Operating Intentions: Objective Three

Assisting Safety and Personal Security

What are we seeking to achieve?

This objective seeks to achieve an increasingly safe and secure transport system across all modes.
Outcomes relating to this objective are:

the transport system is improving its ability to recover quickly and effectively from adverse events
New Zealand’s transport system is increasingly safe and secure.

What will we do to achieve this?

Summary of activities

Intervention	Actions
Rail Safety Strategy	Actions undertaken: 2008-2011 Finalise the New Zealand Rail Safety Strategy which will identify initiatives to improve safety on New Zealand’s railways. Identify and implement rail safety improvements.
Commuter rail security	Actions undertaken: 2008-2009 Develop standards and guidelines to improve commuter rail security in Auckland and Wellington.
Road Safety to 2010 Strategy	Actions undertaken: 2008-2010 Complete implementation of the Road Safety to 2010 Strategy.
Road Safety to 2020 Strategy	Actions undertaken: 2008-2010 Develop a new strategy to replace the existing Road Safety to 2010 Strategy, setting out the government’s vision and long-term policy direction for road safety for the period 2010 to 2020.
International cargo security requirements	Actions undertaken: 2008-2011 Ensure New Zealand is able to meet new United States air cargo security requirements that come into effect in 2011.
Implement the updated New Zealand Transport Strategy (NZTS)	Actions undertaken: 2008-2011 Support and monitor progress of the updated NZTS. Undertake actions set out in the strategy. Ensure that the direction of the updated NZTS is known, understood and accepted by key stakeholders.
Border Governance	Actions undertaken: 2008-2011 Improve passage of people and freight across our borders, whilst ensuring an adequate level of protection – delivered through the Border Sector Governance Group (BSGG). Participate in the BSGG.

A major campaign to reduce collisions at rail crossings was launched by the Chris Cairns Foundation and Toll Holdings in 2006. In 1999 there were 43 rail crossing collisions; in 2007 the figure was 24. While there has been a reduction in collisions and fatalities, increasing the awareness of taking care around crossings, and improving safety of New Zealand railways generally, is a priority for the Ministry.

New Zealand has an unacceptable level of road deaths and crashes. In total, over the past 20 years substantial progress has been made toward reducing the road toll, however in the past five years only minimal progress has been made. By 2010 we aim to address this issue and to see the toll lowered to no more than 300 deaths per annum.

How will we demonstrate success in achieving this?

To demonstrate success in achieving the outcomes relating to the objective of assisting safety and personal security, we will:

Contribute to ensuring the transport system is increasingly safe and secure by releasing and implementing the Rail Safety Strategy. The first stage of initiatives, including evaluation measures, will be in place by 30 June 2009.
Contribute to ensuring the transport system is increasingly safe and secure by completing consultation on the Road Safety to 2020 discussion document by 30 June 2009. The consultation will aim to raise public expectations about the level of road safety that New Zealand can achieve. The consultation will be designed to build support for the road safety measures needed to achieve improvement. A new 2020 Strategy will be released by the end of September 2009.

Policy advice will be delivered in accordance with the agreed policy quality criteria listed in ‘Policy Advice Quality Characteristics’ in the Appendix, as determined through delivery recorded against the project plan.

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