Agenda of Economic Growth Committee - Wednesday, 22 February 2023

Memorandum

TO: Economic Growth Committee

MEETING DATE: 22 February 2023

TITLE: Summary report on the Palmerston North economic structure

Presented By: Stacey Bell - City Economist

APPROVED BY: David Murphy, Chief Planning Officer

RECOMMENDATION TO Economic Growth Committee

1. That the Committee receive the report titled ‘Summary report on the Palmerston North economic structure’ of 22 February 2023 presented to the Economic Growth Committee.

1. Introduction

1.1 This memorandum presents a summary of the key themes from the Palmerston North Economic Structure Summary Report 2023 (attached).

1.2 The analysis of the structure of the Palmerston North economy is based on detailed economic data from Infometrics and Statistics New Zealand over the period March 2002 to March 2022. This data is the most robust information available on the structure of local economies across New Zealand.

1.3 The report summarises the performance of the Palmerston North economy over the period when COVID-19 was impacting on economic activity.

1.4 Analysis of the structure of the economy focuses on the sectors which provide employment to the community. Gross Domestic Product (GDP), employment, and skill level and employment by occupation, are included within the analysis.

1.4 The report also summarises annual growth by GDP, employment, and employment by occupation, as well as 10-year and 20-year growth by sector.

2. THE ECONOMIC STRUCTURE OF THE PALMERSTON NORTH ECONOMY

2.1 The Palmerston North economy performed well relative to the national economy, growing by 7.2 percent from April 2020 to September 2021. This compares with 5.1 percent growth for New Zealand.

2.2 The relatively strong performance of the city has been supported by the diverse mix of public and private sector activity and employment across the economy, alongside fewer impacts from lockdowns and economic restrictions than the upper half of the North Island.

2.3 Palmerston North GDP was estimated at $6.2 billion for the year ended March 2022. This is an additional $300.2m (+5.1 percent) from the year ended March 2021.

2.4 The employing sectors of the Palmerston North economy directly generated $5.2b in GDP (84.6 percent of total GDP) to the Palmerston North economy. A further 7.9 percent of GDP was generated from owner-occupied property operation and 7.5 percent from taxes and duties. The analysis of GDP in this report is based on the GDP generated from employing sectors of the economy.

2.5 The key findings in the report are:

a. The city economy is buffered by a large and diverse government, health and education sector, contributing 32.5 percent of GDP and 37.4 percent of total employment.

b. One of the largest growth sectors in the economy in the March 2022 year was professional, scientific and technical services, adding an additional $49.3m to GDP and generating a further 113 jobs. Scientific research services were the highest growth subsector, adding an additional $14.3m to GDP and adding 51 jobs.

c. The construction sector also contributed strongly to growth over the March 2022 year, adding $40.0m to GDP and generating 364 new jobs.

d. Health care and social assistance are the largest employers in the city while Public Administration generates the largest share of GDP.

e. Health care and social assistance was also the largest growth sector over the 20-years with GDP growing by 293.6m (96.7 percent) and employment by 3,491 jobs (66.8 percent).

f. There were 8,396 businesses in the city in March 2022, up by 324 compared with the previous year (+4.0 percent). Of total workers, 36.2 percent were employed in businesses with 100+ employees. In contrast, small to medium enterprises (<20 employees) make up 94.2 percent of businesses and create 38.4 percent of jobs.

g. Of the total employees in the city, 33.0 percent are employed in knowledge-intensive industries, compared with 32.8 percent of the New Zealand workforce. The Palmerston North workforce also has a slightly higher proportion of highly skilled and skilled workers than New Zealand; 53.3 percent versus 51.5 percent respectively.

h. Professionals are the largest occupation group in the city, making up 27.3 percent of total employees. Managers are the second largest group, with 15.7 percent of the workforce working in management occupations.

i. The largest growth occupations over the year to March 2022 were professionals (+376), Technicians and trade workers (+240) and managers (+183).

j. Professional roles in the city were by far the largest growth occupation over all periods, adding 3,079 roles over 10-years, and 5,992 over the 20-years to March 2022.

2.6 The Palmerston North economy has proven resilient through the challenges of the last few years. The diverse economic base with a solid foundation in high-value public and private industry, has driven growth in professional and knowledge-based occupations, supporting jobs and incomes across all layers of the economy.

3. Compliance and administration

Does the Committee have delegated authority to decide? If Yes quote relevant clause(s) from Delegations Manual		Yes
Are the decisions significant?		No
If they are significant do they affect land or a body of water?		No
Can this decision only be made through a 10 Year Plan?		No
Does this decision require consultation through the Special Consultative procedure?		No
Is there funding in the current Annual Plan for these actions?		Yes
Are the recommendations inconsistent with any of Council’s policies or plans?		No
The recommendations contribute to Goal 5: A Driven & Enabling Council
The recommendations contribute to the achievement of action/actions in Governance and Active Citizenship The action is: Council decision-makers are provided with quality and timely advice.
Contribution to strategic direction and to social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being	A sound understanding of the make-up and contributions of the Palmerston North economy will assist elected members to make well-informed decisions.

Attachments

Palmerston North economic structure - summary report ⇩

Memorandum

TO: Economic Growth Committee

MEETING DATE: 22 February 2023

TITLE: Palmerston North Strategic Transport Networks

presented By: Vinuka Nanayakkara, Senior Transport Planner

APPROVED BY: David Murphy, Chief Planning Officer

RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL

1. That Council adopt the Palmerston North Strategic Networks 2023, as detailed in attachments 1-3, as a key strategic document to guide future decision making and investment prioritisation.

1. purpose

Managing Palmerston North’s transport system requires a complex and intricate balancing exercise with many competing demands and users to cater for simultaneously.

As the city’s population grows and existing congestion, road safety issues and maintenance deficits become more significant, there’s a need to adopt a more proactive and planned approach to managing the network in the future – one that reflects agreed strategic goals and helps resolve competing demands for the limited space that is available.

While there will always be a need to provide high quality roads and maintain capacity, there is increasingly a need to make better use of our existing assets. Adopting an approach to build out of transport issues by increasing capacity – i.e. widened/more traffic lanes and more carparking – is expensive, challenging, exacerbates current road safety and emissions issues, and only provides short-term benefits due to induced demand.

In contrast, adopting an approach to maximise the use of existing transport infrastructure by providing quality travel choices across the city is a much cheaper, more feasible and more effective approach. It also leads to reduced maintenance costs, decreased transport emissions, fewer deaths & serious injuries and a better urban realm.

To do this, Council needs to have a clear strategy on how the transport network should function, how road space is allocated for certain uses, and how certain uses/modes are prioritised across certain corridors. In addition, Council needs to optimise the resources available to achieve the biggest return on investment for the Palmerston North community by targeting investments and resource where the largest benefits can be achieved, otherwise existing resources will be spread thinly across the wider network for minimal benefit.

The Palmerston North Strategic Networks presents a simple, integrated, evidence-based and endorsed view of where modes are prioritised across the transport network across both current and future states.

The Strategic Networks have been developed using Waka Kotahi’s Network Operating Plan (NOP) process – a nationally consistent technical framework that assists in better management and planning of transport networks, explicitly links transport to the adjacent land-use, and directly assists in co-funding and co-investment decision-making.

