Ensuring Environmental Sustainability - National Rail Strategy

Strategic Directions to 2015 Cont.

Objective: To enhance rail's contribution to an energy efficient and environmentally sustainable land transport system.

EECA data gives the following average energy efficiency figures for New Zealand surface transport in 2003. The figures are the average energy (in Watt hours) needed to carry one passenger or one tonne of freight for one kilometre.

Rail passenger: - Overall 440 W h/pass km - Wellington 90 W h/pass km* Bus 220 W h/pass km Car 540 W h/pass km

Rail freight 200 W h/tonne km

Truck 810 W h/tonne km

Coastal Shipping 100 W h/tonne km *The Wellington data is for 1996. 

The NZTS seeks to achieve a more energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable transport system by reducing negative environmental impacts and using resources more efficiently. This section considers the wider impacts of air, water, and other pollutants as they affect the natural, cultural, and built environments.

The negative environmental impacts associated with rail transport are small when compared to road. Roads are therefore the key focus of work in this area. However, addressing the environmental impacts of rail transport is also important, and policies and standards to reduce the negative environmental impacts of rail may also be developed. For example, as well as diesel emission standards, there is potential to reduce the carbon intensity of rail through innovations such as regenerative braking systems on electrified railways.

Environmental impacts at the local level will still need to be assessed and managed. The development of the rail network will also need to take broader environmental impacts into account, including the protection of structures and sites with heritage values, where practicable.

Priority: Ensure transport choices take into account the environmental benefits that rail can provide

As the environmental impacts of rail are small compared to those generated by road users, policies aimed at modal shift, including from road to rail, where appropriate, are likely to make the most effective contribution towards achieving environmental sustainability objectives at a regional or national level. Initiatives that encourage freight to transfer from road to rail (where practicable) and encourage greater use of passenger transport, especially urban rail services, will contribute towards achieving a more sustainable transport system. Transport choices can also be influenced by policies that require transport users and providers to take responsibility for the environmental costs of transport modes.

Key initiatives in ensuring environmental sustainability

Encourage sustainable modal shift from road to rail where appropriate

The Government will encourage more use of urban rail passenger services as part of the passenger transport network by:

• providing funding assistance from the Crown and the NLTF, through Land Transport New Zealand, in partnership with regional councils, to develop and operate urban rail passenger services.

The Government will encourage the transfer of freight from road to rail, where appropriate: 

• Government investment to improve the rail infrastructure can bring environmental benefits, by allowing more efficient use of locomotives with corresponding energy gains.
• The LTMA requires Land Transport New Zealand to allocate funding to take account of sustainability goals, including environmental sustainability.

Investigate options for better incorporating environmental costs and benefits into the pricing of the transport system

• The findings of the STCC study provide information as a basis for the Ministry of Transport to provide advice on future land transport charges.

Encouraging better integration of services where practicable

ONTRACK and local authorities will investigate options for encouraging better integration of rail with other services, including options for: 

• encouraging port, road, and rail links for freight: this may include, for example, improving linkages in and out of ports or providing access to rail sidings for inter-modal transfers
• promoting the integration of rail with all other travel modes, including walking and cycling, for example, through cycle storage, 'park and ride' facilities, and improved integration of bus and train timetables
• the integration of land-use planning with rail infrastructure and operations planning, in consultation with the community and in consideration of the long-term community council planning process. 

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