Summary - New Zealand Transport Strategy

This update of the New Zealand Transport Strategy replaces the previous Strategy published in 2002. It has been developed to enable the transport sector to respond more effectively to the changing environment in which it must operate and to support New Zealand becoming a more sustainable nation.

The Strategy also responds to calls from within the transport sector for more guidance on how the vision for the transport system, established in the 2002 Strategy, should be delivered.

The 2002 Strategy covered the period until 2010. This version takes a longer view and sets the direction for transport to 2040. This reflects the fact that many transport investments have long-term implications and that achieving change will take time.

The Strategy provides direction for all parts of the transport sector. As well as setting out the government’s intentions for transport, it provides a framework for the activities of transport Crown entities and guidance for local authorities. It sets the strategic context for the development of Government Policy Statements (GPSs), which will establish the government’s funding policy and priorities for land transport development on a three-yearly cycle. The Strategy also provides a long-term plan which will help the private sector to make investment decisions with greater confidence.

There are formidable challenges facing the transport sector. It needs to find affordable ways to support the economic transformation of New Zealand and improve the health, safety, security and accessibility of New Zealanders, while at the same time addressing climate change and other environmental impacts. Business as usual will not lead us to where we want to be in 2040. Successful delivery of this Strategy requires change, and the government is committed to working in partnership with local authorities, businesses and the broader community to deliver that change.

The transport vision and objectives

FIGURE 1: STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR THE NEW ZEALAND TRANSPORT STRATEGY

The government’s vision for transport in 2040 is that:
‘People and freight in New Zealand have access to an affordable, integrated, safe, responsive and sustainable transport system.’

That vision is supported by five transport objectives:

• ensuring environmental sustainability
• assisting economic development
• assisting safety and personal security
• improving access and mobility
• protecting and promoting public health

The transport sector outcomes provide a more detailed description of these objectives and are set out in Appendix B.

The transport targets

The government has established targets that support the delivery of the transport objectives and provide a focus for many of the government’s actions over the life of the Strategy. The targets also give a basis for measuring progress and many contribute to more than one objective. However, the targets do not cover all aspects of the transport system and further detailed targets will need to be developed over the next two years.

TABLE 1: THE TRANSPORT TARGETS

ENSURING ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
Halve per capita greenhouse gas emissions from domestic transport by 20401
Increase coastal shipping’s share of inter-regional freight to 30 percent of tonne-kilometres by 2040
Increase rail’s share of freight to 25 percent of tonne-kilometres by 2040
Become one of the first countries in the world to widely use electric vehicles
Reduce the kilometres travelled by single occupancy vehicles, in major urban areas on weekdays, by ten percent per capita by 2015 compared to 2007
Reduce the rated carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per kilometre of combined average new and used vehicles entering the light vehicle fleet to 170 grams CO2 per kilometre by 2015, with a corresponding reduction in average fuel used per kilometre.
Increase the area of Crown transport land covered with indigenous vegetation.
ASSISTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
For identified critical routes: improve reliability of journey times reduce average journey times.
ASSISTING SAFETY AND PERSONAL SECURITY
Reduce road deaths to no more than 200 per annum by 2040.
Reduce serious injuries on roads to no more than 1,500 per annum by 2040.
IMPROVING ACCESS AND MOBILITY
Increase use of public transport to seven percent of all trips by 2040?(ie from 111 million boardings in 2006/7 to more than 525 million boardings in 2040).
PROTECTING AND PROMOTING PUBLIC HEALTH
Increase walking, cycling and other active modes to 30 percent of total trips in urban areas by 2040.
Reduce the number of people exposed to health-endangering noise levels from transport.
Reduce the number of people exposed to health-endangering concentrations of air pollution in locations where the impact of transport emissions is significant.

Key challenges

Achieving the targets will not be easy and there are many barriers to progress. In particular, there are seven key challenges that will need to be addressed if the transport vision is to be achieved by 2040. These are:

RESPONDING TO CLIMATE CHANGE

Transport is currently responsible for around one-fifth of New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions and these emissions are increasing. The government has made the decision to halve per capita domestic transport emissions by 2040. The challenge in moving to a low-carbon transport system is to ensure, at the same time, that it remains affordable and does not adversely affect economic growth or participation in society.

The transport system will also need to adapt to the effects of climate change – the frequency and severity of events such as storms and floods, and sea level rises in the longer term.

ENERGY SECURITY AND COST

Supplies of conventional (cheap) oil are finite and global demand is growing due to rapidly increasing consumption in developing countries such as China and India. In the future, demand will almost certainly exceed supply and prices will rise. Both security of oil supply and price are key challenges for the transport sector in New Zealand, which is highly dependent on fossil fuels. If oil shortages or high costs occur before alternatives can be found, this would have a negative impact on the New Zealand economy. It would also have major implications for the lives of New Zealanders, particularly those on low incomes.

