Notice of the Ordinary meeting of

Regional Transport Committee

Te Kōmiti Waka-ā-Rohe

 

Date:                        Tuesday 28 September 2021

Time:                       1.30p.m.

Location:                  Council Chamber
Civic House
110 Trafalgar Street, Nelson

Agenda

Rārangi take

Chairperson                     Cr Brian McGurk

Deputy Chairperson        Cr Judene Edgar

Members                         Her Worship the Mayor Rachel Reese

        Cr Rohan O'Neill-Stevens

        Waka Kotahi Representative Ms Emma Speight

Quorum:  3                                                                           Pat Dougherty

Chief Executive

Nelson City Council Disclaimer

Please note that the contents of these Council and Committee agendas have yet to be considered by Council and officer recommendations may be altered or changed by the Council in the process of making the formal Council decision. For enquiries call (03) 5460436.


Regional Transport Committee

Establishment and operation of the Regional Transport Committee is governed by the Land Transport Management Act 2003.

Areas of Responsibilities:

·             Preparation of, or variations to a Regional Land Transport Plan, for approval by Council

·             Preparation of or variation to a Regional Public Transport Plan, for approval by Council

·             Provision of advice and assistance to Council in relation to its transport responsibilities.

Powers to Decide:

·             To adopt a policy that determines significance in respect of

o      variations made to regional land transport plans under section 18D of the Land Transport Management Act 2003

o      activities that are included in the regional land transport plan under section 16 of the Land Transport Management Act 2003

·             To approve submissions to external bodies on policy documents likely to influence the content of the Regional Land Transport Plan.

Powers to Recommend to Council:

·             Approval of Regional Land Transport Plan

·             Approval of any variations to the Regional Land Transport Plan

·             Approval of any variation to the Regional Public Transport Plan

·             Any other recommendations regarding the committee’s advice or assistance to Council in relation to its transport responsibilities.

 

 


Regional Transport Committee

28 September 2021

 

 

Page No.

 

Karakia and Mihi Timatanga

 

1.       Apologies

Nil

2.       Confirmation of Order of Business

3.       Interests

3.1       Updates to the Interests Register

3.2       Identify any conflicts of interest in the agenda

4.       Public Forum

5.       Confirmation of Minutes

5.1       29 June 2021                                                                          5 - 8

Document number M18765

Recommendation

That the Regional Transport Committee

1.     Confirms the minutes of the meeting of the Regional Transport Committee, held on 29 June 2021, as a true and correct record.

  

6.       Chairperson's Report

7.       2020/21 Annual Monitoring Report on the Regional Transport Plan 2015-21             9 - 37

Document number R26087


 

Recommendation

That the Regional Transport Committee

1.     Receives the report 2020/21 Annual Monitoring Report on the Regional Transport Plan 2015-21 (R26087) and its attachment (A2720457).

 

 

8.       Waka Kotahi Update                               38 - 59

Document number R26181

Recommendation

That the Regional Transport Committee

1.     Receives the report Waka Kotahi Update (R26181) and its attachment (A2748059).

 

 

9.       Public Transport Update                         60 - 63

Document number R26022

Recommendation

That the Regional Transport Committee

1.     Receives the report Public Transport Update  (R26022); and

2.     Notes the conditions for carriage of Pets on Public Transport as listed under section 4.8 of report R26022 for the purposes of a trial period; and

3.     Notes payment of the Living Wage to Bus drivers will require consideration of additional funding in Year 2 of the Long Term Plan 2021-31; and 

4.     Notes that a Memorandum of Understanding between Nelson City and Tasman District Councils regarding joint future public transport management is under development and will be bought to a future Regional Transport Committee meeting before the new contract is in place.

 

       

 

Karakia Whakamutunga

 

 


Regional Transport Committee Minutes - 29 June 2021

 

 

 

Minutes of a meeting of the

Regional Transport Committee

Te Kōmiti Waka-ā-Rohe

Held in the Council Chamber, Civic House, 110 Trafalgar Street, Nelson on Tuesday 29 June 2021, commencing at 1.30p.m.

 

Present:               Councillor B McGurk (Chairperson), Her Worship the Mayor R Reese, Councillors J Edgar, R O'Neill-Stevens and Waka Kotahi Representative Ms E Speight

In Attendance:     Chief Executive (P Dougherty), Group Manager Infrastructure (A Louverdis), Governance Adviser (J Brandt) and Governance Support (P Boutle)

Apologies :          Nil

 

The meeting was adjourned from 1.31p.m. to reconvene after the conclusion of the Council meeting. The meeting reconvened at 3.04p.m.

