ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE

8 MAY 1996

A meeting of the Environmental Committee

was held on Wednesday 8 May 1996 at 4.00 p.m.

PRESENT: Councillor Carole Evans (Chairman),

Councillors Anna Crighton, Newton Dodge,

Pat Harrow, Lesley Keast, Charles Manning

and Barbara Stewart.

APOLOGY: An apology for absence was received and accepted

from Councillor Oscar Alpers. Councillor Stewart arrived at 4.10 p.m. and was

present for all clauses except clause 4. The Committee reports that: PART A - MATTERS REQUIRING A COUNCIL DECISION

1. DRAFT REGIONAL LAND TRANSPORT STRATEGY RR 2789 1996-2001

Officer Responsible                    Author                        
City Streets Manager                      Stuart Woods                  
and
Environmental Policy and                                         
Planning Manager                                                     
Corporate Plan Output:  Transportation Policy Advice                    

The purpose of the report is to seek agreement on the Council's submission on the draft Regional Land Transport Strategy 1996-2001, prepared under the Transport Amendment Act 1995. The strategy is an update of the first Canterbury Regional Land Transport Strategy that was released in 1993. Submissions are invited on this draft, closing on 10 May 1996 for the City Council. The Strategy will be finalised at a meeting of the Regional Land Transport Committee of the Canterbury Regional Council on 24 May 1996. The contents of the strategy are set out in the attached table of contents. The following is the suggested Council submission on the draft Regional Land Transport Strategy resulting from a presentation and discussion session for Councillors with Regional Council officers on 22 April 1996. Christchurch City Council Submission

on

Draft Canterbury Regional Land Transport Strategy

1. INTRODUCTION The Christchurch City Council appreciates the opportunity to make the following submission of the draft Canterbury Regional Land Transport Strategy, CRC Report 96(3), ISBN 1-86937-294-8, March 1996.

1 Cont'd Generally the City Council agrees with the contents of the document, subject to the comments and concerns outlined below. However, with the considerable time available for the Regional Council to compile the strategy, the City Council would have appreciated more time for consideration, given the potential impact on the city's planning of its land transport system. The main body of this submission is in 6 parts, namely : General Issues

Management of System Strategy

Transport Safety Strategy

Transport Mode Strategy

Motor Vehicle Strategy

Road Network Management Strategy 2. GENERAL ISSUES Whilst recognising the necessity of broad strategic statements in this document, such statements can potentially be always achievable and used to support every planning initiative, or alternatively be totally idealistic, impracticable and used to object to every planning initiative. As a result, the Council considers that the strategy should shift its basis towards more specific issues and examples. This approach should ensure achievable and well directed strategies. The Council considers that the process within the strategy should show more recognition of city needs, and then how transport and the transport system can best serve those needs; rather than what are the needs of transport in its own right. This would identify the issue that transport is largely a service, not an end itself. One means to achieve this could be selecting and consulting with say 20-30 city companies (some of the end users) to establish their transport needs (both present and perceived future needs) for input into the strategy direction. Some groups outside the city, such the north Canterbury forestry interests, would also be worth consulting in this manner, given their impacts on the city transport system. This could also assist with a programme to identify key trends for the monitoring programme. The establishment of a monitoring programme as discussed in the draft strategy is seen to be important. The Council strongly supports it and believes that it should be proceeded with immediately. The Council believes that the recently released City Council Strategy for Children should be recognised in this strategy. A relevant summary from part of the Strategy for Children is "Parents were extremely concerned about road and cycle safety. They said Christchurch road safety could be improved by more cycle lanes, reducing traffic volumes and slowing traffic near schools. Parents endorsed any initiatives which prioritised pedestrians and cyclists."