FUNDING OF INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES WHILE KEEPING TRANSPORT AFFORDABLE

Demand for transport is growing. At current rates, the total number of vehicle kilometres travelled on New Zealand roads is expected to increase by around 40 percent by 2040. The amount of freight that is moved is expected to more than double in the same period. This growth will place increasing burdens on the transport system, potentially requiring additional funding for maintenance and the development of new capacity. Despite an increased population, demographic changes will result in relatively fewer ‘economically active’ people in the workforce and the growth rate for the economy is predicted to slow from 2020 onwards. The challenge will be to invest enough in the transport system to support New Zealand’s global competitiveness while ensuring that transport remains affordable for its users.

INCREASES IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS OF TRANSPORT

Growth in travel demand over recent years has resulted in undesirable environmental and social effects including congestion, air pollution, carbon emissions and noise. Even road safety, which for years has been improving, in recent times appears to have reached a plateau. Increased travel demand in the future has the potential to significantly worsen these trends. The challenge will be to better understand the public health and local environmental impacts of transport, and to develop fair and cost-effective solutions.
Changing demands arising from the ageing of the population
In the future, owing to demographic changes, there will be a larger number and proportion of older people in the population. A major challenge will be to ensure that the mobility and access needs of those people (as well as people with disabilities and those who are transport disadvantaged²  in other ways) can continue to be met, particularly in rural areas.

LAND-USE DEVELOPMENT AND ITS IMPACT ON TRANSPORT DEMAND

One of the strong messages from stakeholder feedback in the development of this Strategy was the need for better integration between land-use and transport planning. New Zealand has relatively low density communities compared to many other developed countries. Residential areas are often physically remote from the facilities and services people need. This has created a high demand for transport and a reliance on the car to meet daily mobility needs. Developing better transport links connecting houses with shops, businesses and schools represents a significant challenge. It is essential that future urban growth does not cause unnecessary increases in travel demand or place excessive costs on the transport sector.

GLOBAL TERRORISM

Global terrorism and the security of New Zealand’s international transport links are an increasingly important challenge for transport. New Zealand’s international trade and tourism depend on secure and efficient global maritime and aviation transport systems. Since 11 September 2001, many new international security measures have been introduced to increase aviation and maritime security. These measures, though necessary, can impose considerable costs on the transport sector, on users of the transport system and on governments.

Delivering the vision and targets – the key components of the New Zealand Transport Strategy

Strategic approach

A range of actions by government, including regulation and enforcement, economic incentives, investment in infrastructure and services, and education, can be used to guide the development of the transport system and to deliver the vision and targets. The government will use this full range of measures at different times, and to different degrees, depending on the extent to which the objectives and targets set out within this Strategy are being achieved, as well as the affordability of the solutions that may be required.

Key components

Many of the types of action listed above are already part of existing transport provision, but certain areas require greater emphasis. In the future, the government will apply increased priority to the following seven key components.

INTEGRATED PLANNING

This includes promoting more effective integration between land-use and transport planning, and better urban design. It also involves better integration between different forms of transport to provide a more efficient transport system (eg ensuring freight can be easily transferred from road to rail to shipping).

MAKING BEST USE OF EXISTING NETWORKS AND INFRASTRUCTURE

This involves ensuring that cost-effective measures have been applied to achieve maximum efficiency from the existing network before investment to expand the capacity of, or otherwise improve, infrastructure is considered. Best use also includes retaining strong safety measures such as enforcement and education that apply equally across land, maritime and aviation transport modes.

INVESTING IN CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE TRANSPORT SECTOR WORKFORCE

Sustained investment in transport infrastructure – road, rail, sea and air – is a vital aspect of this Strategy. New Zealand cannot, however, afford to invest equally everywhere. A priority will be improving economically important routes that support tourism and help producers and manufacturers get their goods to market. The government will also continue to place a high priority on key public transport routes, and on investing in Auckland to support its potential as a world-class city. In addition, investment in developing the workforce within the transport sector will be required to address growing shortages of skilled personnel in the sector.

INCREASING THE AVAILABILITY AND USE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT, CYCLING, WALKING, AND OTHER SHARED AND ACTIVE MODES

Increasing the use of public transport, cycling, walking, and other shared and active modes³ is important in reducing congestion, fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from transport. Active modes will also contribute to improving public health and the vibrancy of urban areas. Increasing the availability and accessibility of shared and active modes will help improve people’s ability to participate in society.

