Nick Rogers to Retire from NZTA Board

Nick Rogers is to retire from the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) Board on 17 September 2019.

Nick has served as a Board member since 2013, working under three different Ministers (Brownlee, Bridges and Twyford). In March, Nick advised the Transport Minister, Hon. Phil Twyford, that he would be retiring at the end of his second term on 30 June 2019, however then agreed to the Minister’s request to stay on until a replacement could be found. Having held the role of interim Board Chair from April 2019 to June 2019, Nick will remain as Chair of the Investment and Operations Board Committee – a position he has held since 2016 - until his Board retirement.

Nick’s time with NZTA involved him in the challenges of merging three organisations to form a single, cohesive Transport Agency – a process that began in 2008 - while also resulting in significant milestones. “Highlights have been achieving a level playing field with the Financial Assistance Rates across all local authorities, and the roll-out of the One Network Road Classification, which considers the purpose and function of all roads in the national network,” Nick said. “Seeing more freight moved more efficiently on fewer, but larger, trucks has also been a major achievement in helping New Zealand’s economy to thrive, while lowering associated emissions.”

The most remarkable NZTA feat of Nick’s tenure followed the Kaikōura earthquake of November 2016, when the Agency worked closely with KiwiRail to repair the South Island Main Trunk Line and State Highway One after the magnitude 7.8 tremor destroyed all key transport links north and south of the town. SH1 opened to public and industry acclaim just one year, one month and one day later. The opening of Auckland’s $1.4BN Waterview Connection was another major highlight.

In stepping down from the Board, Nick still has an eye to a positive future for New Zealand’s land transport infrastructure. Safety, he said, is a key priority for the Government and will remain a focus for the Agency in times to come. “In my remaining two months, I will be supporting the new NZTA Board Chair Sir Brian Roche and the interim Chief Executive Mark Ratcliffe in driving changes to implement a strong safety culture within the Agency and to see the establishment of a platform that will result in a permanent lowering of the deaths and serious injuries on our roads.”

Minister Phil Twyford has expressed his appreciation for Nick’s commitment to NZTA, saying in his letter dated June 2019: “During your time you have constructively contributed to a number of large scale projects…You can be proud of the work you have achieved during your tenure.

“I would like to thank you again for your service, and I wish you every success in your future endeavours.”

Nick is a senior geotechnical engineer at Tonkin + Taylor.

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