A ‘Master Plan’ for New Zealand’s land transport system, including embracing mode shift in transportation types and changes to policy, will be needed for 2020 and beyond.
That’s according to NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) interim chief executive officer Mark Ratcliffe.
“I’ve decided to take an approach that ensures our core functions, regulation, system design and delivery and operations work at the level that New Zealand expects of a government agency,” he says.
Ratcliffe says NZTA’s core functions are to invest in land transport, manage the state highway network and provide access to and regulate land transport.
He says he’s also challenged his senior managers to focus on getting business functions working better. Ratcliffe says he has inherited an organisational structure that came into effect in early January.
“This structure places a greater emphasis on the transport agency being a more effective regulator; introduces a more laser-like focus on safety, health and the environment (including road safety) and brings into the agency the new function of light rail.”
· New general managers have been appointed in each of these three key areas.
· Greg Lazzaro is leading the Safety, Health & Environment Group while Kane Patena is the regulatory general manager and Carl Devlin leads the country’s largest infrastructure project, Auckland’s light rail project.
· “These new managers will drive a gear shift in the transport agency,” Ratcliffe says.
The Government Policy Statement (GPS) for transport has a stronger focus on reducing deaths and injuries and a focus on environmental outcomes. Funding will go towards local road improvements, safety improvements, and inter-regional passenger and freight connections and resilience.
The GPS will reduce emphasis on state highway improvements, from 38% investment in 2015 to 25% in 2018.
· A change in the Government’s transport priorities has significantly increased the pressure on funding for state highway projects – in particular 10 state highway corridors, Ratcliffe says.
· “We are now working with the Ministry of Transport to consider funding and timing for the projects against funds available nationally. We expect to be able to provide an update on the next steps for these projects in the coming months.”
Ratcliffe says at least seven people die and around 54 are seriously injured each week on our roads.
“We are doing a lot in the road safety space and a lot of these things we’re doing in partnership with the AA.”
NZTA’s ‘Safe Network Programme’ aims to save up to 160 deaths and serious injuries every year on New Zealand’s most risky state highways and roads.
Ratcliffe says the NZTA is dedicated to this role and to work with communities and organisations to deliver the best outcomes for New Zealanders.
“I believe the country’s transport future is a shared future.”
