Strategic fit for public transport infrastructure

Introduction

For the latest information, please see the Assessment Framework for the 2015-18 NLTP.

This section sets out the guidance on assessing strategic fit for activities within the public transport infrastructure activity class.

The public transport infrastructure activity class incorporates:

• work category A type of activity – not confined to a particular activity class, e.g. new roads (work category 323) appears in:
  
  * activity class 12 – local road improvements
  * activity class 13 – state highways improvements 531- Public transport facilities major renewals and improvements

Default strategic fit

By default, the strategic fit rating for public transport infrastructure is low.

Requirements for medium rating

A medium strategic fit rating may be given if there is potential for a significant contribution to economic growth and productivity by linking people to employment or improving access to economic opportunities through significant improvements in one or more of:

• Providing more transport choice Transport choice means making available to transport users, particularly those with limited access to a car or who are vulnerable to changes in fuel prices, alternative means of transport. in major urban areas Major urban areas An area within a permanent speed limit of less than or equal to 70 km/h. have the highest concentration of economic activity in employment and firms within the main urban areas Main urban areas An area within a permanent speed limit of less than or equal to 70 km/h. represent the most urbanised areas with respect to the concentration of employment, firms and population. Main urban areas are centred on a city or main urban centre. They have a minimum population of 30,000 and an above-average concentration of businesses (typically greater than 90 businesses per 1,000 population). Main urban areas are as defined by Statistics NZ.  Under these criteria the main urban areas are represented by Whangarei, Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua, Gisborne, Napier-Hastings, New Plymouth, Wanganui, Palmerston North, Kapiti, Wellington, Nelson, Blenheim, Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill. The extent of the main urban areas is depicted in maps which can be found on the Statistics NZ website. . These are currently represented by the major business and employment areas within the main urban areas An area within a permanent speed limit of less than or equal to 70 km/h. of Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.  , particularly for those with limited access to a car
• Public transport network and interchange capacity constraints When demand, in terms of volume or load, routinely exceeds operating capacity in major urban areas Major urban areas An area within a permanent speed limit of less than or equal to 70 km/h. have the highest concentration of economic activity in employment and firms within the main urban areas Main urban areas An area within a permanent speed limit of less than or equal to 70 km/h. represent the most urbanised areas with respect to the concentration of employment, firms and population. Main urban areas are centred on a city or main urban centre. They have a minimum population of 30,000 and an above-average concentration of businesses (typically greater than 90 businesses per 1,000 population). Main urban areas are as defined by Statistics NZ.  Under these criteria the main urban areas are represented by Whangarei, Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua, Gisborne, Napier-Hastings, New Plymouth, Wanganui, Palmerston North, Kapiti, Wellington, Nelson, Blenheim, Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill. The extent of the main urban areas is depicted in maps which can be found on the Statistics NZ website. . These are currently represented by the major business and employment areas within the main urban areas An area within a permanent speed limit of less than or equal to 70 km/h. of Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. 
• Transport interconnections and ease of changing modes in major urban areas Major urban areas An area within a permanent speed limit of less than or equal to 70 km/h. have the highest concentration of economic activity in employment and firms within the main urban areas Main urban areas An area within a permanent speed limit of less than or equal to 70 km/h. represent the most urbanised areas with respect to the concentration of employment, firms and population. Main urban areas are centred on a city or main urban centre. They have a minimum population of 30,000 and an above-average concentration of businesses (typically greater than 90 businesses per 1,000 population). Main urban areas are as defined by Statistics NZ.  Under these criteria the main urban areas are represented by Whangarei, Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua, Gisborne, Napier-Hastings, New Plymouth, Wanganui, Palmerston North, Kapiti, Wellington, Nelson, Blenheim, Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill. The extent of the main urban areas is depicted in maps which can be found on the Statistics NZ website. . These are currently represented by the major business and employment areas within the main urban areas An area within a permanent speed limit of less than or equal to 70 km/h. of Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. 
• Safety and personal security Personal security means the reduction of risks or perceived risks for users of land transport services and facilities in respect of their personal wellbeing. of users of the public transport system

Requirements for high rating

A public transport infrastructure project must only be given a high strategic fit rating if there is potential for a nationally significant contribution The combination of volume or quantity of demand or probability and consequence or magnitude makes the potential or delivery of the impact or outcome nationally significant. E.g. high impact high volume vs. low impact low volume to economic growth and productivity by linking people to employment or improving access to economic opportunities through significant improvements in one or more of:

• Peak time
  Peak vs off-peak hours for public transport are defined as those pertaining to the operation of the Supergold Card scheme
  Peak time hours are defined as:
  
  
  * The commence of services at the start of the day to 9:00am Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays
  * From 3:00pm to 6:30pm Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays
  All services commencing outside of these hours and days are considered off-peak services, i.e. 9am to 3pm and beyond 6:30pm on weekdays excluding public holidays and all hours of operation on Saturdays and Sundays. public transport patronage in major urban areas Major urban areas An area within a permanent speed limit of less than or equal to 70 km/h. have the highest concentration of economic activity in employment and firms within the main urban areas Main urban areas An area within a permanent speed limit of less than or equal to 70 km/h. represent the most urbanised areas with respect to the concentration of employment, firms and population. Main urban areas are centred on a city or main urban centre. They have a minimum population of 30,000 and an above-average concentration of businesses (typically greater than 90 businesses per 1,000 population). Main urban areas are as defined by Statistics NZ.  Under these criteria the main urban areas are represented by Whangarei, Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua, Gisborne, Napier-Hastings, New Plymouth, Wanganui, Palmerston North, Kapiti, Wellington, Nelson, Blenheim, Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill. The extent of the main urban areas is depicted in maps which can be found on the Statistics NZ website. . These are currently represented by the major business and employment areas within the main urban areas An area within a permanent speed limit of less than or equal to 70 km/h. of Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.  for easing of severe congestion Severe congestion congestion is where the volume to capacity ratio exceeds 80% for 5 days per week over at least a 1 hour time period that affects at least 1.5 km of a route.  For information on the volume to capacity ratio, see Appendix A3 of the NZTA's Economic Evaluation Manual is where the volume to capacity ratio exceeds 100% for 5 days per week over at least 1 hour in a time period on at least 3 km of a route and the average annual daily traffic (AADT) is greater than 20,000 vehicles per day.
  For information on the volume to capacity ratio, refer to Appendix A3 of the NZTA's Economic Evaluation Manual
• Optimising public transport services and infrastructure Optimisation of public transport services and infrastructure involves rational analysis of:
  
  
  * passenger transport demand forecasts
  
  * passenger transport policies and measures, including farebox recovery policy
  
  * related strategies, e.g. land use, demand management, walking and cycling
  
  * service level targets
  
  * whole-of-life costs
  
  * risks and mitigation
  
  * decision-making processes, and
  
  * reducing the government cost per passenger in the medium to long-term,
  
  * through the consideration of making better use Making better use of existing services and infrastructure means fully considering and analysing existing services and use of infrastructure and identifying opportunities for change without significant additional expenditure. of existing services and infrastructure, and extracting maximum value Extracting maximum value from existing services and infrastructure includes optimising services and the use of existing infrastructure to realise the full potential capacity and benefits. from existing services and infrastructure. for increased effectiveness