Section 3: Council Activities

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Roads

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Responsibility

Max Aves (Manager Roading Assets)

Description of service

The Roads activity involves the maintenance and development of roads, kerbs and channels, bridges, street lighting, footpaths and traffic management for all roads (except state highways) in the district. State highways fall under the jurisdiction of the New Zealand Transport Agency. The district is reliant on road transport to move people, goods and services around and the Council maintains its roads in accordance with the Roading Asset Management Plan.

Scale of service

This describes the size and scope of the activity.

1,274km of roads:
1,096km sealed roads.
178km unsealed roads.
256 bridges (9 pedestrian, 247 road).
89 tunnels/underpasses (82 stock underpasses, five tunnels, two pedestrian underpasses).
$1,283 million network replacement value (land included).
100 per cent of population reached.

Rationale for activity

The Council is responsible for the maintenance, renewal and improvement of a network of roads, footpaths and cycleways in the district. Roads are essential to the community’s economic and social well-being.

The land that roads are on (the road reserve) is kept in public ownership so that everyone can move around the district freely. This also allows for the ready movement of goods and services on roads, and for the location of electricity, gas, water, wastewater, stormwater and telecommunications networks within road reserves.

The forming, surfacing, sealing and/or grading of road surfaces, along with traffic management and control systems, allow for safe and efficient travel by motor vehicles and cyclists. Footpaths are provided for safe and comfortable passage of pedestrians around the district’s urban areas. Streetlights are provided for the safety of all road users during night-time hours including motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.

The Taranaki economy, of which New Plymouth District is an integral part, is heavily reliant on road transport to move people, goods and services from farms, factories and offices around the region.

Contribution to Community Outcomes

The Roads activity contributes primarily towards the Connected Community Outcome by providing a transport network that enables cyclists, pedestrians and vehicles to travel throughout the district. Roads also contributes to the Sustainable Community Outcome by providing environmental management of roading effects including dust, noise, vibration, pest plants and stormwater runoff. The provision of these networks also contributes to the Economic and Secure and Healthy Community Outcomes.

Connected

A district that delivers accessible and integrated infrastructure, transport and communication systems which meet the needs of residents, businesses and visitors.

C1 Effective, efficient, safe and reliable infrastructure is provided and maintained.

C3 The land transport system is safe and responsive.

C4 The strategic value of the region’s state highways is recognised and provided for and local roading networks are maintained and enhanced where appropriate.

Negative impacts on community well-being

Road transport is almost entirely reliant on engines burning either petrol or diesel. These are significant sources of greenhouse gases, which are believed to contribute to global warming, which in turn is believed to be the foremost threat to the environment. It has been argued that improving roads generates more traffic, and therefore more greenhouse gas emissions. Motor vehicles also produce other pollutants, e.g. benzenes and brake pad dust which are harmful to life. Appropriate design and traffic management for roads usually results in reduced travel distances and times, thus reducing environmental effects.

The provision of roads even in accordance with best practice can still result in negative impacts on sections of the community. Safety, health and reduction of road crashes will be achieved through the implementation of a new safety management system, continued crash reduction studies and regular liaison with other agencies such as the New Zealand Transport Agency and New Zealand Police.

Congestion occurs on some local roads at peak times. Normal weekday congestion is generally of short duration, although other peak period congestion (e.g. pre-Christmas) can be for longer periods. For these latter periods, additional traffic control measures may be put in place for the
New Plymouth CBD.

The discharge of stormwater run-off from roads to natural watercourses via stormwater systems can lead to contaminants originating from motor vehicles entering natural waterways. The effects of run-off from roads are managed to reduce potential damage to the environment and the roading network.

Facing the challenges – assumptions and risks

Assumptions

Increasing vehicle ownership, steadily increasing commercial and industrial growth together with moderate increases in population growth will generate increased usage of the district’s roading assets. Increases in fuel prices and encouraging people to use other transport modes (such as cycling and walking) will help to manage this demand.
Increases in subdivisions will increase demand for extending the roading network.
Community efforts to reduce injuries and road fatalities will continue.
Customers’ expectations for quality parking and traffic management services will continue.
There will be an increased demand for cycleways and footpaths as a result of modal shift brought about by fuel price increases and a greater emphasis on sustainable transport options as driven by the Model Communities initiative.
Climate change will impact on storm events; this in turn will result in the increased likelihood of road damage particularly in rural areas.
Roading costs will continue to increase over time and are likely to be in excess of indexed (e.g. CPI) inflation rates.
New Zealand Transport Agency funding subsidies will be guaranteed as it is the third year of the National Land Transport Programme.
Central government will place increasing emphasis on transport sector reform, through such mechanisms as the NZ Transport Strategy 2008 and the Government Policy Statement on Land Transport Funding 2009-19.

