Nelson City Council adopted the Regional Land Transport Plan and Regional Public Transport Plan on 4 July 2024. The agenda for NCC's meeting can be read here.

Tasman District Council adopted the Regional Land Transport Plan and Regional Public Transport Plan on 20 June 2024. The agenda for TDC's meeting can be read here.

The final adopted plan can be read here.

What is a Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP)?

Developing the draft Regional Land Transport Plan is the primary way we discuss and agree upon a clear set of regional outcomes, priorities and improvement projects in the land transport space.

The Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP) is a critical document for Nelson / Tasman as it underpins all of the region’s road network and transportation planning, as well as the investment priorities over the next ten years on both the state highway and local road networks.

What has been considered in this draft Regional Land Transport Plan?

This RLTP recognises that the transport network we have traditionally relied on may not be appropriate for the future.

The key transport issues in Te Tauihu in the next 10 years are:

• vehicle usage growth and its effects on access
• maintenance has been underfunded in the past, and road conditions are getting worse
• safety on our roads
• our communities are susceptible to losing access in more frequent weather events
• vehicle usage is affecting our natural environment.

The focus of this RLTP will be on supporting economic and population growth; improving safety, travel choice and resilience and making an increased investment in maintenance.

The Partners to the RLTP (Nelson City Council, Tasman District Council and Waka Kotahi) recognize they need to continue to work together to achieve these outcomes. Examples of this work include:

• NZTA Waka Kotahi will work on making improvements to the state highway network on specific projects such as SH6 Hope Bypass and three new heavy commercial safety centres spread across the region. They will also work on generic activities including regional speed management planning and installation of median barriers on roads.
• Nelson and Tasman will deliver safer speeds determined through the joint speed management plan including making improvements in urban areas for our most vulnerable school road users.
• Nelson and Tasman will continue to improve their cycling networks in line with their Walking and Cycling Strategies and NZTA Waka Kotahi have proposed the Rocks Road Walking and Cycling project.
• Nelson and Tasman will continue to cooperatively provide the eBus public transport service network. Only modest improvements are proposed in the 2024 – 27 period, including weekend services to Wakefield and Motueka, with a full review in August 2024 to inform next steps.
• NZTA Waka Kotahi will continue to work on improving network resilience for communities at risk of losing access in storm events. They will continue to reduce the risk of landslips on Takaka Hill and the Whangamoa and have a programme of treating high risk rock fall sites.

What is the Regional Public Transport Plan?

The Nelson-Tasman Public Transport Plan sets out what public transport looks like for the region, and what is proposed for ongoing improvement in the wider Nelson Tasman area over the next 10 years.

It focuses on delivering a public transport system that builds on the change created by the recent introduction of eBus services.

What is proposed in the plan?

The following stages are proposed in this plan.

Stage 1 (2024-2027):

• Review the eBus following 12 months of services that began on 1 August 2023. This includes analysing real-time operational data and public feedback to inform potential adjustments and improvements to service reliability, frequency, and accessibility.
• Implementation of minor network adjustments identified in the 12-month review as necessary to enhance the network. This includes (but is not limited to) improving reliability, meeting capacity demands, increasing geographic coverage and supporting mode shift.
• Review of fare policy and concession categories. This is likely to include continuation of funding support for half-price public transport concessions for Community Services Card holders and half-price concessions for Total Mobility services (75% discount). However, Crown funding for free fares for 5-12 year olds and half-price fares for 13-24 year olds on public transport will end on 30 April 2024
• Bus stop infrastructure and information/wayfinding improvements to build and improve convenience and broaden public awareness of the current services.
• Continuing improvements to the eBus website and information systems to enhance customer service levels and experience.
• Implement National Ticketing Solution to replace the Bee Card.
• Millers Acre Bus Hub.
• Additional weekend bus services on regional routes.

Stage 2 (2027-2030):

Implementation will follow and be informed by the 12-month eBus review in Stage 1. Additional route changes will be identified in the 2027-37 RPTP review and may include:

• Increased peak hour frequencies on key urban routes,
• Supporting community transport options for Golden Bay, and Hira,
• Bus priority measures, with the inclusion of any priority measures from the Nelson Future Access Project and Richmond Programme Business Case,
• Bus signal priority measures,
• Additional weekend bus services on regional routes.

Submissions are invited from Monday 22 January 2024 until 5:00 pm Sunday 25 February 2024.

Submissions are to be in writing and can be emailed to submissions@ncc.govt.nz or posted to:

RLTP and RPTP Submission
Nelson City Council
PO Box 645, Nelson 7040
Freepost 76919

You can also drop your submission into a Customer Service Centre or any of our Public Libraries.

Please let us know if you would like to speak at a Hearing to support your submission.

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All submissions (including your name and contact details) will be provided to Council workers for administration and analysing feedback, and to those who are involved in decision making on the consultation.

All submissions, including submitter names (unless you request otherwise) but not contact details, will be publicly available online. The body of your submission and any attachments will not be checked for personal information and it should be assumed that anything included in these will be made public.

Note, Council is subject to the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 and a request for official information may cover your submission, including your address and other contact details.