 

1.       Apologies

There were no apologies.

2.       Confirmation of Order of Business

There was no change to the order of business.

3.       Interests

There were no updates to the Interests Register, and no interests with items on the agenda were declared.

4.       Public Forum

There was no public forum.

5.       Confirmation of Minutes

5.1       16 February 2021

Document number M15416, agenda pages 6 - 10 refer.

Resolved RTC/2021/006

 

That the Regional Transport Committee

1.     Confirms the minutes of the meeting of the Regional Transport Committee, held on 16 February 2021, as a true and correct record.

O'Neill-Stevens/Edgar                                                                      Carried

5.2       21 April 2021

Document number M16576, agenda pages 11 - 18 refer.

Resolved RTC/2021/007

 

That the Regional Transport Committee

1.     Confirms the minutes of the meeting of the Regional Transport Committee, held on 21 April 2021, as a true and correct record.

O'Neill-Stevens/Edgar                                                                      Carried

  

6.       Chairperson's Report

Document number R25981

There was no Chairperson’s report.

 

7.       Proposed Setting of Speed Limits Rule 2021 - Submission

Document number R25931, agenda pages 19 - 47 refer.

Manager Roading and Solid Waste, Marg Parfitt, supported by Senior Transport Adviser, Bill Rice, presented the report.

Resolved RTC/2021/008

 

That the Regional Transport Committee

1.     Receives the report Proposed Setting of Speed Limits Rule 2021 - Submission (R25931) and its attachments (A2681890 and A2683867) and;

2.     Approves retrospectively the submission on the Setting of Speed Limits Rule 2021 to Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency (A2681890 and A2683867 of Report R25931).

Edgar/Her Worship the Mayor                                                          Carried

 

8.       Nelson Tasman 2021-31 Regional Public Transport Plan

Document number R25893, agenda pages 48 - 147 refer.

Manager Roading and Solid Waste, Marg Parfitt, supported by Team Leader Transport Activity Management, Sue McAuley, presented the report. Ms Parfitt highlighted changes made to the final draft plan and answered questions about wording used in relation to timetable changes and budgets for year 3.

An additional clause was added to provide a process for approval of minor editorial amendments.

Resolved RTC/2021/009

 

That the Regional Transport Committee

1.     Receives the report Nelson Tasman 2021-31 Regional Public Transport Plan and its attachments (A2679766 and A2679732); and

2.     Delegates authority to approve minor editorial amendments to the Nelson Regional Public Transport Plan 2021-2031 to the Chair and Deputy Chair of the Regional Transport Committee.

McGurk/Edgar                                                                                  Carried

 

Recommendation to Council RTC/2021/010

 

That the Council

1.     Approves the Nelson Regional Public Transport Plan 2021-2031 (A2679732 of Report R25893) for submission to Waka Kotahi prior to 2 July 2021.

McGurk/Edgar                                                                                  Carried

 

9.       Waka Kotahi Update

Document number R22668, agenda pages 148 - 162 refer.

Waka Kotahi representative, Emma Speight, spoke to the presentation contained in the agenda. She answered questions about SH6 Richmond Deviation mediation barrier and the Richmond Transport Programme Business Case, traffic flow, and Management Data standards.

Attendance: Her Worship the Mayor Reese left the meeting from 3.39p.m. until 3.45p.m.

Waka Kotahi Principal Transport Planner, Rhys Palmer gave a Powerpoint presentation (A2702771) on the engagement undertaken for the Nelson Future Access project.

Mr Palmer noted that the numbers in the presentation were provisional and that an engagement report would be made available on the Waka Kotahi website in late July.

Mr Palmer answered questions about support for controlled signals at the Parkers Rd/Tahunanui Drive/Annesbrook Drive intersection, the East/West cycle route preferences, parking around the hospital, and future planned engagement with the public.

 

Resolved RTC/2021/011

 

That the Regional Transport Committee

1.     Receives the report Waka Kotahi Update (R22668) and its attachment (A2686516).

McGurk/O'Neill-Stevens                                                                    Carried

Attachments

1    A2702771 - Waka Kotahi Community Engagement Presentation 29Jun2021

       

There being no further business the meeting ended at 4.01p.m.

