Regional Transport Committee

Open Minutes

Commencing:             Friday 7 August 2020, 9.30 am

Venue:                         Council Chambers, Ground Floor, Regional House, 1 Elizabeth Street, Tauranga

Chairperson:               Cr Lyall Thurston

Deputy Chairperson:  Cr Jane Nees

Members:                    Cr Larry Baldock (Alternate)

Mayor Malcolm Campbell

Mayor Steve Chadwick

Cr David Moore (Alternate)

Steve Mutton

Deputy Mayor Faylene Tunui (Alternate)

Mayor Garry Webber

Councillors:                Cr David Love – Bay of Plenty Regional Council Toi Moana, Cr Stacey Rose – Bay of Plenty Regional Council Toi Moana, Cr Gavin Dennis – Whakatāne District Council

In Attendance:            Inspector Brent Crowe – Road Safety Advisor, Dan Kneebone – Port Advisor, Glen Crowther – Environmental Sustainability Advisor, John Galbraith – Freight Advisor, Glen Crowther – Environmental Sustainability Advisor, Natalie van Rossen – Waka Kotahi NZTA, Cole O’Keefe – Waka Kotahi NZTA

                                    Bay of Plenty  Regional Council: Namouta Poutasi – General Manager, Strategy and Science, Annika Lane – Acting Regional Development Manager, Rachel Pinn - -Contractor, Bron Healey – Principal Advisor, Regional Development, Amanda Namana – Committee Advisor     

Apologies:                  Deputy Mayor Andrew Iles (Alternate) – Whakatāne District Council, Mayor Tenby Powell – Tauranga City Council, Mayor Lyn Riesterer – Ōpōtiki District Council, Mayor Judy Turner – Whakatāne District Council, Chairman Leeder (ex-officio) – Bay of Plenty Regional Council Toi Moana

 

1.     Apologies

Resolved

That the Regional Transport Committee:

1           Accepts the apologies from Deputy Mayor Andrew Iles (Alternate), Mayor Tenby Powell, Mayor Lyn Riesterer, Mayor Judy Turner and Chairman Doug Leeder tendered at the meeting.

Thurston/Webber

CARRIED

 

2.     Public Forum

2.1

Carole Gordon – CG Consulting

Presentation - Public Forum: Carole Gordon - Planning for Tomorrow Today: Objective ID A3600146

 

 

Key Point - Members:

·         Congratulated Carole Gordon for receiving the Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit award (MNZM).

Key Point - Staff

·         The themes raised by Carole Gordon would be considered and discussed under agenda item 7.3 Draft Regional Land Transport Plan 2021 – Strategic Framework and Development Process.

 

 

Items for Staff Follow Up:

·     Staff will review how to emphasise accessibility further within the Regional Land Transport Plan provisions.

 

2.2

Terry Molloy

 

Key Points:

·         Outlined the benefits of road pricing:

o    Encouraged better use of transport systems

o    Saving benefits would come from a reduced demand for infrastructure and a more efficient transport system with less congested corridors

·         The fuel tax would need to be removed to make road pricing viable

·         Vehicles would be charged by kilometres travelled and the time taken to do so, with the basic charge being equivalent to the current fuel tax

·         Each vehicle would have a basic monitor and GPS to tell them what road they were on and the cost involved.  This would be linked to a national system and service stations which was how consumers would pay for this (at the pump)

·         Electric vehicles could have a system similar to how we currently pay tolls

·         There were set up costs but potential cost savings with a more efficient network.

Key Point - Members:

·         Although the Committee was not able to directly influence this initiative, the Ministry of Transport was looking at the funding of the transport network with acceleration of the move to electric cars.

In Response to Questions:

·         New technology meant that ‘pay at the pump’ was a potential option for payment

·         Terry Molloy would appreciate the opportunity to become an advisor to the Committee in the capacity of the Automobile Association to attend and contribute to meetings.

 

3.     Declaration of Conflicts of Interest

Nil

4.     Minutes

Minutes to be Confirmed

4.1

Regional Transport Committee Minutes - 8 May 2020

 

Resolved

That the Regional Transport Committee:

1           Confirms the Regional Transport Committee Minutes - 8 May 2020 as a true and correct record.

Campbell/Webber

CARRIED

 

5.     Reports

5.1

Chairperson's Report

Chairperson Lyall Thurston presented this item.

