This section provides guidance for assessing programmes of service activities within the public transport activity class in existence at the time of adoption of each National Land Transport Programme.
The existing services activities within the public transport activity class incorporate the following work categories:
For further information on Public Transport programmes, including what qualifies, what is excluded and a definition, refer to the Public Transport programmes section.
The Transport Agency requires public transport programmes to be well linked to long-term planning documents, particularly Regional Public Transport Plans(external link) (RPTPs) and Long Term Plans (LTPs). These documents should describe the assumptions and forecasts underpinning the programme.
The forward programme and funding plan, ongoing operational costs and any major investment proposed must be derived from the RPTP. Approved Organisations must demonstrate how activities optimise the public transport network to ensure its effectiveness and benefit and cost appraisal.
Information provided to support public transport programmes should make reference to the relevant parts of these planning documents.
Default strategic fit
By default the strategic fit rating for an existing public transport services programme is low.
Requirements for medium rating
A public transport programme may be given a medium rating for strategic fit if, in the short to medium term, there is a positive contribution to:
Requirements for high rating
A high rating for strategic fit must only be given to a public transport programme if, in addition to meeting the criteria for medium strategic fit, the problem, issue or opportunity is:
Further information
Further information on Strategic Fit assessment is provided in the guidance on Developing an Assessment Profile.
Criteria for effectiveness
All six criteria set out below are to be assessed for any programme or activity proposed for NLTP inclusion or funding approval. The explanations are a guide to assessment, highlighting aspects that need to be considered. If any of these aspects is not applicable to the activity then it should not form part of the assessment.
| Criteria | Explanation | Rating |
| Outcomes focused |
|
L/M/H |
| Integrated |
|
L/M/H |
|
Correctly scoped |
|
L/M/H |
|
Affordable |
|
L/M/H |
|
Timely |
|
L/M/H |
|
Confidence |
|
L/M/H |
|
Overall |
Assessment is based on lowest rating of all components | L/M/H |
Further information
Further information on Effectiveness assessment is provided in the section on Developing an Assessment Profile.
Mix of methodologies applied
The benefit and cost appraisal methodologies for existing public transport services programmes are cost-effectiveness, benchmarking and performance comparisons of:
The assessment is undertaken across the programme proposed for the next NLTP and is compared to the cost effectiveness and performance of the existing programme relative to service levels provided. Benchmarking also forms part of this assessment of public transport programmes as does evaluation of the marginal contribution of programme expansions and incremental new services through benchmark and key performance measures.
Public transport programme appraisal template
The public transport programme appraisal template [XLS, 1.8 MB] can be used to support the evaluation.
Note that this Excel spreadsheet contains macros which must be enabled in order to use the template.
Service variations and new services are improvements
Any service variations and new services that result in a higher annualised cost across the programme must be separated from the public transport programme and will be assessed as improvements - refer to Assessment of Public Transport Improvements. The impact of such improvements on the programme as a whole may be assessed using the appraisal template [XLS, 1.8 MB]to ensure the programme is optimised.
Programme ratings
Public transport programmes are given a rating using Low, Medium, or High based on their relative cost effectiveness and benchmarking performance comparisons.
Peer review
The Transport Agency reserves the right to require a peer review of benefit and cost appraisal determinations and measures, including any non-monetised/additional benefits and adverse impacts, regardless of the scope, prior to an investment decision.
Insufficient information (1* or Low*)
An activity can be included in the National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) when no benefit and cost appraisal has been made or when no robust evidence is able to be provided to support the assessment. In such cases the rating for benefit and cost appraisal will default to Low for the programme or programme component. The Transport Agency represents these activities as Low* to nominate that more information is required.
An activity will not be recommended by the Transport Agency for funding approval with a 1* or Low* status.
Further information
Further information on Benefit and Cost Appraisal is provided in the section on Developing an Assessment Profile.
