Agenda of Joint Committee of Tasman District and Nelson City Councils

Joint Committee of Tasman District and Nelson City Councils

23 July 2024

Page No.

Karakia and Mihi Timatanga

1. Apologies

An apology has been received from Councillor R O'Neill-Stevens

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

There is no public forum.

5. Joint Nelson Tasman Speed Management Plan 2024 4 - 68

Document number R28661

Recommendation

That the Joint Committee of Tasman District and Nelson City Councils

1. Receives the report Joint Nelson Tasman Speed Management Plan (R28661) and its attachments (1862260321-70856, 1862260321-70860 and 1862260321-70871); and

2. Approves the amended Joint Nelson Tasman Speed Management Plan 2024 (1862260321-70860); and

3. Approves the Schedule of Speed Limit changes (1862260321-70871); and

4. Authorises the Chief Executive of each Council to approve, within their District:

a. minor corrections to the Schedule of Speed Limit Changes extents; and

b. changes to the implementation date in the Schedule of Speed Limit Changes as needed to account for New Zealand Transport Agency funding decisions or contractor roll out considerations; and

c. the removal of components of the Joint Nelson Tasman Speed Management Speed Management Plan 2024 that are inconsistent with the final Speed Rule and not able to be implemented following the introduction of the final Speed Rule; and

d. notifies the relevant elected members and the Joint Nelson Tasman Regional Transport Committee of any changes made under this delegation.

Karakia Whakamutanga

Item 5: Joint Nelson Tasman Speed Management Plan 2024

 
Joint Committee of Tasman
District and Nelson City Councils
23 July 2024
 

Report Title: Joint Nelson Tasman Speed Management Plan 2024

Report Author: Lyndon Hammond - Team Leader Transport Activity Management

Report Authoriser: Alec Louverdis - Group Manager Infrastructure

Report Number: R28661

1. Purpose of Report

1.1 To provide the recommendations of the Joint Nelson Tasman Regional Transport Committee regarding the Joint Nelson Tasman Speed Management Plan. The Joint Nelson Tasman Regional Transport Committee recommends that the Council approve the plan.

2. Recommendation

That the Joint Committee of Tasman District and Nelson City Councils

1. Receives the report Joint Nelson Tasman Speed Management Plan (R28661) and its attachments (1862260321-70856, 1862260321-70860 and 1862260321-70871); and

2. Approves the amended Joint Nelson Tasman Speed Management Plan 2024 (1862260321-70860); and

3. Approves the Schedule of Speed Limit changes (1862260321-70871); and

4. Authorises the Chief Executive of each Council to approve, within their District:

a. minor corrections to the Schedule of Speed Limit Changes extents; and

b. changes to the implementation date in the Schedule of Speed Limit Changes as needed to account for New Zealand Transport Agency funding decisions or contractor roll out considerations; and

d. notifies the relevant elected members and the Joint Nelson Tasman Regional Transport Committee of any changes made under this delegation.

3. Background

3.1 At its 9 July 2024 meeting, the Joint Nelson Tasman Regional Transport Committee (committee) deliberated on the Joint Nelson Tasman Speed Management Plan.

3.2 The deliberations report is included as Attachment 1 (1862260321-70856) of this report. It provides more detailed background and discussion, summarises the consultation process and feedback received, identifies the alignment with new government direction and provides further detail on the proposed speed limit changes. It identified the options available, officers preferred strategy and the associated risks.

