Agenda of Public Transport Committee - Tuesday, 24 September 2024

Public Transport Committee

Membership

Chairperson	Cr Andrew von Dadelszen
Deputy Chairperson	Cr Lyall Thurston
Members	Cr Malcolm Campbell Cr Jane Nees Cr Ken Shirley Cr Paula Thompson
External Members Two Tauranga City Council representatives One representative each: Rotorua Lakes Council Western Bay of Plenty District Council Whakatāne District Council All of whom are voting members. One Waka Kotahi NZTA non-voting representative	Cr Glen Crowther Cr Rod Taylor Cr Rick Curach (Alternate) Cr Conan O’Brien Mayor Tania Tapsell (Alternate) Mayor James Denyer Deputy Mayor John Scrimgeour (Alternate) Cr Andrew Iles Cr Gavin Dennis (Alternate) Susan Collins Garry Maloney (Alternate)
Ex Officio	Chairman Doug Leeder
Quorum	Six members, consisting of more than half the number of voting members of which four must be BOPRC members
Meeting frequency	Quarterly

Purpose

Set the strategic and operational direction for approved Regional Council public transport policy and strategy, and monitor how it is implemented.

Role

· Prepare and review the Bay of Plenty Regional Public Transport Plan.

· Implement, monitor and review operational public transport policy and plans.

· Implement, monitor and review the Western Bay of Plenty Public Transport Implementation Plan.

· Advocate for public transport with New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA), territorial authorities and central government.

· Set and monitor targets for public transport in the region.

· Receive reporting on the performance of the Passenger Transport Activity.

· In coordination with the work programme of the Regional Transport Committee, guide and review the public transport components of the Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP) and make recommendations to Regional Transport Committee for incorporation into the RLTP.

Power to Act

To make all decisions necessary to fulfil the role and scope of the committee subject to the limitations imposed.

Power to Recommend

To Council and/or any standing committee as it deems appropriate.

The Public Transport Committee reports to the Regional Council.

Recording of Meetings

Please note the Public section of this meeting is being recorded and streamed live on Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s website in accordance with Council's Live Streaming and Recording of Meetings Protocols which can be viewed on Council’s website. The recording will be archived and made publicly available on Council's website within two working days after the meeting on www.boprc.govt.nz for a period of three years (or as otherwise agreed to by Council).

All care is taken to maintain your privacy; however, as a visitor in the public gallery or as a participant at the meeting, your presence may be recorded. By remaining in the public gallery, it is understood your consent is given if your image is inadvertently broadcast.

Opinions expressed or statements made by individual persons during a meeting are not the opinions or statements of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council. Council accepts no liability for any opinions or statements made during a meeting.

Public Transport Committee 24 September 2024

Recommendations in reports are not to be construed as Council policy until adopted by Council.

Agenda

1. Apologies

2. Public Forum

3. Items not on the Agenda

4. Order of Business

5. Declaration of Conflicts of Interest

6. Public Excluded Business to be Transferred into the Open

7. Minutes

Minutes to be Confirmed

7.1 Public Transport Committee Minutes - 12 June 2024 9

Minutes to be Received

7.2 Tauranga Public Transport Joint Committee Minutes - 4 June 2024 16

8. Presentations

8.1 Public Transport Tuawhā Arotake Q4, 2023/24 Performance Monitoring Report

Presented by: Stuart Nightingale - Manager, Transport Operations

Attachment 1 - 5179 PT Arotake Q4 2023-24 proof final 27

9. Verbal Updates

9.1 Waka Eastern Bay Update

Presented by: Cr Andrew Iles - Whakatāne District Council

10. Reports

10.1 Chairperson's Report 60

Decisions Required

10.2 Membership Update 65

10.3 Bay of Plenty Regional Tertiary Contracts 68

Information Only

10.4 Bus User and Non-User Surveys 75

Attachment 1 - 2024 BOPRC Bus User Survey FINAL REPORT - PDF 81

Attachment 2 - 2024 BOPRC Non-User Bus Survey FINAL REPORT - PDF 126

10.5 Regional Public Transport Plan Action Plan - Implementation and Monitoring Report 163

Attachment 1 - RPTP 2022-32 Action Plan - Implementation Report 170

Attachment 2 - RPTP 2022-32 - Key Performance Indicators - Arotake Excerpt 181

11. Public Excluded Section

Resolution to exclude the public

Excludes the public from the following parts of the proceedings of this meeting as set out below:

The general subject of each matter to be considered while the public is excluded, the reason for passing this resolution in relation to each matter, and the specific grounds under section 48(1) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 for the passing of this resolution are as follows:

Item No.	Subject of each matter to be considered	Reason for passing this resolution in relation to each matter	Grounds under Section 48(1) for the passing of this resolution	When the item can be released into the public
11.1	Public Excluded Public Transport Committee Minutes - 12 June 2024	As noted in the relevant Minutes.	As noted in the relevant Minutes.	To remain in public excluded.
11.2	Public Excluded Tauranga Public Transport Joint Committee Minutes - 4 June 2024	As noted in the relevant Minutes.	As noted in the relevant Minutes.	To remain in public excluded.

Minutes to be Confirmed

11.1 Public Excluded Public Transport Committee Minutes - 12 June 2024

Minutes to be Received

11.2 Public Excluded Tauranga Public Transport Joint Committee Minutes - 4 June 2024

12. Public Excluded Business to be Transferred into the Open

13. Readmit the Public

14. Consideration of Items not on the Agenda

Public Transport Committee Minutes

12 June 2024

Public Transport Committee

Open Minutes

Commencing: Wednesday 12 June 2024, 9:30 am

Venue: Council Chambers, Regional House, 1 Elizabeth Street, Tauranga, and via Zoom (Audio-Visual meeting)

Chairperson: Cr Andrew von Dadelszen – Bay of Plenty Regional Council Toi Moana (BOPRC)

Deputy Chairperson: Cr Lyall Thurston - BOPRC

Members: Cr Jane Nees - BOPRC

Cr Paula Thompson – BOPRC (via Zoom)

Cr Andrew Iles – Whakatāne District Council (WDC)

Cr Malcolm Campbell - BOPRC

Mayor James Denyer – Western Bay of Plenty District Council (WBOPDC)

Deputy Mayor John Scrimgeour (Alternate) – WBOPDC (via Zoom)

Cr Gavin Dennis (Alternate) - WDC

Susan Collins – NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (Waka Kotahi)

In Attendance: BOPRC Councillors: Cr Ron Scott; Cr Stuart Crosby

BOPRC Staff: Oliver Haycock – Director Public Transport; Andrew Williams – Acting Manager, Transport Planning; Claudia Cameron – Committee Advisor

Public Forum: Carole Gordon - CG Consulting

Apologies: Mayor Tania Tapsell and Cr Conan O'Brien – Rotorua Lakes Council; Cr Ken Shirley – BOPRC; Commissioner Stephen Selwood and Commissioner Bill Wasley – Tauranga City Council (TCC).