Elsewhere, NOPs are traditionally highly operational documents that tend to remain hidden behind councils’ work programmes and generally have not been accessible to elected members or the general public. Officers believe there are significant opportunities to be more transparent and proactive by allowing full access to Palmerston North’s key strategic transport planning documents – especially where they present the case for investment for many interfacing and interdependent projects.

The Palmerston North Strategic Networks incorporate the immediate planning actions within the Palmerston North Integrated Transport Initiative (PNITI). PNITI has been endorsed by Palmerston North City Council and the Waka Kotahi board, and the highest priority project across the Horizons Region as stated in the Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP) 2021-31.

2. Context

With its central location and connections to several state highways and rail lines, Palmerston North is unique in providing a transition between north-south and east-west road and rail movements for New Zealand.

As such, Palmerston North has a critical function in being a national distribution hub for many freight journeys within the North Island and particularly the lower and central North Island logistic supply chains. In addition, Palmerston North has a well-defined city and retail centre which is supported by significant primary and educational industries.

Palmerston North is an important regional service centre for the wider Manawatū- Whanganui region with many of the primary industries located within the peri-urban and rural surrounds of Palmerston North, Horowhenua, and Manawatū districts. This means the city’s transport system needs to cater for more than just the people who reside and work in Palmerston North.

Palmerston North’s population has been steadily increasing, with further ongoing growth expected. The effect of growth is starting to be felt across the city’s transport network through increased maintenance, higher traffic volumes and reduced customer levels of service, particularly during peak periods when people travel to and from work/study.

With significant transport investments planned throughout Palmerston North and the Manawatū-Whanganui region over the next 10 years under PNITI, planning for growth is necessary to help maintain reliable and effective transport connections to and within the city. Integrating our land-use and transport planning will be critical to ensure Palmerston North continues to deliver on its vision for the city and aspirations of its communities.

Approximately 22,000 traffic movements per day occur into and through the city. These movements are to access jobs, education facilities, and other social opportunities such as retail, health services, recreation, and community facilities, along with the several industrial areas located within and on the outskirts of the city. All these journeys and different modes need to be considered when planning the transport system.

Based on Council’s 2018 freight demand study, heavy vehicles permeate through the city’s urban and rural streets to find the easiest and most convenient route to reach their destinations. Deaths and serious injuries between active modes and vehicles have been increasing, and several roads are seeing a lifetime of use within the span of a few years. All these issues collectively suggest Palmerston North’s roading hierarchy is not well defined, and conflicts between different modes of travel are abundant across the city with major consequences to safety, travel choices and road maintenance expenditure.

The Strategic Networks help clarify the street hierarchy to better support the movements for all modes across Palmerston North. It also supports the work of our partners at Horizons Regional Council with the ongoing work to implement a refreshed public transport system, and Waka Kotahi’s co-funding and co-investment programme.

3. Strategic direction

The Long Term Plan 2021-31 seeks to consolidate existing “small city benefits” such as quality of life and affordability, while simultaneously achieving “big city benefits” such as the lifestyle, education, and economic opportunities available in larger cities across the country.

Therefore, Council intends to be ambitious, agile, and innovative in actively capitalising on growth opportunities available while retaining the strengths and values that give Palmerston North its character and regional appeal. These strategic aims are further refined and outlined across five strategies and fifteen plans.

The way Palmerston North’s transport network is designed, maintained, renewed and managed corresponds directly to Council’s ability to achieve the targets set out in these plans. For example, achieving a 30% reduction in emissions by 2031 will be challenging and is likely to require a notable change in how people and goods move about the city and their communities.

Incentivising “more people [to choose] modes of transport other than motor vehicles” for more trips also requires both fundamental shifts in the community psyche and transformational and explicit changes to the physical network.

Nationally, central government guidance and direction in this space is clear. Road Controlling Authorities are required to clearly demonstrate that their activities align with the Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS) – prioritising safety, access, value for money and reducing climate change effects. Furthermore, capital new investment is increasingly seen as a last resort when all other options such as those outlined in Waka Kotahi’s Intervention Hierarchy (Figure 1) are exhausted. As the Palmerston North Strategic Networks sets out the prioritisation of certain modes and functions across existing transport corridors, it also informs and ensures that integrated planning, demand management interventions are implemented prior to the development of new infrastructure.

Intervention Hierarchy graphic,Figure 1 - Waka Kotahi Intervention Hierarchy

PNCC Long Term Plan 2021-31

The Palmerston North City Council vision is He iti rā, he iti pounamu Small city benefits, big city ambition. The Transport plan primarily contributes to the Palmerston North City Council’s goal of an Innovative and growing city. The 10-Year Plan level of service for this plan is:

“Provide an integrated multi-modal transport network that connects people and goods with destinations in a safe, efficient and sustainable manner and evolves to meet new transport demands with less reliance on private motor vehicles.”

The measures of success associated with the Transport Plan are:

· Less freight traffic using the urban transport network

· Fewer deaths and injuries related to use of the transport network

· Increasing walking and cycling

· Increasing bus passenger numbers and service satisfaction

· Decreasing carbon emissions

· Decreasing reliance on private motor vehicles

PNCC’s Transport Asset Management Plan 2020

Locally, our Transport Asset Management Plan 2020 (AMP) identifies a critical need to better balance movement and place functions across Palmerston North’s roads. This means ensuring the corridors prioritised for movement are efficient and reliable while those prioritised for place functions are safe, appealing and serve the needs of people first.

Our AMP highlights the following “strategic responses” – actions needed to address the problems identified and realise the benefits sought from investment. All of these actions will be guided by the Strategic Networks:

Safety

Reducing deaths and serious injuries on the transport network will be achieved through:

· Speed management. Lower speeds can mitigate the severity of crashes when they do occur. Target high-risk locations such as around schools

· Deliver the Safe Network Programme in Palmerston North in conjunction with Waka Kotahi

· Continuously target safety improvements be it through maintenance interventions or minor safety upgrades to the transport network

Asset Condition and Performance

Ensuring the transport network condition continues to meet the desired levels of service will be achieved through:

· Timely maintenance and renewal investment that considers the whole of life implications for the transport assets

· Optimising road maintenance and renewal activities across the network to achieve the right balance of investment when assessed against the adopted levels of service, asset risk, and asset criticality. This may mean increases to existing funding levels

· Reviewing levels of service where under or over-delivery may be occurring;

· Ensure that heavy vehicles are travelling on roads built to carry them

Liveability and Accessibility

Improving liveability and accessibility through changes to the transport network will be achieved through:

· Delivering the Roads and Streets Framework. Use this and the One Network Framework (a nationally consistent road classification standard) to inform the management of the transport network

· Recognise the importance of Place on the Transport network. Ensure that investment supports this

· Multi-modal network optimisation to identify and make improvements to walking, cycling and public transport networks

· Disincentivise private vehicle use by prioritising active and public transport modes over vehicles and car parking

· Make it more difficult for certain vehicles to travel certain routes through the city. Encourage the right vehicles onto the right roads

Where This Fits

Figure 2 outlines the strategic links between this piece of work and interrelated strategic documents and plans. The Strategic Networks is an accumulation of a number of upstream works, including the PTSIP (1^st action in PNITI) and the NOP (Waka Kotahi requirement). The Strategic Networks also seek to daylight traditionally internal-facing technical documents in the interests of transparency and accountability.