 

Confirmed as a correct record of proceedings:

 

 

                                                         Chairperson                                 Date

 


 

Item 7: 2020/21 Annual Monitoring Report on the Regional Transport Plan 2015-21

 

Regional Transport Committee

28 September 2021

 

 

REPORT R26087

2020/21 Annual Monitoring Report on the Regional Transport Plan 2015-21

 

 

1.       Purpose of Report

1.1       To receive the 2020/21 Annual Monitoring Report on the Regional Land Transport Plan 2015-2021.

2.       Recommendation

 

That the Regional Transport Committee

1.     Receives the report 2020/21 Annual Monitoring Report on the Regional Transport Plan 2015-21 (R26087) and its attachment (A2720457).

 

3.       Background

3.1       Section 16(3)(f) of the Land Transport Management Act 2003 requires measures to monitor the performance of the activities identified in the Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP). 

3.2       The RLTP details both the Regional and Nelson monitoring indicators and targets and these are required to be reported annually. Some changes to the Regional monitoring indicators occurred in the Mid-Term RLTP review, including the introduction of vehicle occupancy, walking, and cycling counts, and bus patronage.

4.       Discussion

The 2020-21 Annual report is appended as Attachment 1.

Author:           Margaret Parfitt, Manager - Transport and Solid Waste

Attachments

Attachment 1:    A2720457 2020-2021 RLTP monitoring report  

 


Item 7: 2020/21 Annual Monitoring Report on the Regional Transport Plan 2015-21: Attachment 1

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Item 8: Waka Kotahi Update

 

Regional Transport Committee

28 September 2021

 

 

REPORT R26181

Waka Kotahi Update

     

 

1.       Purpose of Report

1.1       To provide the Committee with the Waka Kotahi regular update.  

 

 

 

2.       Recommendation

 

That the Regional Transport Committee

1.     Receives the report Waka Kotahi Update (R26181) and its attachment (A2748059).

 

 

3.       Background

3.1       This report provides an update from Waka Kotahi on a variety of issues (refer to Attachment 1).

3.2       Waka Kotahi representatives will be in attendance at the meeting to answer any questions and to provide any update further to their report.

 

Author:           Margaret Parfitt, Manager - Transport and Solid Waste

Attachments

Attachment 1:    A2748059 Waka Kotahi Update to Sept 2021 Nelson RTC    


Item 8: Waka Kotahi Update: Attachment 1


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 

Item 9: Public Transport Update

 

Regional Transport Committee

28 September 2021

 

 

REPORT R26022

Public Transport Update

 

 

1.       Purpose of Report

1.1       To update the Regional Transport Committee (RTC) on several issues regarding Public Transport.

2.       Recommendation

 

That the Regional Transport Committee

1.     Receives the report Public Transport Update  (R26022); and

2.     Notes the conditions for carriage of Pets on Public Transport as listed under section 4.8 of report R26022 for the purposes of a trial period; and

3.     Notes payment of the Living Wage to Bus drivers will require consideration of additional funding in Year 2 of the Long Term Plan 2021-31; and 

4.     Notes that a Memorandum of Understanding between Nelson City and Tasman District Councils regarding joint future public transport management is under development and will be bought to a future Regional Transport Committee meeting before the new contract is in place.

 

 

3.       Background

3.1       Feedback from the public consultation of the Regional Public Transport Plan (RPTP) was considered in the deliberations report that came to the RTC on 29 June 2021. The RPTP was adopted by Council on 1 July 2021 and submitted to Waka Kotahi on 2 July 2021. Response letters to all submitters were sent out in August 2021.

3.2       Several actions are signalled in the RPTP and this report provides the RTC with an update on those matters and recommendations to enable progression of those actions.

4.       Discussion

Funding

4.1       The National Land Transport Fund (NLTF) has been announced in two parts. In early August 2021, Waka Kotahi advised of funding support for the existing public transport services. The funding allocation provided included a nominal amount to cover any fare revenue shortfalls or extra costs due to COVID-19. Since the August announcement, recent COVID-19 Alert Level 4 and 3 shutdowns have significantly affected public transport patronage and the required cleaning regime.

4.2       Waka Kotahi has advised that any additional costs, and fare revenue shortfall will be subsidised at the normal Funding Assistance Rate (FAR) (51%). This differs significantly from the last time New Zealand was at Alert levels 4 and 3 when the shortfall was 100% met by Waka Kotahi.