1. Chairperson's Opening Statement

The Chair opened the meeting and reminded members that the meeting was being livestreamed and recorded. The recording can be found on the BOPRC YouTube channel: Public Transport Committee - 12 June 2024 (youtube.com)

The new member for Waka Kotahi, Susan Collins, was introduced.

2. Apologies

Resolved

That the Public Transport Committee:

1 Accepts the apologies from Cr Ken Shirley, Cr Conan O’Brien, Mayor Tania Tapsell, Commissioner Bill Wasley and Commissioner Stephen Selwood tendered at the meeting.

Thurston/Denyer

CARRIED

3. Public Forum

3.1

Carole Gordon - CG Consulting

Presentation: Connecting Communities - Public Forum - 12 June 2024: Objective ID A4692849

Presented By: Carole Gordon – CG Consulting

Key Points:

· Highlighted the importance of supporting the senior population to use public transport, particularly as a way to improve community connectivity and sociability

· Introduced the concept of providing smaller communities with an electric bus, and allowing the community to operate the service and manage their own mobility/transport needs. This could be particularly effective in the Eastern Bay of Plenty

· The increasing aging population figures demonstrated the need for this type of service; it would enable the mobility of elders, thus improving their ability to contribute and reducing societal costs.

In Response to Questions:

· Costing of the buses was required

· Technology could be utilised to support a network of small buses to enable access; it should not be assumed the older generation could not manage new technology so long as support was provided during its introduction.

9.52 am – Cr John Scrimgeour entered the meeting.

4. Declaration of Conflicts of Interest

None declared.

5. Minutes

Minutes to be Confirmed

5.1

Public Transport Committee Minutes - 12 March 2024

Resolved

That the Public Transport Committee:

1 Confirms the Public Transport Committee Minutes - 12 March 2024 as a true and correct record.

Denyer/Nees

CARRIED

Minutes to be Received

5.2

Tauranga Public Transport Joint Committee Minutes

Resolved

That the Public Transport Committee:

1 Receives the Tauranga Public Transport Joint Committee Meeting Minutes from 1 May 2024 and the Tauranga Public Transport Joint Committee Workshop Notes from 28 February 2024.

von Dadelszen/Thurston

CARRIED

6. Presentations

6.1

Public Transport Tuatoru Arotake Q3, 2023/24 Performance Monitoring Report

Presentation: Tuatoru Arotake Performance Monitoring - 12 June 2024: Objective ID A4694669

Presented by: Oliver Haycock – Director, Public Transport

Key Points:

· There had been increases in use to all services across the region

· Patronage had increased by almost 860,000 extra boardings in this quarter, this excluded OnDemand service use

· It was hoped that the delays to some services were in areas which would see congestion improvements.

In Response to Questions:

· Lower Accessible Transport figures in Eastern and Western BOP were likely due to population numbers and fewer service providers

· Missed trips mostly stemmed from peak period congestion, noting it took time for a bus to “catch up” to its advertised service time after the peak period

· There appeared to be an anecdotal increase in numbers making an active choice to use public transport and mode shifting. Reporting of this was challenging over a short time period however staff were investigating the addition of an accurate and measurable Key Performance Indicator (KPI) in this area, as part of Regional Land Transport Plan 2024-34 (RLTP).

Key Points - Members:

· Sought confirmation regarding:

o Bay Hopper fare box recovery rate on page 36 of the Agenda. As this was a school service, and therefore subsidised, it was queried whether it would be accurate to record the 14% rate as a fare box recovery

o The reasons for the lower Katikati and Inter-Regional numbers

· Waka Eastern Bay had been 1 of the 3 successful contract winners for providing accessible transport in Eastern BOP and was preparing for service provision.

Resolved

That the Public Transport Committee:

1 Receives the Report, Public Transport Tuatoru Arotake Q3, 2023/24 Performance Monitoring Report.

Nees/Thurston

CARRIED

7. Reports

7.1

Chairperson's Report

Presentation: Baybus OnDemand Trial Update - 12 June 2024: Objective ID A4694671

Presented by: Oliver Haycock – Director, Public Transport

Key Points:

· As there were a number of operator contracts due to expire, work was being conducted to ensure the next round of procurement was both efficient and effective. Staff were awaiting direction from Central Government regarding the application of the Sustainable Public Transport Framework (SPTF)

· An OnDemand trial update was provided:

o The trial was in an area challenging to serve with conventional fixed route bus services

o The majority of users interacted with the app and had used the service multiple times

o There had been a comprehensive communications plan which had developed into educating and supporting the community

o Patronage was increasing week on week, and was substantially greater than the fixed route had seen

o Feedback was positive, including that the service should be rolled out to a wider area

o An algorithm within the app dynamically planned the routes for the five vehicles based on ride requests

o Thanked Mercury Energy for their generous contribution to the project through charging infrastructure, power and support. Considered their sponsorship invaluable to the trial project starting

o Recognised the contribution of suppliers to the initial success of the trial, Ritchies and Via

o Highlighted the high standard of service provided by drivers

o Noted that OnDemand trials nationwide all varied slightly, which made comparison challenging.

In Response to Questions:

· The Regional Fares Review was an opportunity to analyse the effectiveness of free/discounted fares.

Key Points - Members:

· Highlighted the need to be prepared to carry the costs of OnDemand if the trial was deemed a success and was continued

· Emphasised the importance of contracts which enabled dynamic service provision and the ability to adapt to changes

· Expressed concern that the Community Forum had not met since the outbreak of COVID-19. It was acknowledged that community engagement had been taking place, but strongly supported the re-establishment of this Forum with some urgency.

Resolved

That the Public Transport Committee:

1 Receives the report, Chairperson’s Report.

Thurston/Denyer

CARRIED

8. Public Excluded Section

Resolved

Resolution to exclude the public

1 Excludes the public from the following parts of the proceedings of this meeting as set out below:

Item No.	Subject of each matter to be considered	Reason for passing this resolution in relation to each matter	Grounds under Section 48(1) for the passing of this resolution	When the item can be released into the public
8.1	Public Excluded Public Transport Committee Minutes - 12 March 2024	As noted in the relevant Minutes.	As noted in the relevant Minutes.	To remain in public excluded.
8.2	CBD Bus Layover Site	Withholding the information is necessary to enable any local authority holding the information to carry out, without prejudice or disadvantage, commercial activities.	48(1)(a)(i) Section 7 (2)(h).	On the Chief Executive's approval.
8.3	Tauranga Harbour Ferry Proposal – Hauraki Express – Endorsement Paper	Withholding the information is necessary to enable any local authority holding the information to carry out, without prejudice or disadvantage, commercial activities.	48(1)(a)(i) Section 7 (2)(h).	On the Chief Executive's approval.

von Dadelszen/Thurston

CARRIED

10.40 am – The meeting adjourned.