Figure 2 - Where the Strategic Networks fit within council's work programme

The Strategic Networks will be a primary input into the development of the Roads and Streets Framework – an action within the Strategic Transport Chapter of the current Long Term Plan which directly responds to the LTP goals of achieving “an integrated transport network with clear priorities for all users based around place and movement principles”, a “network [that] supports amenity outcomes, prioritises active and public transport, and directs freight to the Regional Freight Ring Road” and to ensure that “street design is responsive to land-use, place and movement” across Palmerston North.

4. discussion

All transport modes have key roles to play in the movement of people and goods across Palmerston North, and it’s essential that the function of each mode is integrated with other modes in a pragmatic, cohesive and safe manner to unlock their full potential.

Palmerston North’s highly permeable grid-based roading network provides many route choices for general traffic and vehicles, but does so at the expense of safe, reliable and connected routes for those walking, cycling and using public transport. Heavy freight vehicles past schools, private vehicles rat-running to avoid busy intersections and buses stopping in cycle lanes are all examples of how the management of the city’s transport network has enabled the wrong vehicles to travel on the wrong roads, sometimes at the wrong times.

Therefore, Council’s vision, goals and targets along with those from regional and central government have been strongly reflected across the development of the Strategic Networks with a particular focus on the following objectives:

1. Enabling more travel choices by providing safe, easy to access and well-connected networks for all modes.

2. Encouraging uptake of sustainable travel options to reduce transport emissions by making public transport, walking and cycling appealing, safe, accessible and enjoyable.

3. Developing a transport system where no-one is killed or seriously injured in road crashes by prioritising routes on corridors where high-quality infrastructure is in place and reducing intermodal conflicts by separating priority routes for the highest risk modes.

4. Matching modal priorities with place functions by prioritising general traffic and freights movement where, while prioritising active modes and public transport in place-based areas.

These objectives are strongly aligned to the central government transport outcomes set out in the GPS and the Ministry of Transport Outcomes Framework – both of which set the direction for central government investment prioritisation via the National Land Transport Fund (NLTF).

The Palmerston North Strategic Networks are a summarisation of existing plans and strategies – at central, regional and local levels – into a single and simple network plan as outlined in Figure 3.

Figure 3 - Palmerston North Strategic Transport Plan Summary

The Strategic Networks outline the most important (i.e. priority) uses/modes along certain corridors across the city for the following modes:

1. Freight

2. Cycling

3. Public Transport

4. Walking

5. General Traffic

The identification of a priority route for a particular mode does not mean that the route will exclusively cater for that mode, and neither does it mean that said mode cannot use other routes if required. However, it does mean that the priority modes along a route will take precedence over other modes, and the design and operation of the route will reflect this.

For example, where a route is identified as a public transport priority route, all other modes of transport will likely be able to use the route. However, priority will be given to public transport through the use of location-specific treatments such as bus lanes, bus priority traffic lights and/or in-lane bus stops (most recently seen within the Cuba Street redevelopment), meaning the level of service for other modes will likely reduce. Conversely, public transport services may also operate on routes prioritised for other modes and will therefore experience a deliberately lower level of service than the modes prioritised along that route.

Some routes will be identified as priority routes for multiple modes. In some cases, the existing form and function of these routes may have engineering constraints that inhibit council to be able to safely accommodate and provide a high level of service for all the defined priority modes. Wherever this issue arises across the network, the Strategic Networks will enable these conflicts to be identified and provides a basis for further detailed analysis to take place alongside further engagement between council partners, stakeholders and the wider community.

The Strategic Networks has been developed using a quantitative, data-driven and nationally consistent approach. However, it does not replace context-specific and project-specific thinking and analysis, and neither does it replace public engagement and consultation on specific projects and interventions. It merely highlights how Council’s strategic transport context – in addition to the regional and central government transport priorities – are reflected across Palmerston North. All projects and interventions for which the Strategic Networks provides guidance for will have their own technical design, council approval and public engagement processes.

5. Methodology Undertaken

The development of the Palmerston North Strategic Networks has followed Waka Kotahi’s nationally consistent Network Operating Plan (NOP) process to draw links between strategic intent and operational/planning decisions.

NOPs follow an integrated process that helps councils across New Zealand better manage and plan the use of their transport networks. It is currently difficult to provide a consensus view on Palmerston North’s transport strategy over the long term, and to articulate why a certain mode or use is prioritised over others, and how certain decisions can have wider network impacts.

The NOP also allows for a more holistic vision of transport systems that focuses on:

· Moving people and goods, not vehicles

· Seeing transport as supporting broader city & community goals

· Balancing the competing demands for limited road space

· Considering the ‘network’ rather than sites or routes

The methodology employed also sought to consolidate the city’s existing transport planning and land-use planning context rather than introduce/propose new interventions and projects.

Upon completion of the PNITI Network Options Report – and subsequent Waka Kotahi board endorsement – in early 2021, officers from PNCC, Waka Kotahi and Horizons undertook the jointly funded Palmy Transport System Improvement Plan (PTSIP) which aimed to consolidate Palmerston North’s existing transport plans to form an integrated multi-modal view of place and movement priorities to best support the city’s transport system. The PTSIP also looked to provide a consistent plan to help PNCC and Waka Kotahi collaboratively develop and deliver interventions necessary to support sustainable growth management, improve multi-modal accessibility, and support the medium to long-term delivery of the PNITI programme. The outputs of PTSIP are presented in Attachment 4.

The outputs of PTSIP were directly fed into the NOP process as per the immediate recommended action in PTSIP. This allowed for a quantitative and evidence-based ‘audit’ of Palmerston North’s existing transport plans to ensure alignment was clear across all aspects of both council and the Waka Kotahi work programme.

Many sources of information and guidance were used to ensure the outputs of the NOP – and in turn Palmerston North’s Strategic Networks – were fit-for-purpose and aligned with the best possible national and international technical standards.

The final outputs are therefore supported by substantial evidence used to justify the documents, plans and strategies further upstream (i.e. PNITI Network Options Report, Urban Cycle Network Masterplan etc.) and the additional sources below used to develop the Strategic Networks:

• Average annual daily traffic (AADT) estimates from RAMM

• Collective and Personal Risk measurements from MegaMaps

• 2017-2021 crash history for cyclists, pedestrians and buses from the Waka Kotahi Crash Analysis System (CAS)

• Level of Service scores for each mode from AUSTROADS

• Waka Kotahi’s Pedestrian Network Guidance (PNG)

• Waka Kotahi’s Cycling Network Guidance (CNG)

6. Palmerston north strategic networks

The Strategic Networks are presented in Attachment 2 for five different modes, and outline how modal priorities will shift across Palmerston North’s transport network over three time increments – short, medium and long term. The increments align with those set out in the PNITI programme, with further work (i.e. project specific planning) required to provide a more accurate representation of when tangible changes are likely to occur.

The Strategic Networks also consolidates the city’s existing transport planning and land-use planning context rather than introducing new interventions and projects. As they are effectively a summarisation and clearer articulation of the strategic intent of existing projects, there is no need to undertake public consultation on the networks. Projects undertaken either by PNCC or partners Horizons Regional Council and Waka Kotahi to give effect to the Strategic Networks will undergo their own engagement and consultation processes.

The Strategic Networks also highlights where immediate planning work is required to fill in existing gaps in the city’s transport planning – for example, progressing the Indicative Business Case for the Freight Ring Route to confirm the exact locations, alignment and timing of the future Manawatu River Crossing, Bunnythorpe bypass and Ashhurst Bypass.

