor study) was undertaken by the Nelson City and Tasman District Councils and Transit NZ (now the NZ Transport Agency). Following extensive consultation a long list of potential transport projects was reduced to a preferred package which included:

• Improved public transport
• Travel demand management
• Walking and cycling
• Traffic management and
• Roading, which included two alternatives for increasing the roading capacity between Nelson and Stoke.

Following consultation on the preferred package, a transport forum was set up with key stakeholders to make a recommendation to the Regional Land Transport Committee. Its recommendation was:

• to proceed with the preferred package excluding any increase to the roading capacity which it felt could be deferred for at least five years and
• to review the roading capacity on an ongoing basis.

What the strategy covers

The long term vision and mission underpinning the Strategy is:

Vision

A sustainable transport future for Nelson

Mission

To have a land transport system that is safe, efficient, integrated and responsive and that meets the needs of current and future generations in ways that are environmentally, socially and economically sustainable.

As such the RLTS covers sustainability, safety, responsibilities, and cross boundary issues.

The law requires a Land Transport Strategy must be kept current for 30 years and be renewed at least every six years. With this in mind, the strategy identifies the short (to 2014), medium (2014 to 2026) and long term (after 2026) funding and planning processes.

What are the major changes being signalled and why?

This strategy represents a significant change in approach to Land Transport in Nelson. Taking direction from the National Strategy it provides more travel choices (e.g. increasing bus routes, encouraging cycling and walking, and reducing single occupancy car use). This is necessary for funding considerations as the changes in the national strategy also included changes in funding policy. The Nelson strategy must align with the national strategy to be able to apply for funding.

The strategy suggests some massive changes to the bus network including a complete overhaul of the current passenger transport network to provide a sustainable transport network for the region. This will include the provision of one express bus and two secondary buses between Nelson and Richmond every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday between 6.30am and 6.30pm (combined peak hour frequency every 10 minutes), an hourly evening service to 11.30pm, an hourly daytime Sunday service and a revised “The Bus” service with a Monday to Saturday hourly daytime service.

What the strategy doesn’t cover

It does not cover an actual detailed programme of works or a budget, including the cost of the implementation. These details will be consulted on alongside the LTCCP process.

What about our neighbouring regions?

A major issue for Nelson is managing the flow of people and freight between Tasman District and Nelson. Richmond and its hinterland are identified as generating a significant amount of traffic into and out of Nelson. SH6 over the Whangamoa to Marlborough is another key connection for the region. Input will be sought on this draft strategy from the Tasman and Marlborough District Councils.

What does the RLTS propose?

It has six major requirements of the strategy (these can straddle policy and activity categories).

1 Environmental sustainability

Ensure land use changes are consistent with the transport strategy objectives.

Require future subdivision design to provide for alternative modes of transport, including cycling, walking and provision for public transport.

Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector 2001 levels by at least 40% in 2020.

2 Assist economic development

The strategy proposes to reduce peak period delays by 10% by 2018 from values recorded in 2008.

Increase weekday journey to work trips by public transport to at least 10% by 2018.

Increase number of vehicles with more than one occupant in the peak period across Waimea Road and Rocks Road to at least 10% by 2018.

3 Safety and personal security

Reduce casualty numbers (by at least 20% by 2018) with an emphasis on pedestrians and cyclists.

Deliver a transport system that contributes positively to overall levels of personal safety and security.

4 Access and mobility

Improve bus use by providing more routes so that more households have the option of using a bus (80% of households are within 400 metres or five minutes walk of a bus route by 2011).

Change the approach to local road upgrades and design to make them better for pedestrians and cyclists.

5 Public Health

Reduce transport emissions by 2018 from values recorded in 2006.

Increase the numbers of people walking and cycling to work to at least 25% by 2018.

6 Affordability

The ideas in the RLTS must be affordable for the Nelson community and then be delivered within budget.

How does this strategy fit with all the other Nelson plans and policies?

The strategy will sit along side:

• Regional Policy Statement
• Sustainability Policy
• Nelson Urban Growths Strategy (NUGS)
• Heart of Nelson Strategy
• Cycling and walking strategies
• Nelson Tasman Physical Activity Plan
• Social Wellbeing Policy

And also dovetail into the Long Term Council Community Plan (LTCCP) Community Outcomes.

What is Government saying about transport?

The update of the New Zealand Transport Strategy (NZTS) was published by the Government in August 2008 with the overall vision that:

“People and freight in New Zealand have access to an affordable, integrated, safe, responsive and sustainable transport system.”

The Government Policy Statement on Land Transport Funding is designed to achieve a more strategic approach to the allocation of funding with particular emphasis on years 2009/10 to 2014/15 and more indicative guidance 2015/16 to 2018/19.

Single car occupancy, injuries and fatalities, public transport, increasing walking and cycling and emissions are amongst the issues targeted by the policy.

Information meetings

Two information meetings are planned to enable people to find out more about the strategy from Councillors, Committee members and staff. Everyone is welcome to attend:

Date and time: Monday 20 October at 6pm
Venue: Trafalgar Pavilion in Trafalgar Park

Date and time:Tuesday 28 October at 1pm
Venue: Stoke Memorial Hall

Obtain a copy of the full document

This web page features a summary of the draft Strategy. Copies of the full document are available from Civic House in Trafalgar Street or for download.

Download the full Draft Regional Land Transport Strategy (PDF @ 825KB)

Join the ongoing conversation

A blog has been setup where people can stay updated on the issue, read informational postings, and make comments for the Regional Transport Committee.

Go to the Regional Land Transport Strategy blog.

Contact

For any queries, please contact Transport Engineer on +64 3 546 0263.