10.40 am – Cr John Scrimgeour withdrew from the meeting.

10.58 am – The meeting reconvened in Public Excluded.

11.41 am – the meeting closed.

Confirmed

Cr Andrew von Dadelszen

Chairperson, Public Transport Committee



Report To:	Public Transport Committee
Meeting Date:	24 September 2024
Report Authoriser:	Oliver Haycock – Director, Public Transport

Chairperson's Report

Executive Summary

This report highlights matters of interest that the Committee Chair considers to be relevant to the business of the Public Transport Committee.

The report includes updates on:

· Funding Overview on the National Land Transport Fund (NLTF) 2024-27,

· Public Transport Framework & Revenue Calculations,

· Tauranga South On Demand Trial Update, and,

· New Baybus Website.

Recommendations

That the Public Transport Committee:

1 Receives the report, Chairperson's Report.

1. Purpose

The purpose of this report is to provide PTC members with a summary of topical matters of potential interest.

2. Matters of Potential Interest

2.1 National Land Transport Fund (NLTF) 2024-27 Funding Announcement

The NLTP is a partnership between local government, which invests local funding on behalf of ratepayers, and Waka Kotahi, which invests on behalf of Government through the National Land Transport Fund (NLTF). Funds for the NLTF are collected from petrol excise duty, road user charges and vehicle registration / licensing fees.

The $32.9 billion 2024-27 NLTP total investment includes $5.8 billion from the local government share. NLTP investments are designed to give effect to the strategic priorities outlined in the Government Policy Statement for land transport (GPS), including:

· Economic Growth and Productivity,

· Increased Maintenance and Resilience,

· Safety, and

· Value for Money.

The NLTP contains all the land transport activities that Waka Kotahi anticipates funding over the three years, across 11 activity classes. For the Bay of Plenty, the forecast spend over the three-year period is a total of $1.9b which includes a $119m forecast spend on public transport.

The outcomes for the Regional Council ongoing activities (Continuous Programme) funding for the next three years are shown in Table 1 below.

Table 1 - BOPRC Funding Allocation

Activity Class	Funding Requested	Funding Approved	Difference
Public Transport Services	$128,087,872	$111,890,000	-$16,197,872 (-13%)
Public Transport Infrastructure	$4,550,634	$4,551,000	+$366 (0%)
Low-Cost Low Risk	$4,676,883	$1,298,849	-$3,378,034 (-72%)

Key Outcomes

This section highlights the status of projects of significance for the region that have potential implications for public transport.

Tauranga

Funded:

· TCC: Welcome Bay Rd, Turret Rd, 15th Ave to Takitimu Dr & CBD

· NZTA: Stage 1, 2 & 3 of SH29 / SH29a Tauriko

· NZTA: Takitimu North Link Stage 1 Revocation (SH2 through Bethlehem)

Not Funded:

· TCC: Cameron Road Stage 2

· TCC: Tauranga Eastern Corridor Growth - Te Tumu Internal Infrastructure

· NZTA: Connecting Mount Maunganui

· Papamoa Park & Ride Trial

Western Bay of Plenty

Funded:

· NZTA: Takitimu North Link Stage 1

· NZTA: Takitimu North Link Stage 2

Not Funded:

· WBOPDC: Ōmokoroa Transport Improvements

Public Transport

Funded:

· BOPRC: National Ticketing Solution (NTS)

Possibly Funded:

· Public Transport Services and Infrastructure Business Case

· Tauranga Refresh Phase 2

Not Funded:

· Infrastructure enhancements to support Rotorua Refresh

· Route 85 Paeroa Extension

· Papamoa Park & Ride Trial

At the time of writing, staff had only been able to review the NLTP document and no further information had been obtained on specific funding of all activities proposed by the RLTP 2024-34. As this information becomes available over the coming days and weeks, staff will be able to provide further updates where required to support the Committee’s understanding of how well funded the Bay of Plenty’s RLTP 2024-34 funding bid has been.

2.2 Public Transport Framework & Revenue Calculations

NZTA have recently launched an updated Public Transport Framework (PTF) which consolidates their requirements, guidelines, and tools relevant to public transport into a single online location, here.

The PTF includes guidelines for the development of Regional Public Transport Plans (RPTPs). Of particular interest in the context of the current PT funding environment, is the revised method of calculating revenue. GPS 2024 stipulated that greater farebox recovery and third-party revenue (such as but not limited to advertising, tertiary institutions, or developer contributions) will be expected from local government. The new guidelines require RPTPs to include measures and targets for monitoring public and private revenue ratios.

As the first step in the regional fares review process, staff will be seeking Regional Council direction on the importance that should be placed on the RPTP fare principles, including financial sustainability and the trade-off with social equity. The principles will then be used in the consideration and development of potential fares structures and pricing systems.

2.3 Cameron Road Bus Lanes, Tauranga

A decision was made at the Tauranga City Council meeting on 26 August 2024 to defer the activation of the Cameron Road (Stage 1) bus lanes, to enable the gathering of further data on all possible options for delivery, as well as to undertake consultation with businesses and bus users.

A further report is to be provided to Tauranga City Council in February 2024, to inform the decision on the activation of the Cameron Road bus lanes at this point.

Regional and Tauranga City staff are actively considering options to progress this work, to support the collation of the information requested.

2.4 Tauranga South On-Demand Trial - Update

The Baybus OnDemand service in Tauranga South has now been operational for 5 months. Since the start of the service in March, we have seen week-on-week increases in patronage, completed rides and ride requests.

These figures are correct as of 01 September:

· Over 13,200 rides have been completed over the trial period. Patronage has now plateaued at approximately ~700 rides being completed rides per week.

· The electric vehicles have collectively travelled over 100,000km.

· Over 3,000 accounts have been created.

· 96% of all riders have been picked up at the agreed time, and 81% have been dropped off at the agreed time.

· 93% of riders who responded to a request to rate their ride gave it five stars (out of five).

· 94% of bookings are being made through the app rather than through the contact centre.

· Utilisation (completed rides per net driver hours) has plateaued and currently sits between 3.0 - 3.5. (Net driver hours excludes breaks).

A six-month review will report on a set of measures including patronage, financial information, and feedback from the travelling public as well as the OnDemand operators.

2.5 New Baybus Website

The project to develop the new Baybus website is now in its very final stages. This involves integrating transport data with the website and ultimately improving the customer experience for users in helping them get from A to B on the network.

This website allows users to plan their journey using data-driven timetables; which includes and integrates information from service notifications. It lets users see live tracking of the majority of the services in one place, without having to use a third- party app. It gives them the ability to see what services they can take from a stop they are waiting at; and to easily favourite routes, stops and locations, as well as easily see notifications that are applicable to them and the journeys they regularly make.

