Work category 003: Activity management planning improvement

Introduction

This work category provides for the preparation and improvement of land transport activity management plans, regional public transport plans, road safety action plans and procurement strategies.

Examples of qualifying activities

Examples of qualifying activities include, but may not be limited to:

• preparation, enhancement and improvement of:
  • transport network Activity Management Plans
  • Regional Public Transport Plans (RPTPs)
  • Road Safety Action Plans (RSAPs)
  • procurement strategies
• community consultation related to the improvement of Activity Management Plans and RPTPs
• associated demand forecasting
• development of levels of service targets and implementation plans
• asset performance and service gap analysis
• optimisation process development, including development of network operating plans
• financial forecasts, and
• development and improvement of asset deterioration models.

 

Exclusions

This work category excludes:

• development and improvement of transport models – these are funded under Work Category 002: Transport model development
• business case development of an activity – this is part of the cost of the programme, project or activity,
• the following activities funded under Work Category 151: Network and asset management for roads:
  • regular, routine updates to the plan
  • implementation and operation of asset management systems
  • updating asset information
  • application of Activity Management Plans to activities
  • operation and management of the land transport network
  • roughness and condition rating surveys, and
  • traffic count and congestion surveys,
• the following activities funded under Work category 524: Public transport information supply, operations and maintenance
  • routine updates to the RPTP or other public transport planning documents, where public consultation is not required
  • updating asset information in an RPTP or other public transport planning document
  • updating statistical records or forecasts in an RPTP or other public transport planning document

Funding assistance rates

The usual funding assistance rate is:

• the Approved Organisation's normal FAR, or
• 100% of the Transport Agency state highway costs

Land transport Activity Management Plans

The Transport Agency expects that proposals for funding assistance for the following types of activities will be based on Activity Management Plans prepared under clause 2 of schedule 10 of the Local Government Act 2002:

• network operations and services (including demand management),
• maintenance of land transport infrastructure,
• renewal of land transport infrastructure, and
• improvement and creation of land transport infrastructure  

The Transport Agency will review new and improved Activity Management Plans and provide comments to the responsible organisation.

Transport network asset and activity management plans should be based on the National Asset Management Steering (NAMS) Group’s International infrastructure management manual.

Content of activity management plans 

While the NAMS Group manual provides general guidance for asset and activity management plans, the Transport Agency expects a land transport Activity Management Plan will include the following matters:

• the detail specified in clause 2 of schedule 10 of the Local Government Act 2002
• an awareness of community views and expectations relating to the use of land transport network
• evidence of links to regional and national land transport strategies and targets
• proposed transport levels of service targets and implementation plans
• the organisation’s transport demand management strategy, including demand forecasts and the proposed additional asset capacity, non-asset-based solutions (including inter-agency and community initiatives), or changes to service levels and standards
• life-cycle management strategies
• current asset value, annual depreciation, asset condition and expected asset lives

• major risks and a risk management strategy (including safety and sustainability issues)
• how best value for money will be achieved in the delivery of its land transport services.
• the organisation’s procurement strategy for the activities in the plan
• the organisation’s decision-making and prioritisation process for including activities in a Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP)
• a detailed list of activities for the first three years and an outline of actions for the following seven years
• a financial plan that is clearly linked to an RLTP and a Long Term Plan (LTP) or Annual Plan
• how the performance and use of the network is monitored, and
• indications of the completeness and accuracy of asset information, assumptions and financial projections.

Transport Agency expectations of activity management plans

The Transport Agency (planning & investment) expects Approved Organisations and the Transport Agency (state highways) to maintain the following priorities in their plans:

• achievement of a high level of data integrity, including:
  • asset inventory
  • treatment history
  • condition data
  • cost data
  • traffic data.
• decision-making methods for optimising asset treatments over the network and over time. Treatment decisions should recognise:
  • the life-cycle costs of treatments
  • the effect of the treatments on asset condition throughout the life cycle
  • how the treatments impact on road system performance. 

Only once confidence in these elements is complete should organisations consider moving onto advanced predictive methods of long-term planning.