The Strategic Networks will be viewable on the Council website via an interactive Geographic Information System (GIS) webmap, where our partners and members of the public will be able to easily view the application of council’s strategic transport direction as it pertains to specific roads and streets across the city.

A beta version of the webmap is viewable via this web address: https://arcg.is/1XqnTS0. Supporting the webmap will be a short summary document (Attachment 1) in addition to the full technical report (Attachment 3) all available on the website.

NOPs are intended as live documents that are consistently updated as further planning, analysis and public engagement is undertaken, hence the Strategic Networks will be refined and updated as council’s land-use and transport planning work programmes are progressed. Furthermore, new features may be added to the webmap in the interests of transparency and more effective and meaningful communication, such as the programme of minor works (i.e. pedestrian islands, raised pedestrian crossings etc.) in addition to more significant works (i.e. cycle lanes, intersection upgrades, reseals etc.).

7. NEXT STEPS

Upon the adoption of the Strategic Networks, the following actions will be undertaken:

• Mayor/Chief Executive/Chief Planning Officer to provide the foreword for the Strategic Networks Summary Document

• The webmap, Summary Document and Technical Report to be uploaded onto the Council Website

• Council officers to work with Waka Kotahi to align work programmes and investment proposals with the Strategic Networks, and maximise co-funding opportunities in the short-term through the currently ongoing Regional Land Transport Plan development

• Council to progress with numerous transport planning projects to supplement the information contained in the webmap

• Officers and partners to continually update the Strategic Networks to ensure all information is up-to-date, transparently presented and utilised to maximise future co-funding opportunities

8. Compliance and administration

Does the Committee have delegated authority to decide? If Yes quote relevant clause(s) from Delegations Manual		No
Are the decisions significant?		No
If they are significant do they affect land or a body of water?		No
Can this decision only be made through a 10 Year Plan?		No
Does this decision require consultation through the Special Consultative procedure?		No
Is there funding in the current Annual Plan for these actions?		Yes
Are the recommendations inconsistent with any of Council’s policies or plans?		No
The recommendations contribute to Goal 1: An Innovative and Growing City
The recommendations contribute to the achievement of action/actions in Transport Adoption of the Palmerston North Strategic Networks 2023 gives effect to all the actions within the Transport Plan, and is a key element in future co-funding decision-making with Waka Kotahi/
Contribution to strategic direction and to social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being	The Palmerston North Strategic Networks 2023 have been developed in order to: 1. Enable more travel choices by providing safe, easy to access and well-connected networks for all modes. 2. Encourage uptake of sustainable travel options to reduce transport emissions by making public transport, walking and cycling appealing, safe, accessible and enjoyable. 3. Develop a transport system where no-one is killed or seriously injured in road crashes by prioritising routes on corridors where high-quality infrastructure is in place and reducing intermodal conflicts by separating priority routes for the highest risk modes. 4. Match modal priorities with place functions by prioritising general traffic and freights movement where, while prioritising active modes and public transport in place-based areas.

Attachments

1.	Strategic Networks 2023 - Summary Document ⇩
2.	Strategic Networks 2023 - Maps ⇩
3.	Strategic Networks 2023 - Technical Report ⇩
4.	Palmy System Transport Improvement Plan 2022 ⇩

Memorandum

TO: Economic Growth Committee

MEETING DATE: 22 February 2023

TITLE: Process and options to establish and enforce heavy vehicle routes

Presented By: Vinuka Nanayakkara, Senior Transport Planner; Peter Ridge, Senior Policy Analyst

APPROVED BY: David Murphy, Chief Planning Officer

RECOMMENDATION TO Economic Growth Committee

1. That the Committee receive the memorandum titled ‘Process and options to establish and enforce heavy vehicle routes’ of 22 February 2023 to the Economic Growth Committee.

1. ISSUE

On 24 November 2021, the Finance & Audit Committee resolved that the “Process and options, including the use of bylaws, to establish and enforce heavy vehicle routes in the city’s transport network” be presented to the Planning & Strategy Committee.

2. BACKGROUND

Palmerston North is home to a regionally and nationally significant hub for freight, logistics and distribution activities with aims to build on the existing activities to remain competitive as the primary freight distribution hub in the lower North Island. This provides a significant economic opportunity for the city, while also placing pressures on existing infrastructure. Increases in the number of heavy vehicle movements associated with this growth are creating safety and efficiency issues on the transport network as well as impacting road quality. The strategic response to these issues has been slow and uncertainty remains over when improvements will be delivered and when growth will occur.

As Palmerston North has grown, residential areas have developed in and around industrial areas resulting in access, safety, and amenity issues, particularly due to freight movements. A key reason for this is the lack of an explicit and coherently implemented road hierarchy – i.e. obvious differences between high order and low order. While traffic volumes are still relatively moderate, growing demand is expected to further exacerbate these issues.

The quality of Palmerston North’s road surfaces has been steadily decreasing over the past five-years, with particularly high deterioration rates observed on the city’s busiest roads. Several factors have contributed to this, including increases in the volume and weights of heavy vehicles on Palmerston North’s roads, poor underlying ground conditions, service and utility trenches and a lack of investment for many years, particularly in inter-regional routes for heavy traffic.

Mixed residential and industrial areas, road network deficiencies on sections of the identified freight route and a lack of suitable (i.e. optimised) routes for freight movements results in heavy vehicles often re-routing through residential areas. This results in higher than expected freight volumes on streets that were never intended to cater for such demands. Modelling undertaken to inform the PNITI Network Options Report showed relatively high volumes of truck movements through predominantly residential streets, including past schools and community facilities.

Heavy freight movements tend to be governed by functions of time taken and distance travelled, and Council’s 2018 freight demand study suggested that heavy vehicles are permeating across the city’s network to find the easiest and most convenient route to reach their destinations, regardless of the suitability of the roads chosen.

Figure 1 presents the weekday Heavy Commercial Vehicle (HCV) demand across Palmerston North’s transport network in March 2018, sourced from EROAD fleet data. The highest volumes of heavy freight traffic are generally observed on Tremaine Avenue / Number One Line, across Kelvin Grove, the North East Industrial Zone and along the numerous State Highway (SH3, 54, 56 & 57) corridors across the city. In addition, increased heavy vehicle traffic was also observed along streets with higher emphasis on residential land-use such as Park Road, Maxwells Line, Te Awe Awe Street, Albert Street, Ruahine Street and Botanical Road, suggesting the freight hierarchy is not well defined. Opportunities therefore exist to further encourage freight traffic to use particular routes that are currently more suitable, implement changes to the network to make certain routes more attractive, or to disincentivise freight traffic from using certain routes across the network.

3. Options to establish heavy vehicle routes

The identification and establishment of “heavy vehicle routes” or any other priority routes based on mode can’t be done without considering a number of parameters such as current and future land-use, strategic city-wide goals, speed limits, roading hierarchy, engineering feasibility and condition of road assets among others.

As freight movements will utilise the quickest, most direct and most reliable routes regardless of the types of activities occurring on or along any particular road, it’s likely that heavy vehicle traffic will not utilise any specified priority freight routes unless there are significant time, distance and/or efficiency benefits for operators. Therefore, maintaining a route that is appealing for heavy vehicle traffic is largely attributed to the infrastructure along a route.

