Safety and route resilience, particularly for freight and tourists, will remain the greatest challenges facing the Southern region during the next three years.
The region’s transport network runs through mountainous terrain and over high alpine passes. There are long distances between towns and tourist destinations, and roads are often affected by flooding, snow, ice and slips. This can make roads treacherous and lead to motorists being stranded during extreme weather events.
The Transport Agency and councils’ safety investment in the Southern region is targeted at making improvements to reduce crash rates and to save lives. A quarter of the region’s capital programme will deliver safety benefits for the network, which is higher than the national average.
Investment to maintain the condition, efficiency and safety of the network is critical, as roads attract high numbers of tourists as well as being social and economic lifelines for the many remote communities in the Southern region. The realignment of Mingha Bluff to Rough Creek through the Arthur’s Pass National Park, for example, will improve safety and network resilience while supporting the significant growth in freight in the area.
By the end of the 2015–18 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) period, investment in bridge strengthening and other works will ensure up to 80% of the Southern region’s state highway network and a number of local roads that access key industry and business sites will support High Productivity Motor Vehicles (HPMVs), capable of carrying heavier loads than standard trucks. As these vehicles can carry more freight on fewer vehicles they deliver significant economic, safety and environmental benefits.
The geographically spread and relatively isolated communities within Canterbury, Otago, Southland and the West Coast rely on the transport network. As well as being a lifeline for communities, the economy relies heavily on the network to transport its products to market and the growing number of visitors to their destinations.
Challenging geography and climate mean the network is vulnerable to flooding, storms and being blanketed in snow and ice. These types of natural events can quickly close roads, strand travellers and isolate communities. Good planning to manage the network is critical to getting everyone moving again and this involves providing alternative routes where possible.
Work will continue throughout the 2015-18 NLTP period on various new initiatives to help improve the resilience of the network and support economic growth and productivity.
Increasing public transport patronage in the Southern region is a priority, particularly in Dunedin and Queenstown.
A full review of Dunedin’s public transport network has been completed by the Otago Regional Council, with the aim of growing bus patronage in the city by 22% over the next three years.
The review covered all aspects of the Dunedin public transport network, and identified a number of cost-effective ways to address the barriers to using the current bus network, including providing a bus hub in the central city to enable people to change services easily; offering a web-based real time information system so people have better information about when their bus is coming; improving bus stop seating and shelters; changing bus routes and improving services on main routes that have the potential to transport the most people; implementing easy to understand and consistent timetables; providing improved information and branding at bus stops; and introducing a simplified fare structure with three main zones and a discount for people who use the bus regularly.
These improvements are all part of the agreed 2015 Regional Public Transport Plan. Otago Regional Council is now in the process of using the partnering delivery model of the Public Transport Operating Model (PTOM) to develop a closer working relationship with operators to improve customer service and performance, grow patronage and reduce reliance on public subsidies. Tendering for bus services has been designed to recognise the skills and experience of bus operators, and ensure a competitive market for public transport while providing services that give people choices about how they can get to a wide range of destinations.
Transport funders are currently looking at ways to best manage growing transport demand from residents and visitors in the Wakatipu Basin, particularly for trips to or through Queenstown town centre and Frankton Flats during busy times of the year. Improved public transport services and infrastructure are likely to be important components of any potential programme to alleviate the impact of increasing private vehicle trips on the constrained road network. A full review of the public transport network in the area is planned for the second half of 2015 as part of the business case work.
2015–18 NLTP public transport investments are forecast to result in 2.9 million passenger trips being made every year for the next three years in Otago, and 278,000 passenger trips per year for the next three years in Southland.
Working with Dunedin City Council, a number of projects will be progressed in the 2015-18 NLTP period to expand the city’s cycleway network and support cycling as a safer and more attractive transport choice for both commuters and recreationalists.
Significant cycling programme proposals include safety improvements for cyclists along State Highway 1, featuring separated cycleways on the one-way system through the Dunedin CBD.
Dunedin City Council also plans to develop its South Dunedin cycle network. This is in an area of the city where 40% of residents do not have access to a car. This network has been prioritised to improve accessibility not only for cyclists, but also pedestrians and public transport users, by looking at network-wide improvements and integration. The proposed network will provide connections to the Harbour cycleway and central Dunedin.
Port Chalmers cycleway is expected to be completed from St Leonards at an estimated cost of $6 million, delivering a safe commute between the communities adjoining the railway and separated from the state highway. It is also expected that the central city and North East Valley corridor, including the City to Harbour Bridge, will receive funding from the Urban Cycleways Fund to provide dedicated cycleways.
Most of the planned cycleways include high-quality shared paths that will also benefit pedestrians.
It is expected that the total cycling and walking investment in Dunedin in the 2015-18 NLTP period will be $10m. This includes $3.5m of Urban Cycleways funding.
Keeping land transport networks available for people to get where they want to go easily, reliably and safely is a primary objective of transport investment across the Southern region. Over the 2015-18 NLTP period, $430m has been allocated for maintenance and renewals of local roads and $316m for state highways.
The Transport Agency is working with councils to agree how the transport network will be maintained and operated to deliver the right level of service to meet the different needs on different parts of the network.
Given the pressure to achieve value for money from maintenance activity funding, any maintenance cost savings identified by a council will benefit all stakeholders. Savings can be redirected to councils where the condition of the network warrants an increase in maintenance investment and there is strong evidence to support the increase.
Across New Zealand around $3.2 billion is expected to be invested in the transport network over the next three years to deliver improved safety outcomes. Most of this expenditure will be directed at infrastructure improvements through the capital works programme, often where safety is one of the outcomes, such as the $4m Rakaia – Ashburton safety initiatives. Further related improvements include congestion relief and travel time improvements. A proportion of this investment targets specific safety improvements including high-risk intersections, such as Pinehill Road in Dunedin, which will benefit from $4m investment in pedestrian and cycling safety initiatives, including Port Chalmers cycleway completion at a cost of $6m, as well as speed management and education programmes.
Working with the NZ Police and investing together in road policing and road safety promotion is at the heart of the region’s investment. Together through targeted programmes the Transport Agency and NZ Police will work to address the factors contributing to crash-related deaths and serious injuries. These factors include speed, drink and drug driving, not wearing restraints, dangerous and careless driving, and high-risk drivers.
In collaboration with our freight partners, the draft South Island Freight Plan has been developed and will be consulted on in 2015. The plan looks to better manage all parts of the freight network, including rail, to improve freight productivity throughout the South Island. The priority is to ensure that goods reach their destination, whether in New Zealand or beyond, with minimal impact on other road users. This work ensures investment in the network will be targeted to achieve the best outcome for everyone.
Bridge strengthening work will also continue throughout the region during the next three years to ensure the network is capable of supporting the growth in HPMVs, which can weigh up to 62 tonnes, reducing the overall number of freight vehicles on our highways and improving safety. One area of focus is the route between Blenheim and Christchurch, which will benefit from $3m investment. By 2018, up to 80% of New Zealand’s state highway network will be capable of carrying HPMVs.
Regionally significant activities that are likely to be considered for construction funding in the years 2018-21 include extension of the Peninsula Roading programme (Harington Point Road and Portobello Road), second Ashburton urban bridge, and Beaumont bridge replacement.