Prediction modelling for activity management plans

Performance prediction modelling can be used to assist the forecasting needed for forward activities. Modelling of future condition must be adapted to local conditions due to the complex range of:

• materials used
• pavement types and conditions, and
• climate and traffic loadings.

Even with local calibration, performance prediction modelling is not definitive. Forecasts of pavement condition and estimates of life-cycle costs must recognise the limitations of the many assumptions involved.

Regional Public Transport Plans (RPTPs)

An RPTP is prepared by an Approved Organisation that has the functions, powers and duties of a regional council. Section 124(a)(ii) of the Land Transport Management Act requires regional councils to be satisfied that their RLTPs are prepared in accordance with any relevant guidelines issued by the Transport Agency.

The Transport Agency has prepared a comprehensive set of guidelines for the preparation of RPTPs.

Road Safety Action Plans (RSAPs)

An RSAP is a tool for coordinating the implementation of inter-agency road safety strategies. The plans are an effective tool to integrate activities that minimise road trauma and can be used to support applications for funding projects and programmes.

Local government agencies are the identified organisations that prepare and manage RSAPs. Partners participating in their improvement include Approved Organisations, the  Transport Agency, NZ Police and the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC).

RSAPs must be developed from an inter-agency perspective and contain:

• an evidence-based assessment of existing safety issues that are being addressed
• the individual activities that will be delivered
• the objectives and outcomes for each activity (including expected achievement against regional targets)
• a list of the partners that will participate in the activities
• a monitoring programme and post-implementation evaluation of effectiveness
• a list of supportive policies, strategies and plans (including regional and local road safety strategies and activity management plans). 

Regular RSAP meetings enable monitoring of service delivery and progress towards the achievement of outcomes.

Procurement strategies

All activities funded from the National Land Transport Fund must be procured under a procurement procedure set out in the Transport Agency's Procurement Manual. Each Approved Organisation and the Transport Agency (state highways) is required to have a procurement strategy, which is endorsed by the Transport Agency (planning & investment).

Procurement strategies need to be reviewed periodically to ensure they contain up to date information on and organisation's procurement plans and to reflect changes in the Procurement Manual as well as in the organisation's capability and requirement to employ advanced procurement procedures.

Terms of reference

Applications for funding for the preparation or improvement of plans under this work category must provide terms of reference for the  Transport Agency's approval. The minimum information the terms of reference must cover for the application, is:

• reason for the preparation or improvement of the plan:
  • statement of purpose for plan development (or supporting study or strategy)
  • context and scope for the task(s)
  • activities to be covered (including demand management, network operations, public transport, infrastructure improvements, community engagement, performance monitoring)
  • background/reference documentation for the task(s)
  • relationships with higher-level policies, strategies and plans (including government and regional strategies and policies), and
  • relationship to land-use policies and development activities (includes those that are planned and in progress)
• how the funding is to be used:
  • issues to be addressed
  • modes to be considered, with reasons
  • method used, including modelling, project management and process for political engagement
  • possible alternatives and options to be considered (including demand management, education, enforcement, asset disposal)
  • a timeframe for the plan development, with realistic allowance for consultation and a clear completion point
  • estimated cost of completing the task(s)
  • parties involved, and
  • how the plan development (or supporting study or strategy) is to be procured
• outcomes and deliverables:
  • deliverables/outputs
  • expected outcomes of the plan development
  • process for sign-off by the Approved Organisation (or the  Transport Agency for state highway activities), and
  • process for peer review

Change of scope

Any change of scope from the approved terms of reference must be approved by the Transport Agency before authority to proceed is issued to the professional services supplier.

The Transport Agency will check the coverage and outputs of plans against their agreed terms of reference.

Continuous improvement of plans

The Transport Agency expects Approved Organisations and the  Transport Agency (state highways) to have a programme of improvement for their plans. They should address issues arising from:

• internal reviews of the plans and the processes
• benchmarking of plans, processes and outputs with those of similar Approved Organisations
• findings of audits of plans and processes. 

The programme of improvement must ensure that the plans provide a robust and realistic rationale for future programmes.