The new regional land transport strategy

The region is preparing a transport strategy for the next 30 years and beyond.

• Time line and process
• Background document: consulting now
• Have your say

We've already made a good start. The RLTS 2005 covered the 10-years to 2016, and it took the region's thinking in a very definite direction. It was very much about trying to strike a balance between road transport and other, more sustainable ways of getting around.

It called for a substantial increase in public transport spending, the completion of key elements of the strategic road network and placed new emphasis on travel demand management, in particular walking and cycling.

The next-generation RLTS will look again at similar issues, but the long-term horizon means we have the opportunity to examine some fundamental challenges Auckland faces.

We have a fast-growing population - and it's growing faster than we knew even three years ago - and that means more people and freight will need to get around in a region all too used to peak-hour traffic jams.

Important aspects of the strategy will be to consider how the region can better align transport and land use decisions and, for the first time, to examine the possible impacts of rising energy costs.

In other words, we're thinking about why most people travel by car, whether we need to change that, and how. We know the lay-out of the city makes it hard to get by without one, and we know people and businesses will run into difficulty if they can't afford fuel.

Time line and process

The region hopes to formally adopt the new long-term transport strategy next year, but there's fair bit of work to do.

We recently sought feedback on a background paper outlining some of the issues Auckland faces. Technical research has also been commissioned.

All of this information will go towards the draft strategy and options which will be considered by the Regional Transport Committee (RTC) towards the end of this year.

The draft strategy and options will distil issues and choices for the region as it decides how the transport system needs to develop over time. There will be trade offs that need to be made - in what we can afford, the effects on the environment and economy, between relative priorities and sometimes competing objectives.

A draft RLTS will be published early next year. It will be open for public submissions and public hearings, before being finalised by the RTC and the ARC.

The RTC will meet each month to progress work. It comprises elected representatives from all of Auckland's councils, representatives and observers from the New Zealand Transport Agency, KiwiRail and the Auckland Regional Transport Authority, and members chosen to champion the areas of economic development, access and mobility, public health, environmental sustainability, safety and personal security, and cultural interests.

Background document

The background document below outlines the issues and challenges faced by the region that must be addressed in the new Regional Land Transport Strategy.

At the same time, we produced and consulted on a background document for the review of the Auckland Regional Policy Statement. Many of the issues overlap, so the background documents are linked. They are labelled Part A and B and are numbered sequentially. The RLTS background document for the RLTS starts where the ARPS finishes - at the number 17.

While a draft of the Regional Land Transport Strategy will notified and open for submissions in March 2009, the feedback we receive now will shape the first draft and inform discussions by the Regional Transport Committee.

Have your say

We recently completed our first phase of consultation on the new regional land transport strategy. We aim to invite comment on the draft in early 2009.

Telephone enquiries should be directed to Hamish Glenn on 09 366 2000 ext 8660