50 Victoria Street
Private Bag 6995
Wellington 6141
New Zealand
T 64 4 894 5400
F 64 4 894 6100
www.nzta.govt.nz
2 March 2023
Kate
[FYI request #21421 email]
REF: OIA-11960
Dear Kate
Request made under the Official Information Act 1982
Thank you for your email
of 18 January 2023 to Te Manatū Waka – The Ministry of Transport
requesting information under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
On 1 February 2023, the following parts of your request were transferred to Waka Kotahi NZ Transport
Agency for response as they refer to a Waka Kotahi owned document:
Does this mean road cones are not factored into climate change related policies or impact
calculations?
Section A-H of the CoPPTM document has over 300 references to cones and around 500 pages.
Is a summary available?
Road cones are not specifically factored into carbon assessments for Waka Kotahi activities as our
focus is assessing and reporting on our material emissions – the main contributors such as fuel and
electricity, concrete, steel, and asphalt.
Our Resource Efficiency Policy and Network Outcomes Contracts key performance indicator measure,
3.1.7 Resource Efficiency and Waste Minimisation, requires our contractors to identify and implement
resource efficiency opportunities to reduce energy and greenhouse gas emissions, increase uptake of
recycled and alternative materials, reduce use of virgin and high carbon intensity materials, and
reduce water and waste consumption. Your query highlights a good opportunity to factor road cones
into this context, including considering the carbon impacts of purchasing new road cones and recycling
old road cones, where it is possible to do so.
You can find out more about Waka Kotahi resource efficiency and waste management expectations of
our contractors on our website at:
www.nzta.govt.nz/roads-and-rail/highways-information-portal/technical-disciplines/environment-and-
sustainability-in-our-operations/environmental-technical-areas/resource-efficiency-and-waste-
minimisation/.
The code of practice for temporary traffic management (CoPTTM) is an operational document used by
contractors as a technical guide for roadworks. A summary for the document does not exist because
each part is relevant to a specific scenario. I am therefore refusing this part of your request under
section 18(e) of the Act because the document al eged to contain the information requested does not
exist.
Waka Kotahi does not specify, via CoPTTM, the number of road cones and other materials required
for any site, but rather asks contractors to ensure the safety of road users and others. Further to this,
we are currently reviewing our national Temporary Traffic Management guidance, so that there is an
enhanced focus on safety through risk management and less mandated detail regarding the solutions
to achieve this. In doing so, we are reinforcing to contractors that they may implement innovative
solutions. We wil also continue to support the discussion on resource efficiency, including
opportunities involving road cones as outlined above.
Although we cannot provide you with a summary of the CoPTTM, if you would like to discuss how it is
used, you are welcome to contact Ryan Cooney on (03) 941 6489.
Under section 28 of the Act, you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to review my decision to refuse
part of this request. The contact details for the Ombudsman can be located at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz.
If you would like to discuss this reply with Waka Kotahi, please contact Ministerial Services by email to
[email address]
Yours sincerely
Vanessa Browne
National Manager, Programme and Standards
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