A modern, well-functioning transport system is crucial for New Zealand to thrive. The transport system connects people, communities and businesses, helps the economy grow, and shapes the development of our towns and cities. It must be easy to use and, above all, needs to keep people safe.
The Government’s priorities for the land transport system are outlined in the Government Policy Statement for land transport (GPS), which was released in June 2018. GPS 2018 focuses on creating a safe, resilient, well-connected and multimodal transport system that enables new housing opportunities, liveable cities and sustainable economic development in regional New Zealand.
GPS 2018 guides decision-making on where investment and resources will be focused over the next 10 years. It provides strategic direction, sets out the Government’s priorities for the land transport system, forecasts how much revenue will be raised for the National Land Transport Fund (NLTF) and specifies how this funding will be allocated across different types of land transport activities.
The National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) is a three-year programme of planned activities and a 10-year forecast of revenue and expenditure prepared by the NZ Transport Agency to give effect to the GPS. The NLTP is a partnership between the Transport Agency, which invests NLTF funding on behalf of the Crown, and local government, which invests local funding on behalf of ratepayers.
In preparing the 2018-21 NLTP, the Transport Agency has worked closely with local, regional and unitary authorities, Auckland Transport and other approved organisations, the Department of Conservation and Waitangi Trust.
The NLTP is composed of locally-led activities put forward by Regional Transport Committees in their Regional Land Transport Plans (RLTPs) and activities included in the Transport Agency Investment Proposal, which was released in April 2018 to set out a proposed programme of NLTF-funded activities.
All proposed activities have been assessed for inclusion within the NLTP and prioritised through the Transport Agency’s Investment Assessment Framework (IAF) according to their value for money and alignment with the priorities, objectives and expected results within GPS 2018. The result is a planned programme of national and regional activities that responds to the GPS and will ensure our transport system meets the needs of all New Zealanders now and in the future.
The NLTP sets out forecast activities and expenditure. While some activities are committed for funding, other activities continue to be proposed only, awaiting further planning and information to confirm their priority. Given that local government had limited time to consider the extent of the changes in GPS 2018 before they finalised their RLTPs in June 2018, it is expected there will be a number of variations over the three-year period of the NLTP. The Transport Agency will continue over this time to support councils to take up the opportunities provided by GPS 2018.