Staff are excited to share the modern, inviting, user-friendly and clean looking website with the committee before the launch, and will provide a demonstration during the meeting.



Report To:	Public Transport Committee
Meeting Date:	24 September 2024
Report Writer:	Claudia Cameron, Committee Advisor
Report Authoriser:	Steve Groom, Governance Manager
Purpose:	To advise the Public Transport Committee of changes in membership.

Membership Update

Executive Summary

This report advises the Public Transport Committee of changes in membership.

Following the 2024 Tauranga City Council (TCC) elections, the new TCC representatives are as follows:

· Cr Glen Crowther

· Cr Rod Taylor, and

· Cr Rick Curach (Alternate)

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi has appointed a new alternate member:

· Garry Maloney (Alternate)

Recommendations

That the Public Transport Committee:

1 Receives the report, Membership Update.

2 Notes the new members of the Public Transport Committee representing Tauranga City Council as Cr Glen Crowther, Cr Rod Taylor and Cr Rick Curach (alternate);

3 Notes the new alternate member for NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi as Garry Maloney.

1. Introduction

New members have been appointed to the Public Transport Committee.

2. Tauranga City Council Representatives

Following the Tauranga City Council (TCC) election in July 2024, TCC has appointed new members to the Public Transport Committee.

The new members of the Public Transport Committee Representing TCC are:

· Cr Glen Crowther

· Cr Rod Taylor, and

· Cr Rick Curach (Alternate)

3. NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi Alternate Representative

The new alternate member of the Public Transport Committee representing NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi is:

· Garry Maloney (Alternate)

4. Considerations

4.1 Risks and Mitigations

This report is of a procedural nature, there are no significant risks associated with this matter.

4.2 Climate Change

The matters addressed in this report are of a procedural nature and there is no need to consider climate change impacts.

4.3 Implications for Māori

The matters addressed in this report are of a procedural nature.

4.4 Community Engagement

The matters addressed in this report are of a procedural nature and there is no need to engage with the community.

4.5 Financial Implications

There are no material unbudgeted financial implications and this fits within the allocated budget.

5. Next Steps

The relevant administrative tasks relating to a change of membership will be undertaken by staff.



Report To:	Public Transport Committee
Meeting Date:	24 September 2024
Report Writer:	Stuart Nightingale, Manager, Transport Operations
Report Authoriser:	Oliver Haycock, Director, Public Transport
Purpose:	Information paper for Council

Bay of Plenty Regional Tertiary Contracts

Executive Summary

Bay of Plenty Regional Council operate a Regional Tertiary Commuter Service for tertiary students and commuters from Whakatāne, Rotorua and Katikati to Tauranga, as well as from Murupara and Tauranga to Rotorua.

These services are underpinned by a funding model between BOPRC and two tertiary institutions: Toi Ohomai (TO) and University of Waikato (UoW). These services currently receive 51% funding assistance (FAR) from NZTA Waka Kotahi.

In the recently announced National Land Transport Fund (NLTF), NZTA Waka Kotahi confirmed that FAR for these services will cease at the end of the 2024 calendar year.

Retaining these services beyond the end of 2024 would therefore require this funding shortfall to be overcome. This equates to an additional unbudgeted expense for Regional Council of approximately $280,000 per annum.

Recommendations

That the Public Transport Committee:

1 Receives the report, Bay of Plenty Regional Tertiary Contracts;

2 Endorses the recommendation that the Bay of Plenty Regional Tertiary Commuter services cease at the end of 2024.

That the Public Transport Committee recommends that the Regional Council:

1 Receives the report, Bay of Plenty Regional Tertiary Contracts;

2 Approves the recommendation that the Bay of Plenty Regional Tertiary Commuter services cease at the end of 2024.

1. Introduction

Since February 2020, Bay of Plenty Regional Council have operated Regional Tertiary Commuter Services across the Bay of Plenty region.

These services were established to improve accessibility for students attending tertiary institutes and to remove barriers to tertiary learning. Other members of the public can also use these services, as they offer a connection between regional centres. They are marketed as “Tertiary and Commuter Services”.

The services are currently free for tertiary students. The intention was to introduce fares from the start of the 2025 academic year, as confirmed by the resolution made by the Public Transport Committee on 20 March 2024.

Utilisation of the services has increased over the three years of operation but remains low, averaging between 4 and 6 passengers per trip, dependant on route.

The services were approved based on an agreed funding model between BOPRC and two tertiary services providers, Toi Ohomai (TO) and University of Waikato (UOW). These services currently receive 51% funding assistance (FAR) from NZTA Waka Kotahi.

Staff have had several meetings with representatives from both tertiary institutes, most recently on 9th of August 2024 to discuss entering into a funding agreement for the 2025 calendar year. At the time of writing this paper, neither institute has formally committed financial support for the services beyond the end of 2024.

In the recently announced National Land Transport Fund (NLTF), NZTA Waka Kotahi confirmed that FAR for these services will cease at the end of the 2024 calendar year. For the services to continue in the 2025 calendar year, alternative funding will need to be sourced.

Due to the low usage of these services and lack of ongoing financial support from NZTA, staff recommend ceasing the provision of these services at the end of the 2024 calendar year.

The contracts with the bus operators also expire at the end of December 2024, so there is no financial penalty for ceasing the service at this point.

1.1 Legislative Framework

BOPRC is responsible for funding and contracting public transport services under Part 5 of the Land Transport Management Act 2003 (LTMA).

The overall purpose of the LTMA is to contribute to an effective, efficient, and safe land transport system in the public interest. Section 115 of the LTMA includes a set of principles that are intended to guide the actions of regional councils in undertaking their public transport functions.

1.2 Alignment with Strategic Framework

A Vibrant Region	We lead regional transport strategy and system planning, working with others to deliver a safe and reliable public transport system.
The Way We Work	We deliver value to our ratepayers and our customers.

1.2.1 Community Well-beings Assessment

Dominant Well-Beings Affected

þ Environmental

Low - Negative

þ Cultural

Low - Negative

þ Social

Low - Negative

þ Economic

Low - Negative

Ceasing the services would have a negative impact across the dominant well beings. However, these have been assessed as “low” due to the low utilisation of the tertiary services.

2. Bay of Plenty Regional Tertiary Contracts

2.1 Key Governance Decisions

The subsections below outline the key governance decisions relating to the provision of regional tertiary services.

2.1.1 Annual Plan 2020: Project Scope – Trial Commuter Service June 2019

During the 2020 Annual Plan deliberations, Council agreed to fund the tertiary services subject to a funding model with tertiary providers. Staff were directed to pursue a cost sharing agreement with the tertiary providers and utilise the funding assistance rate (FAR) from NZTA.

