Road Traffic Reduction Bill

Explanatory Note

Growth in the speed and volume of motorised road traffic is the underlying cause of many social, environmental and economic problems. Currently the vast bulk of transport expenditure and investment goes towards maintaining and expanding our dependence on private motor vehicles. New Zealand urgently needs to shift towards a model of access and mobility based around localisation, with increased public transport services, cycling and walking and greater use of rail and coastal shipping for freight movement.

Local and global pollution is associated with the use of fossil fuels and the waste products from cars and trucks. Communities are divided and essential human interactions undermined by urban sprawl, traffic noise and the physical barrier created by busy roads. Congestion and urban sprawl impose enormous economic costs by diverting resources from the production of goods and services into their movement.

Part 1 of this Bill requires both national and regional government to set binding targets for the reduction of motorised road traffic while meeting the needs of people and communities. International evidence overwhelmingly indicates that increased prosperity, social cohesion and environmental quality can all be achieved through a lower level of car dependence.

The Minister of Transport is required to develop targets, timetables and measures for traffic reduction on state highways. Regional Councils are required to develop targets, timetables and measures for traffic reduction within their region. Transit and Transfund are then bound to support these targets. The result will be a substantial increase in support for public transport, walking and cycling at the expense of major roading projects.

Part 2 of this Bill amends the principal objective of Transfund New Zealand to provide a safe and sustainable land transport system rather than being solely focussed on roading. Transit New Zealand's principal objective is amended to focus on environmentally and socially responsible management of the state highway network.

Jeanette Fitzsimons

Road Traffic Reduction Bill

Member's Bill

The Parliament of New Zealand enacts as follows:

1. Title
   This Act is the Road Traffic Reduction Act 2001

2. Commencement
   This Act comes into force on the day after the date on which it receives the Royal assent.

Part 1

Land Transport Act 2001

3. Land Transport Act 1998 called the principal Act in this Part
   In this Part, the Land Transport Act 1998 is called "the principal Act".

4. Purpose
   The purpose of this Part is to provide for regional councils and the Minister of Transport to put in place measures to reduce motorised traffic and thereby enhance environmental quality and the health, safety and well-being of people and communities.

5. Interpretation
   Section 2(1) of the principal Act is amended by inserting, in its appropriate alphabetical order, the following definition:

   "State highway means a State highway as defined in section 2(1) of the Transit New Zealand Act 1989".

6. National land transport strategy
   Section 170 of the principal Act is amended by repealing sub-section (3), and substituting the following sub-sections:

   "(3) The national land transport strategy must recognise and provide for the reduction of motorised road traffic by stating targets, timetables and measures for the reduction of motorised road traffic on State highways and such other roads as the Minister sees fit.

   "(4) The national land transport strategy may not be inconsistent with any national policy statement for the time being in force under the Resource Management Act 1991.

   "(5) The national land transport strategy may not be inconsistent with any national energy efficiency and conservation strategy for the time being in force under the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act 2000."

   "(6) The Minister must ensure that a national land transport strategy is completed not later than 12 months from the date that the Road Traffic Reduction Act 2001 comes into force.

7. Effect of national land transport strategy
   (1) Section 174 of the principal Act is amended by repealing subsections (2) and (3) and substituting the following subsections:

   "(2) The Board must---

   "(a) ensure that its actions in exercising its functions, duties, and powers are not inconsistent with any national land transport strategy that is for the time being in force; and
   "(b) recognise and provide for the targets, timetables and measures specified in the national land transport strategy under section 170(3) (c).

   "(3) Transit New Zealand must---

   "(a) ensure that its actions in exercising its functions, duties, and powers are not inconsistent with any national land transport strategy that is for the time being in force; and
   "(b) recognise and provide for the targets, timetables and measures specified in the national land transport strategy under section 170(3) (c).."

8. Regional land transport strategies
   (1) Section 175(2) of the principal Act is amended by repealing paragraphs (b) to (e), and substituting the following paragraphs:

   "(b) recognise and provide for the reduction of motorised road traffic stating targets, timetables and measures for the reduction of motorised road traffic with the region;
   "(c) identify the most desirable means of responding to the needs identified in subsection 2(a) and achieving the targets in subsection 2 (b), in a safe, sustainable and cost effective manner, taking into account the effect the transport system is likely to have on the environment;

   2. Section 175 of the principal Act is amended by repealing inserting, after sub-section (2), the following sub-section:

   "(2A) Subject to subsection (2), each regional land transport strategy must also ---
   "(a) identify an appropriate role for each land transport mode in the region, including freight traffic, public passenger transport, cycling, and pedestrian traffic, based on their comparative safety, sustainability and cost to the region as a whole; and

   "(b) state the best means of achieving the matters referred to in subsection (2); and
   "(c) include any regional passenger transport plan (within the meaning of section 47 of the Transport Services Licensing Act 1989) that has been prepared by the regional council that has prepared the strategy.

9. Regional land transport committees
   Section 178 of the principal Act is amended by inserting, after sub-section (3) the following subsection:

   "(3A) Every Regional Land Transport Committee must review its region's land transport strategy not later than 12 months from the date that the Road Traffic Reduction Act 2000 comes into force."

10. Effect of regional land strategy
    Section 181 of the principal Act is amended by repealing subsections (2) and (3), and substituting the following subsections:

    "(2) The Board must---
    "(a) ensure that its actions in exercising its functions, duties, and powers are not inconsistent with any regional land transport strategy and subject to section 174(2);
    "(b) recognise and provide for the targets, timetables and measure specified for a region under section 175(2)(b)."

    "(3) Transit New Zealand must---

    "(a) ensure that its actions in exercising its functions, duties, and powers are not inconsistent with any regional land transport strategy; and
    "(b) subject to section 174(3), recognise and provide for the targets, timetables and measures specified for a region under section 175(2) (b)."

Part 2

Transit New Zealand Act 1989

11. Transit New Zealand Act 1989 called the principal Act in this Part
    In this Part, the Transit New Zealand Act 1989 is called "the principal Act".

12. Interpretation
    Section 2(1) of the principal Act is amended by adding to the definition of "National roading programme", the expression "; and" to the end of paragraph (b), and also by adding the following paragraph:

    "(c) includes outputs and capital projects for all forms of land transport".

13. New section 3B substituted
    The principal Act is amended by repealing section 3B and substituting the following section:

    "3B Principal objective of the Board
    The principal objective of the Board shall be to allocate resources to achieve a safe and sustainable land transport system at reasonable cost."

14. New section 3CA inserted
    The principal Act is amended by inserting the following section:

    "3CA Board's powers in relation to funding
    For the avoidance of doubt---

    "(a) the Board may approve any output or capital project as qualifying for payments from the National Roads Account under section 17 for all forms of land transport;
    "(b) a national roading programme may include outputs and capital projects for all forms of land transport;
    "(c) nothing in this Act shall be read as favouring the funding of roading over any other form of land transport or land transport service."

15. New section 5 substituted
    The principal Act is amended by repealing section 5 and substituting the following section:

    "5 Principal objective of the Authority

    "(1) The principal objective of the Authority shall be to operate a safe and sustainable State highway system at reasonable cost.

    "(2) In carrying out its objectives in subsection (1) the Authority must act to:

    "(a) avoid significant or irreversible disruption to ecologically sensitive areas or sites, and to buildings, areas and sites of heritage or cultural value;
    "(b) avoid significant disruption to existing communities;
    "(c) minimise the possibility of either increased traffic or more hazardous driver behaviour resulting from any changes to the state highway system;
    "(d) manage motorised traffic on state highways to minimise the exposure of vulnerable road users to motorised traffic."