While the roading infrastructure along priority freight routes may support heavy vehicle traffic, other factors need to also be considered and evaluated. For example, land-use (i.e. residential properties or school entrances fronting onto a road), asset condition (i.e. understrength pavements) and other transport priority routes (i.e. buffered cycleways or bus priority routes) may mean certain corridors are unsuitable as a freight priority route.

Standard transport planning practice will seek to determine whether adverse impacts will be generated by placing unreasonable demands for what street may be able to safely and realistically accommodate, and then seek to mitigate these impacts across the network.

Council has requested advice on the available tools that can be used to manage the impacts of heavy traffic. As it stands, there are two distinct approaches available to identify and establish heavy vehicle routes:

Option 1: Palmerston North Integrated Transport Initiative (PNITI)

PNITI is Palmerston North’s overarching and integrated land-use/transport plan containing a series of actions across the short, medium and long term to manage the impacts of heavy vehicle traffic across the city’s urban network. It balances Palmerston North’s aspirations of being a strategic cog in the national freight supply chain with the need to ensure that amenity, road safety, transport emissions and liveability aspects are also improved across the city.

PNITI aims to achieve several benefits across the short, medium and long term, including:

· Reduction of heavy vehicle movements on residential (place-based) streets by up to 50%;

· Reduction in the number of congested intersections by 50%;

· Improvements in journey times on key freight routes by up to 10 minutes; and

· Supporting economic development around the North East Industrial Zone (incl. KiwiRail Freight Hub).

The first step in PNITI is the development of strategic priority routes for the different modes of transport across Palmerston North – referred to as the System Improvement Plan, delivered within Waka Kotahi’s Network Operating Planning (NOP) process. The NOP is a nationally recognised process for prioritising different modes along streets, which in turn informs where interventions/investment should be focused. It also identifies where potential trade-offs may be required to achieve the intended strategic transport outcomes.

Palmerston North’s newest NOP – referred to as the Strategic Networks – identifies the core functions of key routes and significant places across the city by accounting for the outputs of several existing transport plans and strategies (i.e. District Plan, Urban Cycle Network Masterplan, City Centre Framework etc.). This then allows for an objective and evidence-based process to establish the most appropriate routes for heavy vehicles while also effectively balancing access, place, and transport amenity.

The use of a Waka Kotahi planning process is highly beneficial to the city as direct links can be drawn between Waka Kotahi’s funding processes and Council’s strategic transport plans.

The development of Palmerston North’s Strategic Networks (NOP) commenced in early 2021 and featured close collaboration with officers from Waka Kotahi and Horizons Regional Council (HRC). The Strategic Networks will be brought to committee in 2023, alongside this report.

Option 2: Provisions within the Traffic & Parking Bylaw 2018

The Traffic and Parking Bylaw sets out the controls and restrictions that the Council can impose on how roads are used and is made pursuant to Section 22AB of the Land Transport Act 1998. The Bylaw sets out Council’s right to define and restrict the use of local roads (i.e. those that are not private or State Highways) and defines the methods of signifying controls on the use, stopping, standing and parking of vehicles on roads and Council controlled places in Palmerston North.

With respect to the use of local roads, the Bylaw enables Council to:

- “Prohibit or restrict, absolutely or conditionally, any specified class of traffic or any specified motor vehicles or class of motor vehicle that, by reason of its size or nature or the nature of the goods carried, is unsuitable for use on any road or roads.”

- Restrict the driving of livestock “along or across any road in the urban area of the district” unless “the person driving the stock holds a permit issued by the Council, and complies with the conditions of that permit.”

- Restrict the transportation of stock in heavy motor vehicles across all roads within the “Inner Ring Road” – bounded by Princess Street, Ferguson Street, Pitt/Bourke Street and Walding/Grey Street – at all times.

With respect to parking restrictions on local roads, the Bylaw currently enables Council to:

- “Limit the stopping, standing or parking of vehicles on any road to vehicles of any specified class or description of vehicle”

- “Prohibit or restrict the parking of heavy motor vehicles, or any specific class or description of heavy motor vehicle, on any specified road during specified hours for a period that exceeds a specified period.”

Changes to the existing Bylaw can be made at any time by Council provided appropriate consultation occurs in accordance with the decision-making requirements of Section 82 of the Local Government Act 2002 and with sufficient justification and supporting evidence – albeit possibly less than a transport planning approach if appropriate planning work has not been undertaken.

If an absence of strategic transport plans existed alongside a desire to implement interventions prior to completing the necessary technical analysis, the relatively quick (6-12 month) process of pursuing a regulatory approach to solve the issue would have merit.

Bylaws are not the principal instrument for setting strategic direction or establishing policy. Instead, they are best reserved for implementing regulatory approaches that support strategic or policy direction. A bylaw that imposes restrictions without the necessary supporting strategic considerations is more likely to be ad hoc and lead to unintended consequences and poor outcomes, such as are inconsistent with wider strategic transport planning, land-use planning and/or the rest of Council’s transport infrastructure delivery programme

Furthermore, any prohibitions/restrictions on specific routes because of the size of the class of traffic raises the risk of legal challenges on the grounds that it may be unreasonable. A bylaw which is based on a sound strategic evaluation of the transport network and was able to show evidence of the unsuitability of that route for that class of traffic, then it is more likely to withstand a legal challenge. However, it could still be argued that an individual vehicle alone is suitable, even if the class of traffic is creating an unreasonable burden on the route. A regulatory approach alone, therefore, may not be the most effective way of redirecting heavy vehicles to use priority routes.

Analysis of Options 1 & 2

Option 1: PNITI

Option 2: Bylaw

Pros

- Any priority routes are considered within the city’s existing strategic context, therefore more likely to achieve the intended outcomes

- Identified priority routes can be included in the existing work programme focused on resolving negative impacts of heavy vehicle traffic, hence no added requirement for staff/resources

- Maintains alignment with other ongoing transport interventions & land-use planning/projects

- Opportunities exist to receive Waka Kotahi co-funding for planning & operational work

- Provides a very clear and concise way of identifying the routes on which heavy vehicles are restricted.

Cons

- No official/legal status designated to specific roads

- Potential legal issues with imposing restrictions on routes that are technically able to accommodate heavy vehicles

- Independent of the existing strategic transport context, therefore more likely to have wider strategic implications if interventions aren’t appropriately evaluated, tested and consulted on

- Bylaw amendment process is additional to existing workload and will require specific funding or existing work to be reprioritised

4. Implementation & operation of heavy vehicle routes

Regardless of how priority routes for heavy vehicles are identified, achieving compliance with the routes is critical to ensuring the intended outcomes are met. Ensuring a high degree of compliance with heavy vehicle routes can be done through two approaches:

Option 1: Infrastructure Detuning/Optimisation

Disincentivising certain routes while optimising others for heavy vehicles is the most effective way to achieve desired changes to the routes chosen by heavy vehicle traffic. The former can be achieved in a number of ways such as the narrowing of roads, installation of speed bumps / raised tables (Figure 2), tighter turns (Figure 3) and the signalisation of currently uncontrolled intersections (Figure 4).

Infrastructure interventions generally provide valuable new opportunities to improve the quality of urban realm for pedestrians and people on bikes since road space can be reallocated in favour of active modes, existing safety risks can be reduced, and road space is repurposed for treatments such as increased vegetation.