4.3       In early September 2021, Waka Kotahi announced public transport improvement funding was approved in part. Nelson City Council’s (NCC) funding request was met for improvements as outlined in the RPTP from year 3, but part of Tasman District Council’s (TDC) was initially declined in error. Officers have been in discussion with TDC and Waka Kotahi to discuss this and it is likely additional to TDC funding will be approved.

Travelling with Pets

4.4       In past years through the service request system, and most recently through the submission to the draft RPTP, requests have been made to allow the carriage of some pets on public transport.

4.5       Officers have held discussions with the current operator and have researched other Public Transport Authorities (PTAs) position on this.

4.6       Many PTAs. including Environment Canterbury, Northland, and Auckland Transport (AT) currently only allow disability assist dogs and disability assist dogs in training on buses under the supervision of their owner/ caregiver. Other pets are not allowed. AT does allow pet travel on trains. In discussion with other PTA officers around the country, it is apparent that some are contemplating relaxing the pet travel ban.

4.7       Some PTAs, including Greater Wellington Regional Council (GW) and Hawkes Bay, allow pets to be carried in buses under certain conditions. Dunedin and Queenstown will be allowing pets to be carried on buses from September this year. The current Nbus operator has signalled that it is agreeable to a trial allowing the carriage of pets in a manner aligned with the GW practice.

4.8       Officers have replicated the GW conditions as it could apply to the Nelson-Tasman Nbus service for a trial period. The proposed conditions are listed below.  

A person may travel on our Nbus vehicles with their certified disability assist dog in accordance with the Dog Control Act 1996.

Living Wage

4.9       In May 2021, Waka Kotahi wrote to all PTAs indicating Government has an expectation that bus drivers on services contracted by PTAs should be paid a minimum base rate that is at least equivalent to the Living Wage as determined by Living Wage Aotearoa. Waka Kotahi indicated it would be providing additional funding to help meet any consequential new costs. This funding would be at the standard FAR of 51%.

4.10     NCC included a provisional sum of $38,000 in the Long Term Plan (LTP) to enable this payment to be made once negotiations with the operator were settled and a $14,000 contribution from TDC was anticipated.

4.11     Negotiation with the public transport contractor has progressed and it has agreed to increasing drivers’ wages. Through the process of negotiation, some additional costs have been identified that were not included in the initial figure included in either the RPTP or the LTP. The initial provisional sum was based on drivers operating hours only and excluded the effect of applying the living wage rate to annual leave, sick leave, and kiwi saver contributions.

4.12     The operator has agreed to cover additional cost incurred for hours required to keep drivers trained and appropriately licensed, (first aid/ medical testing/ cycle awareness driver training etc).

4.13     The figure included in the LTP was an annual figure and will be sufficient to meet the 2021-22 costs if the change is made from 1 January 2022, but will require revision for future years. A further increase of approximately $22,000 will be required from NCC which will attract a 51% FAR. An equitable additional $8,000 from TDC will be required.

4.14     In May 2021, Waka Kotahi indicated that more detailed guidance on its position on future indexation adjustments would be provided in due course, but, to date, no advice has been received. Because of that uncertainty it is officers’ intention to, at this stage, pay the operator a separate payment to enable the living wage to be paid from 1 January 2022 rather than alter the contract price that will be subject to indexation.

4.15     The Living Wage requirement will be included in the new contract. 

Total Mobility

4.16     The Total Mobility subsidy increase came into effect on 1 July 2021, which raised the maximum subsidy from $10 to $15 per trip. All Total Mobility contracts with agencies and operators were updated to reflect this.

Improvement programme – new contract

4.17     The RPTP proposes a more regionally integrated service with increased funding coming from TDC to support bus services from the wider Tasman area, and to support increased bus frequency on Routes 1 and 2 between Nelson and Richmond. The new public transport contract will be procured and managed by NCC.

4.18     To that end, officers are developing a Memorandum of Understanding between the two Councils that will cover arrangements for operational contract management including contract variations (and the subsequent impact on costs), promotion, patronage reporting and planning any future growth of the service.  This will be bought to a future RTC meeting.

4.19     A number of workstreams are being progressed in preparation for the procurement of the new contract. This includes development of the Public Transport Procurement Policy as required by Waka Kotahi, the detailed work on timetable scheduling, and routes, the latter of which will include some further community engagement. Funding for a permanent position to assist with this public transport work has been approved through the RLPT activity and recruitment is planned to commence in the coming weeks.

 

 

Author:           Margaret Parfitt, Manager - Transport and Solid Waste

Attachments

Nil