The Northland Regional Transport Committee (RTC) urges Northlanders to have their say on the review of the Draft Regional Land Transport Plan 2021/2027 - Three Year Review (RLTP).

The RLTP, which is the region’s application for funding assistance from central government for its transport infrastructure and services, is compiled every six years and reviewed at the three-year point to ensure it aligns with current transport priorities.

Regional council member and Chair of the Regional Transport Committee, Joe Carr, says the review of the RLTP is to update the transport funding requirements for achieving a regional land transport system that is based around priorities including:

• Being resilient
• Being secure
• Being fit for purpose that leads to reduced deaths and serious injuries
• Improving freight and passenger connections
• Lowering emissions
• Increasing transport choice
• Improving integration of land use and transport planning.

Top priority projects include:

• Road maintenance and renewals
• Te Hana to Brynderwyn upgrades - greater network resilience and a stronger Northland / Auckland connection
• Far North State Highway resilience
• Brynderwyn detour route upgrades
• Kaipara resilience programme
• Local road improvements and resilience
• Upgrading SH1 between Whangarei and mid-North

It also proposes priorities for major works projects and spending and - Councillor Carr says - has a big emphasis on ‘back to basics’ road maintenance, including basic culvert maintenance.

"This back to basics approach also includes a focus on keeping water from damaging our roads through things like much more water tabling and maintenance of roading surfaces."

Councillor Carr says the obvious constraint to Te Taitokerau having a future-focused, integrated transport system is funding and every Northlander has a vested interest in securing this.

However, he says the CEOs of the region’s three district councils believed that with a strong Regional Activity Management Plan as the supporting case for their respective National Land Transport Funding bids, "Northland councils are in an excellent position to make any required adjustments necessary to ensure success in obtaining the maximum available funding within the currently constrained funding environment".

"Through their respective Long Term Plan discussions, appropriately funding the core roading and maintenance requirements identified through the Transport Asset Management Strategies and Activity Management Plan has been a key priority of the district councils’ elected members."

Councillor Carr says the district councils’ LTP work also included options to defer some identified non-roading specific transport projects identified in previous LTPs, to maximise the local share funding available for core roading activities.

He asks Northlanders to take part in the consultation on the RLTP, either by attending an informal drop-in session held by the Northland Regional Transport Committee in February, or by completing an online submission form.

Councillor Carr says the upcoming public meeting schedule for the RLTP review is:

• Whangārei; Monday 19 February, Tutukākā Room, Northland Regional Council 36 Water St, 9am-11am
• Dargaville; Monday 19 February, SEED Community Hub, Foster’s Arcade, 42 Victoria St, 3pm-5pm
• Mangawhai; Tuesday 20 February, Domain Hall, 75 Moir St, 11.30am-1.30pm
• Opononi; Monday 11 March, War Memorial Hall, 15 State Highway 12, 10am-noon
• Kaikohe; Monday 11 March, Senior Citizens’ Hall, 55 Tawanui Rd, 3pm-5pm
• Kaitāia; Tuesday 12 March, Webb Room, RSA Bowling Club, 18 Matthews Ave, 10am-noon
• Kerikeri; Tuesday 12 March, Bay of Islands Golf Club, Golf View Dr, 3pm-5pm.

Additionally, a hybrid in person and online session will be held in Whangārei on Friday 15 March in the Tutukākā Room, Northland Regional Council, 36 Water St, from 9.30am-noon. Details of the online link will be provided closer to the time.

Details on the public consultation on the review of the Plan, including the revised Plan document and online submission form, are available from the regional council’s website at www.nrc.govt.nz/transportplan

The consultation runs from Friday 16 February until Friday 15 March.

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