While infrastructure interventions have a relatively high capital cost for implementation, they benefit from not requiring significant operational expenditure for additional ongoing compliance monitoring and active enforcement.

However, the degree to which treatments can provide the intended outcomes is highly contextual and requires specific technical analysis for each location. Any infrastructure changes implemented to re-route heavy vehicle traffic will need to cause significant increases to either the distance travelled, or additional time incurred by heavy vehicle movements for the interventions to have any tangible return on investment. This can be highly unpopular since any impacts on heavy vehicle movements are likely to also affect general traffic.

The effectiveness of any interventions will also depend on whether more suitable and/or preferable routes for heavy vehicles exist. The optimisation of traffic signals and installation of slip lanes and (rural) roundabouts among other interventions along preferred freight priority routes alongside any detuning efforts is key to ensuring that the outcomes Council are trying to achieve are realised. It’s also critical that all interventions be aligned to existing strategic (national, regional and local) transport plans so the likelihood of changes to Palmerston North’s transport network contradicting each other is fully mitigated.

Improving the efficiency of traffic flow along routes more appropriate for heavy vehicles – i.e. Tremaine Avenue, Fitzherbert Avenue, Pioneer Highway and State Highway 3 – may achieve similar outcomes to attempting to slow freight traffic on more “place-based” streets. The optimisation of through movements at existing signalised intersections and reduction of “side-friction” (e.g. on-street carparking) among other interventions all contribute to the reduction or reliability of travel time and/or distance, making certain routes far more attractive for operators to use.

Improving the efficiency of certain routes is likely to have a significantly more positive public and operator response in addition to the relatively low ongoing operational monitoring and enforcement resourcing requirements. Any such interventions should still be aligned to all local and regional strategies to ensure that the intended outcomes are achieved while minimising any unintended impacts to residents along certain routes.

Option 2: Regulatory Approaches

All regulatory approaches that are employed by Council to implement heavy vehicle priority routes will be governed by the Traffic and Parking Bylaw – in turn governed by Section 22AB of the Land Transport Act 1998 – and will require ongoing active monitoring and enforcement to ensure a high degree of compliance.

Under Section 128E of the Land Transport Act 1998, Parking Officers have the authority to enforce stationary vehicle offences only (i.e. parking violations and expired WOF / Registration offences). While the Police can legally enforce both stationary and moving vehicle offences (i.e. speed limits & state highway weigh-stations), they tend to leave the former to councils unless an event poses a significant safety hazard to the public.

Therefore, the responsibility of enforcing any future bylaw amendment would lie with the Police. Effective enforcement would also require a new monitoring programme to identify offending vehicles (either officers physically observing compliance or installation of traffic cameras) and collect evidence of breaches of the bylaw for prosecution. However, the cost of prosecution combined with typically small fines set by the Court following conviction would likely make this a cost-inefficient approach for Council.

No resources – both staff and equipment – or budgets currently exist to undertake the active enforcement of heavy vehicle routes across Council staff, and the capacity for the Police to enforce any future heavy vehicle restrictions has not been evaluated for this memo.

Additionally, using Clause 10 to prohibit or restrict certain routes for specified types of vehicle could be impractical and expensive to enforce. Signage along the route would be required to communicate the prohibition or restriction, and if the intent is to divert heavy vehicles to a preferred route, then it would likely require signage across all the other roads across the city deemed not suitable for heavy vehicles.

The installation of signage requires technical analysis to identify safe and appropriate locations for signs, as well as extensive engagement and consultation with operators and the general public, in addition to targeted engagement with adjacent property owners where existing infrastructure may not currently exist. While the unit cost of signage will be relatively low, the number of signs that may be required along certain routes in addition to supporting infrastructure (i.e. poles, lights, footings) and the purchase of land if required likely means the use of signage may be a cost-intensive process. Budget and resources do not currently exist for the installation of signs restricting heavy vehicle traffic, hence both will need to be sought from the reallocation of other existing activities.

Analysis of Options 1 & 2

Option 1:

Infrastructure Detuning/Optimisation

Option 2: Regulatory Approaches

Pros

- Many infrastructure interventions likely require little to no active and/or ongoing enforcement

- Considered within the city’s existing strategic context, therefore more likely to achieve the intended outcomes

- Included in existing work programme focused on resolving negative impacts of heavy vehicle traffic, hence no added requirement for staff/resources

- Maintain alignment with other ongoing transport interventions & land-use planning/projects

- Co-funding opportunities exist from Waka Kotahi for capital new and maintenance work

- Interventions are likely to have the intended effects over the life of the assets (i.e long-term)

Cons

- Some interventions will be dependent on the delivery of preceding projects, hence achieving the intended outcomes may be dependent on Council’s commitment to the wider programme

- Interventions are likely to have high capital costs and require further technical analysis & design work before implementation

- Council has no ability to enforce moving vehicle offenses

- Enforcement sits with the Police whose capacity and willingness to take on the responsibility is unknown

- Likelihood of compliance is low, as low fines are unlikely to act as deterrent to operators

- High ongoing costs & officer time attributed to ongoing monitoring and prosecution

5. Additional option for consideration

Engagement with Freight Operators

A cost-effective approach which will likely achieve similar or better outcomes than the regulatory or infrastructure approaches outlined would be to proactively engage and collaborate with the largest freight operators and other identified heavy vehicle operators across Palmerston North to develop preferred routes for heavy freight. While involvement from industry would be voluntary, operators may either consider voluntarily changing their routes if the Council can present valid reasons for the removal of heavy vehicle traffic along certain routes. Collaborating with operators also provides a valuable opportunity to test and evaluate potential future interventions before implementation and maximise the possibility of success.

This approach is already being undertaken for the development of the Te Utanganui – Central New Zealand Distribution Hub Masterplan and will form a key role for the continuation of the PNITI programme.

6. Compliance and administration

Does the Committee have delegated authority to decide? If Yes quote relevant clause(s) from Delegations Manual		Yes
Are the decisions significant?		No
If they are significant do they affect land or a body of water?		No
Can this decision only be made through a 10 Year Plan?		No
Does this decision require consultation through the Special Consultative procedure?		No
Is there funding in the current Annual Plan for these actions?		No
Are the recommendations inconsistent with any of Council’s policies or plans?		No
The recommendations contribute to Goal 1: An Innovative and Growing City
The recommendations contribute to the achievement of action/actions in Transport
Contribution to strategic direction and to social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being	Options developed in this report will assist in achieving the action prioritise transport programmes that deliver on Council goals, the purpose of the Transport Plan, and the Government Policy Statement on Transport.

Attachments

Nil

Report

TO: Economic Growth Committee

MEETING DATE: 22 February 2023

TITLE: Main Street Cycleway - Permanent Solution Decision

PRESENTED BY: Hamish Featonby - Group Manager Transport and Development

APPROVED BY: Sarah Sinclair, Chief Infrastructure Officer

RECOMMENDATION TO Council

1. That Council endorse Option 1: Retain the existing Pioneer Highway shared pathway infrastructure until it reaches the end of its useful life and replace it and progress the remaining pieces as a permanent solution to create a complete and safe cycleway along that route.

Rationale for the recommendations

1. Overview of the problem or opportunity

1.1 The cycleway infrastructure that replaced the planter boxes on Main Street West was intended as semi-permanent until a permanent solution could be designed. An opportunity exists to keep that infrastructure in place until it reaches the end of its’ useful life, rather than replace it now, as it is proving effective in place.

