Strategic Fit

Introduction

A strategic fit assessment considers how an identified problem, issue or opportunity aligns with GPS A Government Policy Statement on Land Transport Funding issued under section 86 of the LTMA results.

Strategic fit focuses on the problem, issue or opportunity being addressed and is considered without regard to the possible solution.

Strategic Fit

The strategic fit assessment looks at the relevance and significance of the issue in relation to desired transport results. It assesses how the problem/issue/opportunity:

• matches the desired GPS A Government Policy Statement on Land Transport Funding issued under section 86 of the LTMA result(s)
• matches any Government national policy priorities agreed by Cabinet consistent with the GPS A Government Policy Statement on Land Transport Funding issued under section 86 of the LTMA , including, for example, activities identified in regional economic growth strategies
• is significant in relation to the desired GPS A Government Policy Statement on Land Transport Funding issued under section 86 of the LTMA result(s)
• is significant in relation to the scale of the gap to the appropriate customer level of service or performance measure
• is significant as part of an end to end journey
• is significant from a national perspective (given local, regional, national perspectives)
• is significant in relation to GPS A Government Policy Statement on Land Transport Funding issued under section 86 of the LTMA timeframes, i.e. a significant issue/opportunity within 3/6/6+ years

These criteria provide the framework that is further tailored where required according to activity class, focus area, type of activity or outcome. The default strategic fit is low until evidence is provided otherwise.

Significance of the problem, issue or opportunity

The need for investment comes from addressing a level of service gap. Historically, the gap has not been explicitly or consistently defined.

The One Network Road Classification (ONRC) defines nationally consistent customer levels of service. Over time, all roads in a particular category should offer an increasingly consistent fit for purpose customer level of service for users. Identifying the gap to the ONRC customer levels of service will become a key input into the assessment of strategic fit for road maintenance and improvements.

No nationally consistent level of service or classification yet exists for public transport or walking and cycling. In these activity classes we use proxies to determine the significance of the problem, issue or opportunity including the geographical classification such as 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. or primary routes.

Strategic fit criteria

Strategic fit is not an assessment of the solution. It is an assessment of the relevance and significance of the problem, issue or opportunity in relation to the desired GPS A Government Policy Statement on Land Transport Funding issued under section 86 of the LTMA results.

To assist the determination of strategic fit for individual programmes or activities, the strategic fit criteria has been defined by activity class groupings, as described in the following sections:

• Road Maintenance
• Public transport programmes
• Road safety promotion
• Walking and cycling improvements
• Public transport improvements
• Road improvements (including local roads, state highways and regional improvements)
• Investment management (including planning, research and management)
• Road policing

Key definitions

Items in bold are common terms used in the identification of strategic fit and the alignment to the Transport Agency’s strategic investment direction.

These terms are defined in the glossary.