2.1.2 Annual Plan 2021

At the Annual Plan deliberations in May 2021, Council included free fares for tertiary students in the Annual Plan, subject to contribution being provided by the appropriate tertiary institutions.

2.1.3 Regional Council, May 2024

On 28 May 2024, Regional Council agreed to retain the Tertiary Services and introduce tertiary student fares at 60% of the adult fare from 2025. This agreement was predicated on the existing funding model (between NZTA, Regional Council and Tertiary Institutes) continuing.

2.2 Routes Operated

The following routes make up the Tertiary and Commuter Services:

Route	Departure Times	Institute Serviced
101: Whakatane – Tauranga	Whakatāne – Tauranga – 6.50am	University of Waikato
101: Whakatane – Tauranga	Tauranga – Whakatāne – 4.40pm	Toi Ohomai
102: Rotorua – Tauranga	Rotorua – Tauranga – 6.55am	University of Waikato
102: Rotorua – Tauranga	Tauranga – Rotorua – 5.05pm	Toi Ohomai
103: Katikati – Tauranga	Katikati – Tauranga – 7.20am	University of Waikato
103: Katikati – Tauranga	Tauranga – Katikati – 4.45pm	Toi Ohomai
104: Murupara - Rotorua	Murupara to Rotorua – 7.22am	Toi Ohomai
104: Murupara - Rotorua	Rotorua – Murupara – 5.10pm	Toi Ohomai
105: Tauranga - Rotorua	Tauranga - Rotorua – 7.05am	University of Waikato
105: Tauranga - Rotorua	Rotorua - Tauranga – 4.50pm	Toi Ohomai

2.3 Patronage

The table below shows that total patronage for the Tertiary & Commuter Services was 12,612 in 2023/24. While this represents a 42% increase on prior year, the services remain under-utilised, carrying only 5.7 passengers per trip on average.

The low utilisation in 2023/24 resulted in a subsidy $43.52 per passenger carried.

Year	Total Patronage by year	Average passengers per trip	Average passengers per day	Utlisation (% seats occupied)
2019/20	2,806	1.3	9	4%
2020/21	8,974	4.1	29	11%
2021/22	6,247	2.8	20	8%
2022/23	8,821	4.0	29	11%
2023/24	12,612	5.7	41	16%

2.4 Farebox Recovery Ratio

77% of patronage on the tertiary services is students, who currently travel for free. The other 23% of passengers pay a standard or concession fare. The resultant farebox recovery ratio is very low (average 2.5%).

Council directed staff to introduce tertiary student fares at 60% of the adult fare from 2025. This would result in a potential increase in farebox recovery to 9.4% in 2025, based on data from the 23/24 Financial Year.

3. Options Considered

Staff considered the following options in relation to the provision of tertiary service.

3.1 Retain the Service

Retaining the service would require the net funding shortfall of $277,654 per year to be overcome. The following options have been considered.

3.1.1 Additional Funding from Regional Council

Additional funding for tertiary services was not included in Regional Council’s Long Term Plan 2024-34 and would therefore be an unbudgeted expense.

In this scenario, it has been assumed that the net $277,654 shortfall would be shared between the Regional Council and tertiary institutes proportionally based on the current funding split. This equates to an additional contribution of $138,827 by Regional Council.

Regional Council has budgeted to contribute $133,383 per year for the provision of tertiary services throughout the current LTP period. Funding the shortfall would increase Council’s total contribution to these services to $272,241 per year.

3.1.2 Additional Funding from Tertiary Institutes

At the time of writing this paper, neither Toi Ohomai nor University of Waikato have formally agreed to continue with their existing financial contribution towards the services beyond the end of 2024.

On the assumption that existing contributions continue, Toi Ohomai would be required to contribute an additional $179,659 and University of Waikato an additional $92,551.

It should be noted that if the tertiary institutes do not agree to fund a proportion of the shortfall, Regional Council would be required to fund the full $277,654. Furthermore, if the tertiary institutes do not agree to continue to provide their existing contribution, the full cost of delivering these services would fall to Regional Council, at an estimated cost of $544,420 per year, of which $411,037 is unbudgeted.

3.2 Rationalise the Service

Rationalising the existing services is challenging, given that each of the 5 routes only operates one return trip per day, and are timetabled to arrive/depart the institutes at convenient times for students. This means that decision to operate each service is binary – they either run or they do not.

Rationalisation has been considered where there is a viable alternative service that students could utilise. The alternate services are shown in the table below.

Tertiary Service	Alternative Service
101: Whakatane – Tauranga	143b. This service does not arrive in Tauranga CBD until 11:45am and departs at 2:05pm – of limited use to students.
102: Rotorua – Tauranga	There is no alternative service between Rotorua and Tauranga.
103: Katikati – Tauranga	80 / 81. 6 inbound/outbound services per day, with the earliest arrival in Tauranga CBD at 7:40am and last departure at 5:15pm. Serves UoW campus well. Toi Ohomai students would need to connect with Route 55 out to Windermere.
104: Murupara - Rotorua	15 / 15a. Operates Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday – currently no Sunday & Monday service. Currently not routed via Toi Ohomai. Arrives in Rotorua at 10:20am and departs 1:30pm – of limited use to students.
105: Tauranga - Rotorua	There is no alternative service between Tauranga and Rotorua.

The only tertiary service with a viable alternative service is the 103: Katikati – Tauranga. However, the alternate service does not offer a connection to Toi Ohomai campus, and the timetable does not allow sufficient time for this to be accommodated.

Some retiming of the 15 / 15a service could enable connectivity between Murupara – Rotorua for tertiary students but this would likely be at the inconvenience of existing passengers, many of which utilise the 15 / 15a for grocery shopping in Rotorua.

The other three services have no viable alternative options for travel for tertiary students.

3.3 Cease the Service

Removing the tertiary services at the conclusion of the 2024 calendar year would allow Regional Council to realise a net saving of $133,383 per year.

A complete removal of tertiary services would leave no inter-regional connection between Tauranga and Rotorua. For the other routes, travel alternatives are available, but all deliver a lower level of service when compared to the current tertiary situation.

Elsewhere in New Zealand, there is a precedent for tertiary institutes to privately contract services to provide access to education. There are examples of this occurring in the Bay of Plenty. Toi Ohomai privately contracts services operating between Rotorua – Whakatane, as well as Tūrangi / Taupo – Rotorua. University of Waikato privately contracts a service that operates several times per day between Hamilton and Tauranga.

4. Staff Recommended Option

Due to the low usage of these services and lack of ongoing financial support from NZTA, staff recommend ceasing the provision of these services at the end of the 2024 calendar year.

The contracts with the bus operators also expire at the end of December 2024, so there is no financial penalty for ceasing the service at this point.