1.2 This would reduce the scope of the planned permanent and route completion work to include only the construction of the missing pieces between that cycleway and the shared path on Pioneer Highway.

2. Background and previous council decisions

2019 Urban Cycle Network Masterplan, 2021-31 10 Year and Transport Plans

2.1 Council adopted an Urban Cycle Network Masterplan in 2019. Its purpose is to map out an investment programme for the urban cycle network and to create an environment and culture that encourages more people in Palmerston North to choose cycling more often. The Urban Cycle Network Masterplan commits Council to (but not limited to):

· Expand the network of cycle lanes, including physically separated cycleways

2.2 The implementation of the Urban Cycle Network Masterplan was endorsed in the most recent 10 Year and Transport Plans. The Transport Plan signals that one of the key measures of success for the plan is an increase in walking and cycling. The Transport Plan also highlights that in Palmerston North only a small proportion of total trips incorporate active transport, that fatal and serious injury crashes involving cyclists continues to increase and that the perception of cycling as unsafe is a key barrier to an increase in cycling uptake.

2.3 The Innovating Streets for People was a Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency initiative during 2019-21 period that aimed to make it easier for councils to create safer, healthier and more people-friendly towns and cities. The Innovating streets pilot fund supported quick, low-cost interim improvements focused on delivering streets that put people first. The projects involved users, businesses, residents, iwi and stakeholder groups to ensure the design was appropriate. One of the outcomes of the programme was to build capability in this approach across the country so more councils could start to take this approach to street changes, making the necessary alterations in a faster and more responsive way.

Innovating Streets – Main Street West “Planter Boxes”

2.4 Following public consultation, the Urban Cycle Network Masterplan 2019 confirmed Main Street West/Pioneer Highway as a priority route for the development of a separated cycleway.

2.5 In April 2021, Council successfully gained 90% co-funding from Waka Kotahi (NZTA) Innovating Streets programme to trial a cycleway along Main Street West, between the intersection of Pitt Street and Botanical Road, using coloured planter boxes and other materials as separators.

2.6 Although extensive engagement was conducted with the community prior to installation, previous Council reports have reported on the mixed success of the planter boxes.

2.7 Many cyclists were satisfied with the increased safety they enjoyed along the physically separated cycleway, while other road users and members of the public voiced their concerns about a range of issues, both through social media and the contact centre. The boxes were subjected to some vandalism, and created some operational issues to manage them, many of which were resolved.

2.8 A road safety audit conducted by BECA in June 2021 recommended improvements to some moderate and minor issues. This focussed predominantly on risk to life, and found that while the cycleway generally worked well, several issues required resolving. These issues related to intersection conflicts, planter box stability and visibility, narrow cycle lane and on street parking/loading conflicts, drainage maintenance and refuge collection access. The visibility issue in particular resulted in several vehicle to box conflicts.

2.9 Cycle count monitoring showed that user numbers almost tripled within the first month of operation (from 6/hr in November 2020 to 17/hr in May 2021), a notable result given the seasonal differences. Follow up user surveys found that 90% of intercepted cyclists rated it highly positively (overwise neutral), compared with 0% previously (overwise neutral or negative).

2.10 Officers recommended to Council that whilst the trial of the cycle lane was a success, plastic planter boxes were not a viable solution alongside live traffic and would not be used again in a roadway environment in Palmerston North.

Figure 1: Planter Boxes on Main St West

The coloured boxes act as temporary bollards to create a protected cycle lane on Pioneer Highway, from Pitt St to Botanical Rd.

Temporary Solution

2.11 At the Council meeting on 6 April 2022 Council resolved “That Council removes the ‘planter boxes’ as soon as practicable and replaces immediately with an alternative solution before the permanent cycleway is in place.”

2.12 Fulton Hogan were instructed and subsequently installed just under $60k worth of Vanguard separators and posts in place of the Planter Boxes and stored the Planter boxes at the Depot. The majority of the Planter Boxes were subsequently donated to the public through an expression of interest process.

Figure 2: Temporary Vanguard separators and posts

3. options

3.1 The tables below describe the options being considered for Main Street West from Pitt Street through to Pioneer Highway. The pictures below the tables provide context to the options discussed.

OPTION 1:	(a) Keep the infrastructure already there until it reaches the end of its useful life and then replace it (b) Construct the remaining pieces as a permanent solution to create a complete and safe cycleway along that route
Community Views	Not recently tested. Parts of the community will be expecting a decision consistent with the previous resolution of council to construct a permanent solution.
Benefits	The community will receive a complete and cohesive cycleway with investment only required to fill the gaps. Deferral of replacement costs of existing infrastructure for approximately 5 years.
Risks	Existing infrastructure not lasting as long as expected so requiring replacement or upgrade sooner. Not seen to be delivering on the previously signalled permanent solution.
Financial	Existing Infrastructure	Completing the Route	Operational on existing cycleway
	$0	$750k	$5k per year
Permanence of Decision	Can change decision in the future to permanent solution. Cannot easily change decision to complete the route.
OPTION 2:	(a) Keep the infrastructure already there until it reaches the end of its useful life and then replace it (b) Do not construct the missing pieces of that route.
Community Views	Not recently tested. Parts of the community will be expecting a decision consistent with the previous resolution of council to construct a permanent solution.
Benefits	No capital investment required until end of useful life of the infrastructure in approximately 5 years.
Risks	An incomplete cycle route leaves a safety risk and a potential for a lower uptake of cycling. Not seen to be delivering on the previously signalled permanent solution.
Financial	Existing Infrastructure	Completing the Route	Operational on existing cycleway
	$0	$0	$5k per year
Permanence of Decision	Can change decision in the future to a permanent solution and to complete the route.

OPTION 3:	Replace the infrastructure already built with a more permanent solutionConstruct the missing pieces as a permanent solution to create a complete and safe cycleway along that route.
Community Views	Not recently tested however this is the option the public are expecting currently given the earlier resolution passed by Council. There is potential for a negative reaction to replacing infrastructure at that location again so soon.
Benefits	A more permanent solution now would mean a longer timeframe before renewal is required and less operational maintenance over the short to medium term. The community will receive a complete cohesive cycleway along that route.
Risks	Reputational risk from removing functioning infrastructure to replace it with a similar but longer lasting solution.
Financial	$470k to replace the existing infrastructure with a more permanent solution and $750k spent on the gaps.
Financial	Existing Infrastructure	Completing the Route	Operational on existing cycleway
	$470k	$750k	$0
Permanence of Decision	Cannot easily change decision to replace with permanent infrastructure and complete the route.

3.2 Plan view of the existing temporary infrastructure in blue, a new signalised crossing in red and the missing pieces to connect the route to the rest of the network in green.

3.3 Location of the new signalised crossing. This location would create no material impact on the entrance to the shopping centre and would provide a safe crossing for cyclists and pedestrians to either continue away from the city centre along a shared pathway but also to access Burns Avenue. It would replace the pedestrian refuge currently in place.

3.4 Example location of the new sections of shared path that will complete the route. Note that current design will avoid removal of any trees but may require some minor pruning in some instances.

3.5 Possible permanent solution example. In a similar manner to the intersection of Main and West Street, a permanent solution would likely include concrete separators because of the risk.

