NLTP Bulletin

Welcome to the NLTP Bulletin, our newsletter with information about management of the current National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) and what we're working on for the development of the 2024-27 NLTP.

Early 2024-27 NLTP Investment Signals

We’re expecting the landscape in which we’ll develop the 2024-27 NLTP will be challenging, with similar funding constraints to the 2021-24 NLTP based on forecast revenue and programme commitments.

A significant proportion of funding in the 2024-27 NLTP is expected to be committed for continuous programmes - state highway and local road maintenance and public transport services - and that there will be a high carry-over of activities because of project delays and cost increases.

The release of the Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) is changing our investment focus, with the transport sector expected to reduce emissions by 41 percent by 2035. To help achieve this target, we’re developing a National Vehicle Kilometres Travelled (VKT) Reduction Plan. This will provide you with the framework to help develop your own regional plans in line with the government’s targets for your region. In addition, we’re also releasing new VKT evidence.

Work is well underway on the Land Transport Revenue Review, with the Ministry of Transport and Treasury, exploring a range of funding options, meet carbon targets, maintain the transport sector and deliver major projects.

In addition to the National Land Transport Fund (NLTF), there is targeted government funding available through the Climate Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to invest in transport activities that will help reduce carbon emissions.

Therefore, it is critical your Regional Land Transport Plans include the full list of activities that you have identified as significantly important for your regional land transport system.

Latest News

Release of VKT Evidence Pack

Waka Kotahi is releasing an evidence package on Vehicle Kilometres Travelled (VKT) by light vehicle. The package is being shared with you to support your regional planning and work to reduce light vehicles VKT and transport emissions by 2035.

This evidence package provides insights into current trends, including VKT, emissions, mode share and access to essential services.  It also includes insights drawn from research and case studies regarding the interventions likely to make the greatest contribution to VKT reduction.

If you would like access to VKT Evidence Package, please apply for a login by emailing service@nzta.govt.nz, ehich will provide you with access to the site.

If you have any issues please contact geospatialsystems@nzta.govt.nz

To provide your feedback on the VKT evidence package or suggest areas of further investigation contact VKTReduction@nzta.govt.nz

Read more HERE

Regional Public Transport Plans

When preparing your Regional Public Transport Plan (RPTP), Waka Kotahi expects these will align with the key principles your council is expecting to deliver in terms of the managing and investing in the network.

Where a network is more dynamic and subject to change through investment, network reconfiguration or variation in the level of service, this should be reflected in your RPTP. Where this change or variation is likely to be significant, a stand-alone business case would be expected to support this change. You may also be able to use our proposed three-year programme funding approach in these circumstances, when it is finalised.

Guidance - First Release

Programme Funding Approach

Our new Programme Funding Approach will provide three years of funding for a programme of standard activities, without the need for individual business cases. We have developed guidance for the preparation, management and funding of these programmes of activities.

The guidance documents are on the Waka Kotahi website

For the 2024-27 NLTP, we want to enable a three-year programme of standard activities to be considered for funding, where supported by a business case. We also want to discuss how an Activity Management Plan could be used in place of a business case. By managing these activities as a programme, we’ll be able to deliver greater efficiencies and better transport outcomes for your region.

We’ll be holding an online workshop on the new approach on 10 November. Details of the workshop will be emailed to all Approved Organisations, who are welcome to invite their consultants to attend.

Benefits Framework Update

A set of 14 measures have been chosen from our Benefits Framework against which investment through the NLTP will be consistently reported across multiple NLTPs. These measures represent the five outcomes being sought for the land transport system through the Ministry of Transport’s Transport Outcomes Framework and align with the critical areas of investment.  All the measures, except the new measure: 8.1.3 Vehicle Kilometres Travelled (Light Vehicles), are from the existing benefits framework.

View HERE

Emissions Reduction VKT Planning

This document provides early guidance on VKT reduction planning at a national and regional level. It outlines the evidence to support the identification of interventions that would help you achieve VKT reduction targets, based on funding availability.

View HERE

Provisional Indications of Funding Ranges for Continuous Programmes and Low Cost / Low Risk

Waka Kotahi has begun a process in collaboration with Te Ringa Maimoa (formerly known as REG) to undertake an assessment of likely funding for continuous programmes (Local Roads, Operations, Maintenance and Renewals, Public Transport and Road Safety Promotion) and Low Cost Low Risk programmes.

The intention is to provide councils with an early indication of likely investment from Waka Kotahi for the 2024-27 NLTP to help inform conversations about the development of their three-year programmes for submission to the RLTP and NLTP process.

Councils will still be expected to develop robust activity management plans, but if we can successfully land and agree investment ranges early as councils are developing these plans, we will reduce the level of detailed assessment required. 

The project is currently in the data collection phase with a technical working group established to provide initial direction and guidance. When this has been refined and tested, we will begin working with technical working group made up of sector representatives to refine this process before the end of this year, to enable us to provide early indications of appropriate investment noting that final investment levels will be set by the GPS.

For further information or input please contact nltp@nzta.govt.nz

AMP Exemplar Guidance

The AMP exemplar will be provided to AMP writers and practitioners by Te Ringa Maimoa Champions at their November workshops. The exemplar will be released early 2023 and continually updated in line with sector best practice.

More information

For more information on the NLTP, you can visit our website or contact us online.