One of the key functions of a transport planning lead is being responsible for prioritising and putting forward co-funding requests in Regional Land Transport Plans (RLTPs), which must meet both Council’s needs in the wider Long Term Plan (LTP) and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency’s investment decision-making framework (IDMF) and strategic business case approach.

Over the past few years the ONRC classification system has helped prioritise the RLTP transport funding applications and articulate the outcomes Councils are seeking or the performance benefits to expect. But the evolution of the ONRC to the new ONF will allow transport planners to widen the strategic investment story links to include wider place making, multi-modal benefits and wellbeing outcomes, and help to strengthen how RLTPs aligns with the GPS and Councils statutory responsibilities to our communities.

As a rural Road Controlling Authority (RCA), there’s also specific benefits because the more granular levels of classifications, performance measures and introduction of Street Categories for rural corridors will help to provide a greater level of detail and distinction between rural Council applications and other RCAs. The new ONF will therefore help to create a more level playing field for all RCAs when seeking co-funding.

The ONF can assist with:

  • Providing a means of determining where investment should be targeted, in line with current policy
  • Guiding how the budget should be apportioned so that funding allocations are equitable
  • Preventing the creation or perpetuation of ‘gold-plated’ assets
  • Ensure equitable customer outcomes and investor confidence.

Read about how Waikato District Council used the ONF

“The ONF sets a consistent classification with standards and guidelines for the construction, operation, and maintenance of roads. This has increased confidence in the Council’s management of their networks including through contractual performance indicators and subsequent costs of service delivery.”

Waikato District Council