Risks

The most significant risks to roading assets centre around roading infrastructure impacts caused by extreme weather events.
Changing capacity and level of service criteria for strategic bridges, rural roads and tunnels may require significantly more expenditure to implement.
Reduction in central government funding from
New Zealand Transport Agency subsidies will reduce the road programme for current or future years.

Managing risks

Incident response plans have been developed to prepare the Council for events of varying severity.
Detailed project scopes are developed which take into account changing transport needs. Project budgets are managed accordingly.
Reductions in central government funding and changes in local roading standards are considered in the context of the Roading Asset Management Plan and particularly the risk matrix contained within that plan.

Levels of service and performance measures

The following levels of service and performance measures outline the objectives we will set and how we will measure our progress.

Service objective	Related Community Outcome(s)	Performance measures	Performance targets
Service objective	Related Community Outcome(s)	Performance measures	2010/11	2011/12
Provide a quality local roading network that is efficient and safe to motor vehicle users.	Connected 1, 3 & 4	Percentage of the community satisfied with the ability to drive around the district quickly, easily and safely (NRB Survey).	85% (including ‘don’t know’ responses)	85% (including ‘don’t know’ responses)
	Connected 1, 3 & 4 Sustainable 5	Percentage of the community satisfied with the district’s quality of roads overall (NRB Survey).	85% (including ‘don’t know’ responses)	85% (including ‘don’t know’ responses)
Provide a quality local roading network that is smooth to travel on.	Connected 1, 3 & 4	Level of the district’s roading network that is smooth as measured by smooth travel exposure percentage (percentage of vehicle kilometres travelled on sealed roads).	88%	88%
	Connected 1, 3 & 4	The district’s roading network is maintained, renewed and enhanced in accordance with the Roading Asset Management Plan.	Achieved	Achieved
Provide a quality local roading network that is efficient and safe for all road users.	Connected 1, 3 & 4 Secure and Healthy 2	Number of reported crashes per 100 million kilometres driven (Crash Analysis System statistics).	81	79
Maintain, renew and enhance the district’s roading network in accordance with the Roading Asset Management Plan.	Connected 1, 3 & 4	Percentage of the maintenance and renewal programme achieved as outlined in the Roading Asset Management Plan.	100%	100%
Provide a quality footpath network that is safe for pedestrians.	Connected 1, 3 & 4 Sustainable 5	Percentage of the community satisfied with the quality and safety of the district’s footpaths (NRB Survey).	82% (including ‘don’t know’ responses)	83% (including ‘don’t know’ responses)
Provide a quality cycleway network that is safe for cyclists.	Connected 1, 3 & 4 Secure and Healthy 2 & 3	Percentage of the community (including cyclists) satisfied with the quality and safety of the district’s cycleway (NRB Survey).	74% (including ‘don’t know’ responses)	76% (including ‘don’t know’ responses)

FINANCIAL PLAN	LTCCP 2011/12 ($000)	Budget 2011/12 ($000)
OPERATIONS
Roads activity expenditure	24,751	22,098
Road activity revenue	(10,393)	(11,211)
Net cost of operations	14,358	10,887

Appropriations and reserves
Capital contributions	5,309	6,581
Depreciation unfunded/deferred	(5,028)	(5,418)
Total appropriations and reserves	281	1,163

RATES REQUIREMENT FOR OPERATIONS	14,639	12,050

CAPITAL EXPENDITURE
Total renewals	9,112	8,146
Total improvements	3,159	5,261
Total capital expenditure	12,271	13,407

Capital funding
Capital contributions	(5,309)	(6,581)
Total capital funding	(5,309)	(6,581)

Net cost of capital activities	6,962	6,826

Appropriations and reserves
Transfer from depreciation reserves	(4,781)	(4,239)
Total appropriations and reserves	(4,781)	(4,239)

FUNDING REQUIREMENT FOR CAPITAL	2,181	2,587

RATES AND FUNDING REQUIREMENT
Rates requirement for operations	14,639	12,050
Funding requirement for capital	2,181	2,587
TOTAL RATES AND FUNDING REQUIREMENT	16,820	14,637