Key Point - Members:

·         Including future reports on National Policy Context would not be necessary.

 

Resolved

That the Regional Transport Committee:

1           Receives the report, Chairperson's Report.

Webber/Nees

CARRIED

 

5.2

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Update

Presentation - Waka Kotahi NZTA Update: Objective ID A3598904

Director Regional Relationships Steve Mutton presented this item, supported by Principal Planning Advisor Cole O’Keefe.

Key Points - Members:

·         Acknowledged the efforts of Waka Kotahi NZTA in changing business processes and upgrading the standard of support to the Committee and to the Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP)

·         Expressed concern over delays in receiving information and the impact this had on timeframes

·         To achieve significant transport emission reductions, the RLTP’s of Waikato and Bay of Plenty Regional Councils needed to be aligned in relation to rail.

In Response to Questions

·         The relationship with KiwiRail was stronger and as rail was now an Activity Class within the Government Policy Statement (GPS), it was more closely linked with the focus on corridors, mode neutrality and how to best move people and freight

·         There was value in adding greater strength to the RLTP rail proposals

·         Discussions were still underway with KiwiRail regarding Regional Transport Committee representation

·         There was a rail network investment proposal that would flow through to the RLTP, for which timeframes were still being confirmed.

 

Resolved

That the Regional Transport Committee:

1           Receives the report, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Update.

Mutton/Chadwick

CARRIED

 

 

10.37 am – the meeting adjourned.

10.50 am – the meeting resumed.

 

Decisions Required:

5.3

Draft Regional Land Transport Plan 2021 - Strategic Framework and Development Process

Presentation - RLTP 2021 - Vision, Problems, benefits and objectives: Objective ID A3600120

Contractor Rachel Pinn, Principal Advisor Regional Development Bron Healey and Acting Regional Development Manager Annika Lane presented this item.

Key Points - Members:

·         Maintaining the integrity of the Auckland-Rotorua rail line could be beneficial for a tourism link

·         Important to be mindful that this was a competitive bid being put in to a national land transport fund

·         All four well-beings should be outlined in the Benefit Statements

Key Point - Staff:

·         The Transport Team would capture the direction provided and update the relevant provisions to provide a finalised draft to the Committee before being released for consultation.

 

Resolved

That the Regional Transport Committee:

1           Receives the report, Draft Regional Land Transport Plan 2021 - Strategic Framework and Development Process;

2           Confirms the direction provided at the 24 June 2020 workshop in relation to the vision, benefit and problem statements, objectives and ten-year transport investment priorities;

3           Notes the development of the Regional Land Transport Plan 2021 is subject to the release of central government policy which will have implications for the timing of consultation on the draft plan.

Webber/Campbell

CARRIED

 

 

5.4

Draft Regional Land Transport Plan 2021 - Funding and Prioritisation Process

Presentation - RLTP 2021 - Funding and Prioritisation: Objective ID A3600122 ⇨  

Contractor Rachel Pinn presented this item.

Key Point:

·         A workshop to review this had been scheduled for 28 October 2020.

 

Resolved

That the Regional Transport Committee:

1           Receives the report, Draft Regional Land Transport Plan 2021 - Funding and Prioritisation Process;

2           Adopts the nationally consistent approach developed by the Local Government NZ Transport Special Interest Group in conjunction with Waka Kotahi as the basis for prioritising significant activities in the draft RLTP 2021.

Nees/Baldock

CARRIED

 

Information Only:

5.5

Regional Land Transport Plan - Implementation Report

Principal Advisor Regional Development Bron Healey presented this item.

Key Points - Members:

·         Scope, time and cost should be included in the report

·         Rotorua Lakes Council was spending against their targets and there were now 30km of cycleways and an 81 % increase in cycling.

In Response to Questions

·         New infrastructure projects would likely be in the plan currently being developed

·         Any cycleway funding still available nationally for this financial year would come down to project readiness.