3.3 The committee resolved as follows:

That the Joint Nelson Tasman Regional Transport Committee

1. receives the Nelson Tasman Speed Management Plan Deliberations report RNTRTC24-07-2; and

2. notes that a majority of submitters supported or strongly supported options A and one in the consultation material, indicating our communities want less ambitious speed limit changes; and

3. notes the changing government direction for setting new speed limits which should also be considered alongside consultation feedback, and also supports undertaking fewer and less ambitious speed limit reductions; and

4. notes the risks around changes to the Draft Speed Rule, once finalised, and in particular the risk that all or some elements of the proposed speed limit changes may require re-consultation; and

5. agrees not to pursue urban option C and rural option 3, as proposed in the draft Speed Management Plan, instead making speed limit changes around schools and other targeted changes as outlined in resolution 6; and

6. agrees to recommend speed limit changes for the following road classes:

(a) variable speed limits outside schools, as per table 1 of Attachment 2 to this report with the exception of Cambridge Street (Richmond), Ellis Street (Brightwater), and Edward Street (Wakefield - between SH6 and Pitfure Street), which would all have permanent 30 km/h; and

(b) tortuous unsealed roads (to 60 km/h), as per table 2 of Attachment 2 to this report; and

(d) urban roads with no footpaths (to 30 km/h) as per table 4 of Attachment 2 to this report; and

(e) specified high risk roads (to 80 km/h) as per table 5 of Attachment 2 to this report; and

(f) on road sections of the Great Taste Trail - 60 km/h and 80 km/h depending on road), as per table 6 of Attachment 2 to this report; and

(g) specific road list, as per table 7 of Attachment 2 to this report and for 17 other roads that have the incorrect speed limit contained within the national speed register, as per table 2 of Attachment 2 to this report; and

(h) Council operated carparks within Tasman (to 10 km/h); and

7. delegates authority to the Chair and Deputy Chair of the Joint Nelson Tasman Regional Transport Committee to approve changes to the Amended Plan and Schedule of Speed Limit Changes as per resolutions 5 and 6, and for any minor editorial amendments, prior to being submitted to the Joint Committee of Nelson City and Tasman District Councils.

3.4 Officers have amended the Plan and Schedule of Speed Limits. These changes, and a number of minor editorial changes, have been approved by the Chair and Deputy Chair.

4. Options

4.1 The options available are those put forward to the Joint Nelson Tasman Regional Transport Committee in the attached report. Those options were reviewed by the committee and the officers preferred option supported.

5. Conclusion and Recommendation

5.1 The public response to the Draft Speed Management Plan was high with 2,247 submissions and 44 people who spoke to their submissions in the hearings.

5.2 The Ministry of Transport have released a new Draft Speed Rule which results in substantial changes in relation to the speed limits Road Controlling Authorities can set on specific road types and includes a requirement to include a road by road Cost Benefit Analysis.

5.3 Officers have considered the community feedback and Draft Speed Rule and propose an Amended Plan that includes variable speed limits outside schools, and speed limit reductions on a limited number of other roads or road classification. It targets higher risk rural roads with a lower speed that should substantially reduce road crash and trauma and protects the most vulnerable outside the school gates. It also targets those areas where Councils have received the highest number of requests for lower speed limits.

5.4 A cost benefit analysis has been undertaken by officers and it indicates for the Preferred Option a BCR of approximately 7 for the rural changes and -1.5 in the urban areas.

5.5 The Amended Plan presents a pragmatic way to improve road safety outcomes through safer speeds within the framework allowable under the recently released Draft Speed Rule.

5.6 The Joint Nelson Tasman Regional Transport Committee recommend this plan and the schedule of speed limit changes to the Joint Council Committee for approval (Recommendations 1- 3 above)

5.7 NZTA have indicated they will assess and certify a Speed Management Plan under the current rule if submitted while the current rule is in force. However, there is a risk that the Draft Speed Rule, once finalised, may require the Councils to reconsult on elements of the speed limit changes proposed before they come into effect.

Attachments

Attachment 1: 1862260321-70856 Attachment 1 - RTC - 9-7-24 - Speed Management Delibs Report ⇩

Attachment 2: 1862260321-70860 Attachment 2 - Speed Management Plan - Final for Joint Council Approval ⇩

Attachment 3: 1862260321-70871 Attachment 3 - SMP Schedule - Final for Joint Committee Approval 23-7-24 ⇩