4. Financial

4.1 Operational

The temporary separators require some ongoing maintenance, specifically to replace the posts as they are damaged occasionally. Based on the costs since installation, officers predict a $5k investment required per year from the Traffic Services Maintenance budget. This requirement will be included in the LTP discussions for future budgets but for the 2022/23 financial year it can be accommodated.

4.2 Capital Renewal / New

When the temporary separators have reached the end of their useful life in approximately 5 years a decision will be required on whether to replace with similar or to improve to a more permanent solution such as concrete. Based on todays’ prices a like for like replacement would cost $60k plus installation of approximately $40k and a permanent one closer to approximately $470k including installation. At this time there is no budget for this work in the 2022/23 budget or signalled for the 2023/24 budget. Depending on the decision to move to concrete or not the budget could be Renewal or Capital New.

To complete the shared pathway section requires approximately $350k which can be accommodated within the existing 2022/23 Capital New budget 2121 City-wide – Footpath Improvements if the recommended option is implemented. It should be completed during this construction season by Fulton Hogan.

The signalised crossing requires further design and expected delivery timeline is during the 2023/24 financial year. The expected cost is approximately $300k from the Capital New budget 2121 City-wide – Footpath Improvements which can be accommodated within currently proposed funding.

5. conclusion and recommendation

5.1 The temporary cycle barrier now installed along Main street is proving effective and has a remaining life of five years. It is therefore recommended that this is kept in place, as a cost-effective solution, until the end of its useful life.

5.2 To create a link into the city, some further elements of the cycle lane are needed to connect with the existing off-road cycle lane on Pioneer Highway. It is recommended that this is done, to maximise the effectiveness of the cycle lane provision and hence maximise the effectiveness of the investment made to date.

5.3 Option 1 is therefore recommended to Council.

6. Next actions

6.1 If the recommended Option One is endorsed, implementation will be confirmed with Fulton Hogan. Designs are almost complete for the extension of the shared pathway and will be delivered by Fulton Hogan during the 22/23 financial year and design for the crossing will be started in time for a 23/24 delivery.

6.2 The Annual Plan and Long Term Plan (LTP) will be updated to include the maintenance cost for the Vanguard solution.

6.3 The LTP proposal next year will include a provision for the development of a new barrier once the Vanguard reaches the end of its useful life.

7. Outline of community engagement process

7.1 If the option to implement a signalised crossing is endorsed, then engagement and consultation will occur with affected parties such as the shop owners and residents within the vicinity in order to allow them an input into the outcome.

7.2 Notification will occur prior to any physical works occurring.

Compliance and administration

Does the Committee have delegated authority to decide? If Yes quote relevant clause(s) from Delegations Manual		No
Are the decisions significant?		No
If they are significant do they affect land or a body of water?		No
Can this decision only be made through a 10 Year Plan?		No
Does this decision require consultation through the Special Consultative procedure?		No
Is there funding in the current Annual Plan for these actions?		Yes
Are the recommendations inconsistent with any of Council’s policies or plans?		No
The recommendations contribute to Goal 1: An Innovative and Growing City
The recommendations contribute to the achievement of action/actions in Transport The action is: Increase walking and cycling
Contribution to strategic direction and to social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being	The Transport Plan signals that one of the key measures of success for the plan is an increase in walking and cycling. The Transport Plan also highlights that in Palmerston North only a small proportion of total trips incorporate active transport, that fatal and serious injury crashes involving cyclists continues to increase and that the perception of cycling as unsafe is a key barrier to an increase in cycling uptake. This project works towards creating a safe and inclusive cycling core network.

Attachments

Nil

Work schedule

TO: Economic Growth Committee

MEETING DATE: 22 February 2023

TITLE: Work Schedule - February 2023

RECOMMENDATION TO Economic Growth Committee

1. That the Economic Growth Committee receive its work schedule for February 2023.

Committee Work Schedule 2023

	Estimated Report Date	Subject	Officer Responsible	Date of Instruction & Clause no.
1	~~22 Feb 2023~~	~~Process and options, including the use of bylaws, to establish and enforce heavy vehicle routes in the city’s urban transport network~~	~~Chief Planning Officer~~	Finance & Audit Committee 24 Nov 2021 Clause 82-21
2	12 April 2023	Update on infill lighting required to achieve compliance in P and V categories (update for Programme 1367)	Chief Infrastructure Officer	16 March 2022 Clause 3-22
3	12 April 2023	International Relations 6 Monthly report	Chief Planning Officer	Terms of Reference
4	12 April 2023	Quarter 2 Economic Report Oct-Dec 2022	Chief Planning Officer	Terms of Reference
5	12 April 2023	PN Airport – Interim report (6 months to 31 December 2022)	Chief Financial Officer	Terms of Reference
6	12 April 2023	PN Airport - Draft Statement of Intent for 2023-26	Chief Financial Officer	Terms of Reference
7	12 April 2023	CEDA - Draft Statement of Intent for 2023-26	Chief Planning Officer	Terms of Reference
8	12 April 2023	Recommended options to improve safety at College Street and Botanical Road	Chief Infrastructure Officer	17 Aug 2022 Clause 13-22
9	12 April 2023	CEDA - Six Month Performance Report (to 31 Dec 2022)	Chief Planning Officer	Terms of Reference
10	12 April 2023	Te Utanganui Master Plan	Chief Planning Officer	Terms of Reference
11	21 June 2023	Streets for People Update (6 monthly)	Chief Infrastructure Officer	Terms of Reference
12	21 June 2023	Presentation of Square East Stage 3 and 4 final design plan	Chief Infrastructure Officer	17 Aug 2022 Clause 17-22
13	21 June 2023	Quarter 3 Economic Report Jan-March 2023	Chief Planning Officer	Terms of Reference
14	21 June 2023	Streets for People - Options for delivery of the construction stage of the programme (Square East Stage 3+4).	Chief Infrastructure Officer	Council 5 Oct 2022 Clause 119-22
15	21 June 2023	Tamakuku Terrace Six Monthly Update	Chief Infrastructure Officer	Terms of Reference
16	21 June 2023	PNAL - Final Statement of Intent for 2023/24	Chief Financial Officer	Terms of Reference
17	21 June 2023	Road Maintenance Contract (six-monthly report on work programme and performance)	Chief Infrastructure Officer	16 March 2022 Clause 4-22
18	30 Aug 2023	Quarter 4 Economic Report April-June 2023	Chief Planning Officer	Terms of Reference
19	25 Oct 2023	PN Airport – Annual Report for 2022/23	Chief Financial Officer	Terms of Reference
20	25 Oct 2023	CEDA – Annual Report for 2022/23	Chief Planning Officer	Terms of Reference
21	25 Oct 2023	PN Airport –Statement of Expectation for 2024/25	Chief Financial Officer	Terms of Reference
22	25 Oct 2023	Streets for People Update (6 monthly)	Chief Infrastructure Officer	Terms of Reference
23	6 Dec 2023	Quarter 1 Economic Report July-Sept 2023 Present to Council	Chief Planning Officer	Terms of Reference
24	6 Dec 2023	Tamakuku Terrace Six Monthly Update (to Council)	Chief Infrastructure Officer	Terms of Reference
25	TBC	Sector Profiles: Construction (full and summary) Agriculture (full and summary) Manufacturing (full and summary) Education (full and summary) Defence (summary) Non-Profit (summary) Research, Science & Innovation (full and summary)	Chief Planning Officer

Attachments

Nil