 

Resolved

That the Regional Transport Committee:

1           Receives the report, Regional Land Transport Plan - Implementation Report.

Thurston/Webber

CARRIED

 

5.6

Bay of Plenty Mode Shift Plan

Natalie van Rossen and Cole O’Keefe from Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and Contractor Janeane Joyce presented this item.

Key Points:

·         The Mode Shift Plan included a regional component before focusing on the Sub-Regions, starting with the Western Bay of Plenty then Rotorua, before moving to the Eastern Bay of Plenty at the start of 2021

·         Next steps – the document would be signed off internally by Waka Kotahi and regular updates would be provided to the Transport Minister.

In Response to Questions:

·         This was a guiding document encapturing all modes, as well as a tactical document for the partners to illustrate Waka Kotahi’s commitment to achieving mode shift

·         It would guide the Regional Public Transport Plan, the RLTP and other strategic documents

·         The Mode Shift Plan was a live document that would be updated over time with feedback received.

 

Resolved

That the Regional Transport Committee:

1           Receives the draft report, Bay of Plenty Mode Shift Plan;

2           Endorses the direction of the Bay of Plenty Mode Shift Plan regional framework and Western Bay of Plenty section;

3           Notes the development of the Rotorua Lakes section of the Plan by December 2020 and Eastern Bay of Plenty section by early 2021;

4           Notes the Public Transport Committee Workshop for the Bay of Plenty Mode Shift Plan to be held following the meeting on 27 August 2020.

Webber/Nees

CARRIED

 

5.7

Verbal Update from Committee Members and Advisors

Cr Gavin Dennis on behalf of Whakatāne District Council

Key Points:

·         Whakatāne District Council’s access programme investigating current and future traffic movements into and through Whakatāne was progressing well

·         Walking and cycling strategy ‘Active Whakatāne’ was nearing completion

·         Seeking support for partnership with BOPRC in development of regional cycle trail infrastructure across the district, including Kawerau to Rotorua

·         Updated projects including Kia Kaha Covid-19 project

·         Wainui Road safety improvements were well underway

·         Eastern Bay Road Safety Committee was disestablished and another group would be established consisting of governance and operations representatives.

Mayor Malcolm Campbell - Kawerau District Council

Key Points:

·         State Highway 34 Kawerau speed restrictions were becoming more urgent with industrial projects starting to take place

·         Expressed full support for any projects involving cycleways.

Cr Larry Baldock – Tauranga City Council

Key Points:

·         Ngatai Road cycleway project had been opened

·         Ferry investigation was looking promising for Ōmokoroa to Tauranga to the Mount ferry service.

John Galbraith – Freight Advisor

Key Point:

·         Noted that the Kawerau centre for driver training was fully occupied and a large number of short courses were being run as well as outpost training in Ōpōtiki and Murupara.

Mayor Steve Chadwick – Rotorua Lakes Council

Key Points:

·         One of the destination making features underpinning the four well-beings was the value of a cycleway network for visitors both local and from abroad to enjoy a network of on-road and off-road cycleways

·         The contract for bus shelters had been signed off

·         Reinforced the need for a tourism rail link

·         Supported random drug testing to address the influence of drivers under the influence on the roads.

 

Mayor Garry Webber – Western Bay of Plenty District Council

Key Points:

·         Supported cycleway networks as being part of a regional effort

·         Addressed the issue of traffic in Katikati and the necessity to find a solution.

Dan Kneebone – Port of Tauranga Advisor

Key Points:

·         The most significant impact post Covid-19 had been the absence of cruise ships, which would be noticed more significantly over the summer period

·         Freight flows in Totara Street continued to be a major issue that the Port was still advocating prioritisation for

·         Had achieved a 15% carbon reduction.

Cr Jane Nees – Bay of Plenty Regional Council Toi Moana

Key Point:

·         Staff were working on a regional workshop on climate change around the different approaches each district was taking in their climate change plans with the intention of gaining a collaborative view and approach for the region.

 

 

12.07 pm – the meeting closed.

 

 

Confirmed 3 December 2020                                                       

                                                                                   Cr Lyall Thurston

Chairperson, Regional Transport Committee