Furthermore, public transport funding is constrained for the 2024 – 2027 period of the National Land Transport Fund (NLTF).

5. Considerations

5.1 Risks and Mitigations

The removal of these services will increase the barriers to tertiary education, and reduce the intra-regional connectivity for commuters, specifically between Tauranga and Rotorua.

Clear and timely communications can support current bus users by providing time for alternative travel arrangements to be made.

Furthermore, there is the option for the tertiary institutes to provide services privately. Both institutes provide private services elsewhere in the Bay of Plenty, setting a precedent for this way of operating.

5.2 Climate Change

The provision of public transport services is inherently supportive of climate change mitigation.

The recommendations in this paper will likely reduce the use of public transport and make alternative modes such as private vehicles – that are generally higher emitting – more attractive.

5.3 Implications for Māori

The cessation of the services could impact on Māori accessibility to tertiary education from communities that are geographically distant to Rotorua and Tauranga.

5.4 Community Engagement

INFORM

Whakamōhio

To provide affected communities with balanced and objective information to assist them in understanding the problems, alternatives and/or solutions.

5.5 Financial Implications

The staff recommended option of ceasing tertiary services at the conclusion of the 2024 calendar year would allow Regional Council to realise a net saving of $133,383 per year, when compared to Long Term Plan budgets.

6. Next Steps

Subject to Council approval to cease the Tertiary & Commuter Services, staff will work with bus operators to formally terminate the agreements at the end of the current contract term.

Staff will engage with tertiary providers to communicate the change to customers and communities in time for the term start in 2025 by implementing a robust communications strategy, including:

a) External communications with local media and affected communities.

b) Staff to liaise with representatives at both tertiary institutions for the purpose of supporting their internal communications with their student cohort.

c) The Baybus website changed to reflect the cessation of the service.



Report To:	Public Transport Committee
Meeting Date:	24 September 2024
Report Writer:	Kim Boyer, Transport Advisor
Report Authoriser:	Oliver Haycock, Director, Public Transport
Purpose:	To provide an overview of the Bus User and Non-User Surveys for Public Transport in the Bay of Plenty

Bus User and Non-User Surveys

Executive Summary

These surveys are undertaken to support Council’s understanding of perceptions, attitudes and awareness of users and non-users of the urban and rural bus services in Tauranga, Rotorua, Eastern and Western Bay of Plenty.

Overview of some key findings of the user surveys:

· User satisfaction with public transport has increased from 68% in 2022 to 76% in 2024.

· More passengers are inclined to recommend the local bus service, with the percentage increasing from 70% in 2022 to 76% in 2024.

· There is an increase in the use of the Transit App (72% in 2022 to 78% in 2024).

· The most common suggestions for service improvements include increasing service frequency/more buses (20%) as well as Improving reliability (18%). There is also a significant increase in suggestions to have Technology to track bus progress/improve Transit App (14%).

· Most non-user respondents (59%) cite convenience as the principal reason for using private transport instead of public transport.

Recommendations

That the Public Transport Committee:

1 Receives the report, Bus User and Non-User Surveys.

1. Introduction

The bus user satisfaction survey is conducted every year to meet Waka Kotahi requirements, BOPRC organisational key performance indicator (KPI) monitoring and Regional Public Transport Plan KPI monitoring. Surveys were last conducted in 2022 and reported to the Public Transport Committee in March 2023.

Council commissioned Key Research to survey bus users in Tauranga, Rotorua, Eastern and Western Bay to establish their overall satisfaction with their local public transport service and their most recent bus trip. Key Research also surveyed non-users of bus services in Tauranga, Western and Eastern Bay of Plenty.

The bus user survey sampled 1,128 people: Tauranga (797), Rotorua (259), Eastern Bay (35) and Western Bay (37). The non-user survey consisted of 201 telephone interviews with non-users of the public bus service in Tauranga (201), Rural Western (150) and Rural Eastern (150) aged 15 years or older. Surveys and interviewing took place between 18 March and 3 May 2024. For the purposes of this research, a ‘non-user’ is defined as someone who does not use a local public bus at least once every fortnight.

In addition to tracking the performance against KPIs, the results help inform focus areas for potential future improvement activities and projects.

1.1 Legislative Framework

Regional Council is responsible for funding public transport services under Part 5 of the Land Transport Management Act 2003 (LTMA).

1.2 Alignment with Strategic Framework

A Vibrant Region	We lead regional transport strategy and system planning, working with others to deliver a safe and reliable public transport system.
The Way We Work	We continually seek opportunities to innovate and improve.

1.2.1 Community Well-beings Assessment

Dominant Well-Beings Affected

þ Environmental

Low - Positive

þ Cultural

Low - Positive

þ Social

Low - Positive

þ Economic

Low - Positive

An enhanced understanding of bus users and non-users provides positive support across all community well-beings, as it enables the identification of focus areas for potential future improvements to public transport.

2. Bus user and Non-User Surveys

The primary objective of the research is to increase the understanding the bus users’ perceptions, attitudes and awareness of services, and monitor how these change over time.

The objectives of the non-user bus research are:

· To determine the reasons for non-use of local public bus services,

· To identify changes required by non-users for them to consider using public transport,

· To identify the likelihood of using buses in the future,

· To uncover if those with disabilities, or who travel with young children, or a young child in a pushchair, experience problems or perceive problems when travelling on local public buses, and,

· To compare results with previous years and provide recommendations that will inform strategic decision-making processes going forward.

2.1 Key Findings of the Bus User Survey

2.1.1 Observations

The overall satisfaction rating was 76%, up from 68% in 2022. This is an overall perception rating, combining efficiency, on-board experience and value for money. It was noted that while onboard experience and efficiency have seen an increase since 2022, satisfaction with value for money has declined. Respondents in Tauranga are less likely to be satisfied overall with the bus service than their counterparts in Rotorua or rural areas.

· Onboard experience 77% (á from 72% in 2022)

· Efficient way to travel 74% (á from 67% in 2022)

· Value for money 71% (â from 80% in 2022)

· More than half of users (62%) evaluated the local public transport service in the region very positively, this is significantly higher than in 2022 (49%), however this is still lower than the 76% satisfaction score recorded in 2020. In 2022, 70% were likely to recommend public transport use to others, in 2024 this increased to 76%.

· Getting to or from work continues to be the primary reason passengers utilise bus services (38%).

· Most trips (78%) are associated with: getting to and from work 38% (down from 43% in 2022); shopping 21% (up from 19% in 2022); and leisure activities 21% (up from 18% in 2022). Use of the bus service for leisure activities during the weekend was twice as high than in weekdays.

· Of those who completed the survey, females were much more likely to be travelling on weekdays, males were more likely to travel on weekends, and those aged 25-44 were more likely to be riding at peak times (36%). The results indicate significantly higher female bus use across all time categories for both rural and urban.

