To:
Liam Hodgetts
From:
Andrew Wharton and
CC: Moana Mackey, John
Adam McCutcheon
McSweeney, Joe Hewitt.
City Design and Place
Planning
Purpose: Background information/Advice
Date:
16/03/2021
Background and current state of play: Rapid Transit Service and the NPS-UD
The NPS-UD directed growth around rapid transit stops
1. The NPS-UD came into effect in August 2020. This was as the Draft Spatial Plan was
being prepared for Council approval for consultation.
2. Policy 3 of the NPS-UD 2020 directs intensification within walkable catchments of
‘rapid transit stops’ and contains a definition of ‘rapid transit service’ which serve
these stops.
rapid transit service means any existing or planned frequent, quick, reliable and high-
capacity public transport service that operates on a permanent route (road or rail) that is
largely separated from other traffic
rapid transit stop means a place where people can enter or exit a rapid transit service,
whether existing or planned.
3. These definitions align with the Government Policy Statement on Land Transport.
4. There are multiple criteria within the rapid transit service definition that need to be
met.
MfE officials confirmed policy intent of the intensification directions
5. Council officers held a video conference with Ministry for the Environment (MfE)
Of icials and specifically asked:
o if the rapid transit service definition was intended to apply to Johnsonvile line;
and
o if this was the policy intent of the NPS-UD.
6. Both points were confirmed by MfE officials.
7. Accordingly, Council Of icers modelled walking catchments around each of the
stations on the Johnsonvil e line. A housing typology that gives effect to policy 3 of
the NPS-UD (‘enable building heights at least six storeys’) was applied.
Officers have already recommended a nuanced approach to implementing the
intensification direction
8. For consultation in the draft Spatial Plan, Officers recommended:
o Five minute walking catchments be applied around Crofton Downs, Ngaio,
Awarua, Simla Crescent, Box Hil , Khandallah and Raroa Stations.
o Ten minute walking catchments be applied to the Johnsonvil e railway station.
9. The different application of five and ten minute walking catchments for stations was
based on the relative level of ‘enablers’ that can help facilitate a well-functioning
urban environment (such as community facilities, schools, supermarkets, open
space). Comparatively, main stations such as Johnsonvil e have a greater number of
enablers relative to the stations which have had a five minute walking catchment
applied.
10. The use of enablers as indicators of growth potential is consistent the centres-based
development also used in the Draft Spatial Plan.
11. Council approved the Draft Spatial Plan for consultation implementing the NPS-UD in
this way.
MfE guidance subsequently listed stations on ‘Wel ington commuter rail services’ as
rapid transit stops
12. The MfE document ‘Understanding and implementing intensification provisions for
the NPS-UD’ stated “
Examples of existing rapid transit stops include train stations on
the commuter rail services in Wellington and Auckland and bus stations on
Auckland’s Northern Busway.”
13. Following release of this guidance Council officers asked for written confirmation
from MfE officials for further commentary on the application of Policy 3 to the
Johnsonvil e line.
14. MfE officials advised ‘
Ultimately it is up to local authorities to determine if a route is a
rapid transit network’ and suggested Council seek comment from Greater Wellington
Regional Council.
Council officers have had regional discussions about the NPS-UD definitions and
their application
15. These discussions involved Waka Kotahi, MfE, Ministry of Housing and Urban
Development, all local authorities in the region and Metlink.
16. A consistent approach to walking catchment modelling is also being explored.
The Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP) identifies Wel ington Region’s rapid transit
corridors, including the Johnsonvil e Line
17. The Draft Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP) identifies all commuter rail lines
(including the Johnsonvil e line) as rapid transit corridors and services, in both their
current state and future state. The RLTP does not identify specific stops along the
corridor.
18. The Johnsonvil e line stops at all stations. As a ‘rapid transit stop’ means a place
where people can enter or exit a rapid transit service, by definition this means that all
stops on the Johnsonvil e line are rapid transit stops, around which at least 6 storeys
must be enabled.
19. The NPS-UD defines “planned”, in relation to forms or features of transport, as
meaning planned in a Regional Land Transport Plan.
20. However, the NPS-UD does not use the RLTP to identify where rapid transit lines
are. This means district plans can have regard to the RLTP, but are not directed by it,
when confirming whether something is rapid transit.
The upcoming One Network Framework wil classify commuter rail as rapid transit
21. The One Network Road Classification (ONRC) provides a consistent classification
baseline for transport corridors. This is evolving into a new One Network Framework
(ONF) to focus on integrated land use and transport planning, led by Waka Kotahi
and LGNZ. The ONF was due to be launched last month.
22. The draft ONF states that all metro rail corridors, regardless of services, are “PT1” –
corridors where rapid transit services are operated. This document does not have
legal weight. It is intended to help standardise how transport corridors are classified
and managed.
The reviewed Regional Policy Statement may specify rapid transit services and stops
23. A new Wellington Regional Policy Statement is being drafted by Greater Wellington.
Territorial authority planning staff have promoted that this document could also list
rapid transit services and stops in the region. District plans must give effect to
regional policy statements.
We are providing comments on the Draft Regional Public Transport Plan 2021 (RPTP)
24. GWRC has recently released the draft RPTP for consultation. Feedback closes on 19
March, which does not allow enough time for a submission to be signed off by
Council. It has been suggested comments should be worked up with the portfolio
leader and the Mayor.
25. Joe Hewitt has combined staff technical comments on the RPTP and wil bring these
to tomorrow’s meeting. Most of the points are definition and clarification matters.
We suggest that MfE provide more certainty in the application of Policy 3 by
identifying rapid transit services within the NPS
26. The definition of rapid transit services and stops is contentious because it triggers a
process for councils to enable transit-oriented development around those stops. We
would like MfE to amend the NPS-UD by including an appendix of the current rapid
transit services and stops.
27. This would not stop new rapid transit services being created (for example, as part of
LGWM). It would not place any additional obligations on WCC. It would apply a
nationally standardised approach to classify and identify these services, which the
district plan would then give effect to. Currently, each council is liable to legal and
planning challenges on whether a particular service is rapid transit or not. This is
inefficient and could result in dif erent interpretations across the country.