CONSIDERING OPTIONS FOR CHARGING THAT WILL GENERATE REVENUE FOR INVESTMENT IN TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES

Revenue for providing and maintaining transport infrastructure and services is primarily raised through charging for road use⁴. Changing the way that this is done could provide a more targeted, efficient and fair way to reflect the actual costs to society of using vehicles, while raising sufficient revenue for transport investment. Options include systems based on distance, time and location of travel, and the type and weight of vehicle. This would have benefits in reducing congestion and carbon emissions. It would also allow drivers of electric vehicles and vehicles using alternative fuels to fairly contribute to the costs of maintaining the transport network, while recognising their lower ‘externality’ costs⁵. The government will consider options for generating revenue to invest in infrastructure and services by improving the framework for charging over the medium term.

USING NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND FUELS

Technology and new fuels will play a major role in improving the fuel efficiency of the transport system, as well as reducing its reliance on fossil fuels and emissions of harmful pollution. The government has agreed that New Zealand should be one of the first countries to widely use electric vehicles. New technology can also improve the operational performance of the transport system in many other ways (eg improvements to vehicle technology have been responsible for a significant proportion of the reduction in road deaths over the last 30 years).

MAINTAINING AND IMPROVING INTERNATIONAL LINKS

It is essential, for New Zealand’s economic prosperity, to maintain and improve international air and maritime links (eg by negotiating ‘open skies’ agreements for air travel). In addition, New Zealand must comply with increasingly stringent international security and environmental standards. It is critical that New Zealand participates in international forums so that its interests are understood and considered in international agreements relating to safety, security, and environmental standards for travel and transportation.

Turning strategy into action

These key components, together with other areas of transport activity by central and local government, will help to achieve the transport vision and targets by 2040. However, the transport needs of different parts of New Zealand vary and different solutions will need to be applied to reflect local conditions. Priorities will also change over time. Detailed policies, proposals for action and funding arrangements will be determined as follows:

• Within the land transport sector, a Government Policy Statement on Land Transport Funding (GPS) will be produced every three years that will set out the levels of funding allocated to different areas of the transport system. The GPS will contain short-term targets. Three-yearly National Land Transport Programmes will give effect to the GPS.
• The government will develop more detailed strategies that set out the specific actions for particular modes or aspects of the transport system. Examples already in place include strategies for walking and cycling, domestic sea freight, rail, State highways, road safety and recreational boating safety. Some of these will need to be updated and additional documents will be required in other areas to implement this Strategy.
• At the regional level, many of the specific actions that will deliver the land transport targets in this Strategy will be set out in Regional Land Transport Strategies (RLTSs) and Regional Land Transport Programmes. RLTSs will also set regional transport targets. A key task for government and local authorities within the regions will be to work together and ensure these regional targets reflect local circumstances and priorities, but are also consistent with the national targets in this Strategy and in the GPS. 
• A number of short-term supporting actions have been identified to assist in achieving targets and develop improved responses to transport issues. These actions will be undertaken over the next three years. This work will be led by the government but will involve local authorities and other stakeholders as necessary.

The government will develop a comprehensive action plan by 31 March 2009 that will identify accountabilities and timing for the various actions to implement this Strategy.

Going forwards, the government will continue to work with transport sector stakeholders in a collaborative, accountable and evidence-based manner.

Monitoring and review

This Strategy has established, for the first time, a set of targets to achieve the vision for transport in this country. However, the set of targets is not complete – insufficient data in some cases has meant it has not been possible to set a specific target. Other targets set the broad direction for progress, but have yet to be refined into quantified and measurable targets. Furthermore, there is also a need to develop a set of interim targets that will enable progress to be measured in the short to medium term. The government is committed to strengthening the targets by the time the Strategy is next reviewed in 2010.

Monitoring performance against the targets and wider trends in the transport sector is an important part of this Strategy. Monitoring will enable the identification of areas where progress is on track and those where faster progress is required. A Transport Monitoring Indicator Framework has been developed and will be used to support future reviews of this Strategy. The results of that monitoring will be published at least annually.

Footnotes:

1. Relative to 2007 per capita emissions
2. Members of the community who have the lowest levels of accessibility are sometimes referred to as ‘transport disadvantaged’. A range of factors can lead to transport disadvantage which can be temporary or permanent. These include impairment (physical, sensory, neurological, psychiatric and intellectual), illness or injury, affordability, lack of transport facilities, lack of information and fear
3. A shared mode is a vehicle that contains more than one person Measures that encourage mode sharing include public transport, ridesharing and car pooling schemes. An active mode is when transportation is powered by humans and includes cycling, walking, using a wheelchair, in-line skating and skateboarding
4. In addition to general taxation and local contributions from rates
5. The costs to society that transport users do not pay directly for, eg pollution and congestion

 

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