· Most passengers use the Bee Card (63%) to pay for their trip. Among those who opt for concessions (27%), 60% utilise the SuperGold Card while only 10% of passengers pay by cash (down from 17% in 2022).

· In the absence of a bus, respondents would either choose to drive themselves in a motor vehicle (28%) or opt to be a passenger in a motor vehicle (16%).

· Efficiency measures have significantly increased over the past two years with the convenience of the location of the bus stops having the greatest influence on a users’ perception of efficiency. The cleanliness of the bus (22%) and the helpfulness and attitude of the driver (20%) are the most significant contributors to passenger satisfaction with their overall onboard experience.

2.1.2 Technology

· Most bus users are aware of the Transit App (78%), which is up from 72% in 2022. Of those who are aware, 69% are likely to use the app to plan their journeys and track buses in real time.

· The awareness of the free Wi-Fi service has declined (52%) compared to 2022 (57%). Just over one in three bus (36%) users who are aware of the free Wi-Fi service somewhat or strongly prefer to use a bus that has this service.

2.1.3 Suggested improvements

· Service frequency and the reliability of services were the most suggested improvement areas for the bus service. There is a significant increase in suggestions to have technology to track bus progress/improve the Transit App (from 4% in 2022 to 14% in 2024), which is consistent with the increase in more passengers being likely to use the Transit App.

2.2 Key Findings of the Non-Bus User Survey

2.2.1 Observations

· Nearly 6 in 10 respondents (57%) believe that using local public buses is cheaper compared to private transport, this is consistent with the 2022 results (62%).

· Compared to 2022, significantly fewer respondents would consider using public buses (from 67% in 2022 to 58% in 2024). Residents in the Western Bay Rural areas are significantly less likely to use this service compared to residents in Tauranga.

· Respondents highlighted an improved timetable and a more dependable service (36%) as the key areas for improvement in public bus services.

· In line with previous surveys, convenience (59%) has been cited as the primary reason for using private transport instead of public transport. When asked what makes private transport more convenient, respondents noted that it allows them to travel wherever (24%) and whenever (23%) they want to.

· The Transit App has maintained a steady level of recognition, with 29% of respondents indicating awareness in both 2024 and 2022. In contrast, familiarity with the Bee Card has decreased from 50% in 2022 to 43% in 2024. Respondents in Tauranga are more likely to be aware of the Transit App and Bee Card than other respondents.

3. Considerations

3.1 Risks and Mitigations

There are no significant risks associated with this matter.

3.2 Climate Change

Mitigation			Adaptation
Reduce GHG emissions	Produce GHG emissions	Sequester carbon	Anticipate climate change impacts	Respond to climate change impacts
☒	☐	☐	☐	☐

User and non-user surveys enable the identification of focus areas for potential future improvements to public transport. This has the potential to increase public transport mode share, which will support mitigating climate change through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

3.3 Implications for Māori

There are no specific implications for Māori arising from this report. User and non-user surveys enable the identification of focus areas for potential future improvements to public transport, which may be of benefit to Māori.

3.4 Community Engagement

INVOLVE

Whakaura

To work directly with affected communities throughout the process to ensure that their issues and concerns are consistently understood and fully considered in Council’s decision making.

3.5 Financial Implications

There are no material unbudgeted financial implications and this fits within the allocated budget. The costs for ongoing bus user surveys are provided for the annual and long-term plans and subsidised by Waka Kotahi. There are no obligations to conduct the non-user survey, and it has not been included into future budgets.

4. Next Steps

Feedback from these surveys will help inform decisions associated with the planning and implementation of public transport projects.

It should be noted that non-user surveys will not be undertaken going forward, as only bus user surveys have been allocated funding in Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s 2024-2034 Long Term Plan.

Attachments

Attachment 1 - 2024 BOPRC Bus User Survey FINAL REPORT - PDF ⇩

Attachment 2 - 2024 BOPRC Non-User Bus Survey FINAL REPORT - PDF ⇩



Report To:	Public Transport Committee
Meeting Date:	24 September 2024
Report Writer:	Katri Harmoinen, Transport Planner
Report Authoriser:	Oliver Haycock, Director, Public Transport
Purpose:	To update the Committee on progress made on implementation and monitoring of the Bay of Plenty Regional Public Transport Plan 2022-32.

Regional Public Transport Plan Action Plan - Implementation and Monitoring Report

Executive Summary

This report provides an update on progress made on implementation and monitoring of the Bay of Plenty Regional Public Transport Plan 2022-32 (RPTP 2022-32), adopted by Council in September 2022. This is the first progress report on the RPTP 2022-32 since the development and the adoption of the RPTP 2022-32 Action Plan in March 2024. The report includes:

1. Implementation reporting against the 55 RPTP 2022-32 actions; and

2. Monitoring reporting against the 16 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

The three key components of effective policy – planning, implementation and monitoring - are collectively captured by the RPTP 2022-32, and the Implementation (Attachment 1) and Monitoring (Attachment 2) reports.

Overall, good progress is being made on the actions and KPI in the RPTP 2022-32 Action Plan. Some of the actions are however at risk as they do not align with government’s strategic priorities for transport and therefore have been impacted by funding constraints in the National Land Transport Programme.

Recommendations

That the Public Transport Committee:

1 Receives the report, Regional Public Transport Plan Action Plan - Implementation and Monitoring Report.

1. Introduction

Bay of Plenty Regional Council (BOPRC) is required, under the Land Transport Management Act (LTMA) 2003, to produce a Regional Public Transport Plan (RPTP) for the Bay of Plenty region.

The RPTP is the key statutory document for public transport planning and investment. It guides the design and delivery of public transport services, information, and infrastructure in the region. The most recent RPTP, the Bay of Plenty Regional Public Transport Plan 2022-32 (RPTP 2022-32) was adopted by the Public Transport Committee (PTC) in September 2022.

In March 2024 the RPTP 2022-32 Action Plan was developed and adopted by the Public Transport Committee (PTC). The Action Plan has been developed to support the RPTP 2022-32 achieve its strategic intent by developing an implementation and monitoring framework.

This is first time that assessment and reporting of the RPTP 2022-32’s implementation and monitoring has been undertaken. In doing so, it supports management of intended public transport outcomes for the region while meeting the statutory responsibilities outlined by the RPTP 2022-32. Subsequently, two outputs have been provided to report progress:

1. Implementation Report: a review of all 55 actions within the Action Plan and commentary against each (Attachment 1) and summarised at Section 2, below. This report provides a summary of implementation progress and includes a ‘traffic light’ snapshot of the status of each actions’ progress. Implementation reporting will be provided bi-annually to the PTC.