1 Cont'd There is concern amongst City Councillors that previous statements regarding emissions to air have not meaningfully been transferred into reality. The statements made in this strategy, therefore, should be directed into specific actions. Some projects are under way but acknowledgment is required (eg reductions in bus emission requirements in Canride contracts). Also a note of the more stringent World Health Organisation ambient air quality standard with regard to particulate emissions should be included. 3. MANAGEMENT OF SYSTEM STRATEGY Clarification is required of the use of "equitable" in the fifth bullet point at the beginning of section 4.1 "Management of system strategy". The Council understands that its use here refers to equitable funding allocations with respect to other transport modes, rather than funding to provide equitable (cheap and easy) access to the transport system for all people. The Council believes that there is a need to recognise that in some transport corridors too much demand is being made on limited road space. Corridor functions may need to be split out, recognising the fact that not all modes can be served on every road. To address this problem, the primary or priority use of the road space should be established for the roads with this problem. The flow on effects of this process should also be recognised; for example, if cycling is to be discouraged on a route, an alternative route should be planned for, (which should retain or improve on the convenience and directness of the original corridor). Whilst some improvements to the public transport system are noted in various places in the strategy, no reference has been made to increased frequencies (or non-timetabled services) which is seen by the Council as a critical issue to a successful public transport system. Other unmentioned issues are fare payment systems, and the need for better matching bus size to demand. It is also considered that funding for Public Transport should reflect in the quality and frequencies of the services supplied (in that larger subsidies are available for higher quality & more frequent services, or a bonus system be provided for increased patronage over the course of a contract). Reviewing the bus route structure and its rationale is also not mentioned, which is also considered by the Council to be important for responding to the needs of a developing city. An aspect of this is to address the question of whether the route structure should concentrate on main routes or look for penetration into residential communities. With relationship to the concepts of passenger transport corridors, land use and high density zones, it should be noted that these matters are addressed through the City Plan prepared under the Resource Management Act 1991. 1 Cont'd When producing applications for section 3(D) funding for public transport, it is imperative that all benefits are included, such as improved road safety, reduced land needed for parking and less congestion/delays to other traffic. 4. TRANSPORT SAFETY STRATEGY The Council supports this section of the strategy. 5. TRANSPORT MODE STRATEGY The City Council considers that a policy should be promoted which seeks to maximise the use of other more sustainable modes of transport before undertaking new major roading improvements. Solving transport problems by simply increasing road capacity without first reviewing all options should be discouraged. The City Council wishes to propose that in the strategy an investigation be initiated to establish the most appropriate controlling authorities for various functions covered by the strategy, such as which is the most appropriate authority to undertake Public Transport planning in Christchurch. Such an investigation would require consideration of the legal position, what agreements are required (eg working relationships), and what (and to whom) are the benefits of the various options. The City Council supports strongly the inclusion of pro-cycle strategies in this document. It should also include strategies to seek support for stable "equitable" funding mechanisms for cycling. The Council considers that the role of rail transport in this strategy should be given greater emphasis, including raising the part it could play in the public transport/commuter transport system (such as to and from Kaiapoi/Rangiora and Templeton/Burnham/Ashburton). The impact and scope of section 3(D) of the Transit New Zealand Amendment Act on this area should also be highlighted. 6. MOTOR VEHICLE STRATEGY A means of addressing, and to some extent dispersing, peak congestion which the Council supports is the encouragement of glide time for workers. However, spreading trips to work over a longer time makes it less likely that strategies such as car pooling and use of large buses would be successful and makes it easier to use a car having to contend with reduced traffic congestion. The Council strongly supports compulsory emissions testing on second hand imported vehicles, especially diesel powered; a Government regulation should be sought, if necessary. 1 Cont'd The Council considers that methods of encouraging private motorists to invest in alternatively fuelled, and zero or low emissions vehicles should be strongly promoted. Incentives such as cheap parking schemes for such vehicles could be proposed. 7. ROAD NETWORK MANAGEMENT STRATEGY The Council understands that appendix two, which outlines in moderate detail the strategy for Road Network Management, is primarily the Transit New Zealand view presently. However, the only specific concern of the City Council relates to page 46, Western access - Yaldhurst, Carmen, Riccarton, Blenheim, wherein rather than having a proposed strategy of "Focus traffic on Blenheim Road route", the City Council prefers "Encourage traffic to use Blenheim Road rather than Riccarton Road". The Council is very concerned about the cost that the heavy vehicle users are placing on road maintenance, and about the safety issues of these vehicles travelling along inappropriate roads. The lack of recognised heavy vehicle routes in some parts of the city is a problem, particularly where heavy vehicles are passing along routes used by school children. It is the City Council's opinion that much could be gained by communicating these concerns to heavy vehicle users/owners. In the Council's opinion, reference should be made in section 4.3, "Transport Mode Strategy, Transporting Freight" to a high priority which should be placed on remedying specific road deficiencies in this area. Issues of dedicated access, increased signage for heavy vehicles, education and promotion processes within the industry, and routes separated from residential uses (emphasis on the ring road) should be raised. The Environmental Committee fully endorsed the submissions and requested that staff present it to the Regional Council by 10 May 1996. The City Services Committee on 7 May also endorsed the submissions. Recommendation: That the Commitee's action in approving the submissions on the Council's behalf for forwarding to the Regional Council by the 10 May deadline be confirmed. PART B - ITEMS DEALT WITH BY THE COMMITTEE AND

REPORTED FOR INFORMATION ONLY

2. SUPPLEMENTARY ITEMS The Chairman sought approval to introduce supplementary reports on the following topics: 2 Cont'd * Draft Regional Land Transport Strategy 1996-2001 (Hagley/Ferrymead Community Board submissions). * Structures at Gang Headquarters (public excluded). The Chairman explained the reasons why the reports had not been included in the main agenda and why they could not wait for the next meeting of the Committee. The Committee resolved that the supplementary reports be received and considered at the present meeting.

3. DRAFT REGIONAL LAND TRANSPORT STRATEGY RR 2789 1996-2001 (HAGLEY/FERRYMEAD COMMUNITY BOARD SUBMISSIONS)

Submissions from the Hagley/Ferrymead Community Board Subcommittee meeting on Tuesday 7 May were tabled at the Environmental Committee meeting. The Subcommittee fully endorsed the suggested Council submissions, and it was resolved that the Hagley/Ferrymead Community Board's submissions be received for information and forwarded to the Regional Council as an attachment to the Strategy.

4. CHILDREN'S STRATEGY RR 2751 The Committee considered the report by the Environmental Policy and Planning Manager on children's strategies. Members of the Committee requested that other areas for children's strategies on environmental issues could include: (a) Educating children on the preservation of heritage. (b) Access to rivers. (c) Ideas from kids on recycling and composting. It was also requested that the Keep Christchurch Beautiful Society be invited to the next meeting of the Environmental Committee to speak on children's issues. The Committee resolved that the information be received.

5. ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT RR 2750

ISSUES - GENERAL John Dryden, Environmental Policy and Planing Manager, updated the Committee on general environmental planning and development issues. The Committee resolved that the report be received and also made special mention of the great effort of Jenny May on her inner city heritage buildings tour attended by many Councillors on Saturday 4 May 1996. 6. RESOLUTION TO EXCLUDE THE PUBLIC The Committee resolved that the draft resolution to exclude the public set out in the supplementary agenda be adopted. CONSIDERED THIS 22ND DAY OF MAY 1996

MAYOR

Top of Page ~ Council Proceedings ~ Council & Councillors