2. Monitoring Report: an update on progress against all the KPIs in the Action Plan.

Attachment 2 is an excerpt of pages 5-9 of the Arotake Performance Report from July 2023 – June 2024. Arotake is also included in full, separately within this agenda. Monitoring reporting will be provided via the Arotake report bi-annually to the PTC.

With the RPTP 2022-32 adopted, and now supported by the Action Plan’s implementation and monitoring functions, the policy cycle is complete – it provides for the three key components of effective policy: plan, implement and monitor. These three components are captured by the RPTP (Plan), and the proposed bi-annual Implementation (Attachment 1) and Monitoring (Arotake) reporting.

Notably, this is the first time that all three items have been presented to the Committee, and therefore, staff would support a conversation to confirm if the approach taken regarding the communication style, layout, and function of the implementation and monitoring components included within Attachment 1 and Arotake, respectively, are at an appropriate level for Committee members and the public.

2. Implementation

The progress summary of the implementation reporting, at Attachment 1, is grouped by the seven strategic objectives of the RPTP 2022-32 and has a total of 55 actions:

1. Mode shift and carbon reduction (9 Actions)

Public transport successfully contributes to the region’s mode shift and greenhouse gas reduction goals.

2. Service planning and design (13 Actions)

Convenient public transport that is accessible to all existing and potential customers.

3. Service and infrastructure delivery (11 Actions)

Public transport services and infrastructure combine to deliver a safe, reliable, punctual, and convenient customer experience while providing value for money.

4. Public transport and land use integration (5 Actions)

Integrated public transport and land use planning, supports well-functioning urban environments that enable all people and communities to provide for their social, economic, and cultural wellbeing, and for their health and safety now, and into the future.

5. Customer experience and information (7 Actions)

An excellent customer experience that grows passenger numbers.

6. Partnerships (6 Actions)

Quality partnerships ensure that we are responsive to customer and community needs.

7. Fares and pricing (4 Actions)

An equitable fare and pricing system that attracts new customers and rewards frequent use.

2.1 Implementation progress summary

The following graphs provide a snapshot of the Implementation report (Attachment 1) for each of the above seven strategic objectives in the RPTP 2022-32 Action Plan. The below graphs represent a summary of the ‘traffic light’ data at Attachment 1 for each objective using the following key.

Not currently being progressed

Activity discontinued – decision by PTC March 24 or lack of Govt support

Progressing slower than anticipated

Progressing well

Completed

2.2 Implementation progress commentary

Overall, good progress is being made in delivering against the 55 actions in the Action Plan:

· 3 have been completed (black)

· 21 are progressing well (green)

· 17 are progressing, but slower than anticipated (orange)

· 6 have been discontinued (brown)

· 8 are not currently being progressed (red)

Actions not progressing, or not progressing as well as planned, can be for a range of reasons, including:

· Does not align with new government strategic direction for transport programmes, reflected in no funding or reduced funding allocation from NZTA. May require discussion/direction from Elected Members on how local share funding that did not attract subsidy should be used.

· Has been discontinued by the PTC, as of March 2024.

· Dependent on the delivery of another project before it can progress.

3. Monitoring

A detailed breakdown of progress made against each of the 16 KPI will be reported biannually through the Arotake Report. This iteration is provided within the Arotake report, an excerpt of the same, provided at Attachment 2.

3.1 Monitoring summary

Some key highlights from the KPIs reported in the latest Arotake Report are:

· Regional public transport patronage has continued to rise since 2021/22, with an increase of 23% in the year 2022/23 to 2023/24.

- This indicates that KPI1 is on track and currently exceeding the target of a regionwide 10% per annum increase in patronage.

- The increase has been largely driven by the introduction of Community Connect in July 2023 and return to 96% of the full timetable in May 2023.

· An annual partner survey was developed for the first time and sent out to key partners, including TLAs and NZTA. Of the seven partners, five were satisfied or highly satisfied with our partnership on public transport matters while two did not repsond.

- Undertaking the survey in part achieves KPI 13, though a specific target is yet to be set.

- Some areas of improvement include how we plan and deliver network refreshes across the region; involving our partners early in such processes; and requests for more easily accessible public transport information.

- Expanding the recipient list of the survey to include a wider range of public transport delivery partners will be considered going forward.

· Customer satisfaction has risen since 2024, measuring 76% in 2024.

- This KPI is tracking well against the KPI10 target of 85%.

- However, at 71%, the customer satisfaction with value for money indicator has decreased for the first time since 2020, showing a drop of 10% since 2021. This is tracking away from the KPI11 target of 90%.

- This is likely to be a reflection of the removal of some of the concessions provided through the government’s Community Connect funding.

4. Considerations

4.1 Alignment with Strategic Framework

This item directly contributes to the “A Vibrant Region’ community outcome in the Council’s Long Term Plan 2021-31.

A Vibrant Region

We lead regional transport strategy and system planning, working with others to deliver a safe and reliable public transport system.

The RPTP 2022-32 implementation and monitoring contributes to the “Connected and enabled communities” outcome in the Council’s Long Term Plan 2024-34.

4.2 Risks and Mitigations

The primary risk that may affect the implementation of some of the activities in the RPTP 2022-32 Action Plan is the new transport strategic priorities set in the Government Policy Statement on land transport 2024. Subsequent government direction has determined how funding in the National Land Transport Fund (NLTF) has been allocated to projects. There are several projects in the RPTP 2022-32 that will be affected and have attracted no funding or reduced funding.

Furthermore, government has indicated that Public Transport Authorities (PTAs) will be expected to look at opportunities for greater cost-recovery, including increased farebox recovery. Staff will be looking at alternative ways of funding RPTP 2022-32 projects, including opportunities for improved efficiencies across current services and the possibility of using fares as a financial lever to increase revenue.

4.3 Climate Change

The matters addressed in this report are of a procedural nature and there is no need to consider climate change impacts. However, impacts will be considered at the operations level as activities and projects covered by this report are being delivered.

4.4 Implications for Māori

Some of the actions in the RPTP 2022-32 Action Plan relate specifically to improving the ways we work with Māori communities, to identify where their public transport access needs are not being met and, where possible, co-design solutions.

4.5 Community Engagement

Robust community engagement was undertaken when the RPTP 2022-32 was developed. The need for community engagement on specific activities and projects will be considered as part of their delivery.

4.6 Financial Implications

There are no material unbudgeted financial implications and this fits within the allocated Transport Planning budget.

5. Next Steps

Staff will continue to improve the implementation and monitoring reporting for the RPTP 2022-32 Action Plan, including identifying and filling knowledge and data gaps.

It is intended that RPTP 2022-32 Action Plan’s implementation and monitoring reports will be provided to the PTC biannually.

Attachments

Attachment 1 - RPTP 2022-32 Action Plan - Implementation Report ⇩

Attachment 2 - RPTP 2022-32 - Key Performance Indicators - Arotake Excerpt ⇩