Agenda of Transport & Infrastructure Committee

No.	Title	Page
a ⇨	Waka Kotahi Speed Management Nov 2023 - presentation

Transport and Infrastructure Committee

16 November 2023

Response to 2023 Weather Events

File No.: CP2023/17128

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To provide an update on internal reviews of the severe weather events of 2023 recently completed by Auckland Transport (AT) and Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency (Waka Kotahi).

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. Auckland Transport Operations Centre (ATOC), jointly with AT and Waka Kotahi have completed internal reviews of our Emergency Response actions following the severe weather events experienced in 2023. The two reports are as follows and attached to the agenda:

· Anniversary/Gabrielle Flood Response Review, external review by Connect Infrastructure Ltd (Attachment A)

· 9 May Flooding Response Review, internal review by Waka Kotahi, Auckland Transport and Auckland Transport Operations Centre (ATOC) (Attachment B)

3. The insights from the reviews have highlighted successes and 24 detailed recommendations for improvement.

4. The reviews align to an organisational culture of continuous improvement. They remain independent to any external reports such as the Bush Review of the Auckland Anniversary Flood.

5. The focus of improvement recommendations were on response efforts and do not cover the recovery stages which are managed through another programme of work in AT.

6. The AT Board and the Waka Kotahi Executive Team have endorsed the establishment of a joint improvement programme to address the recommendations and build on the successes identified from the joint reviews.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation

That the Transport and Infrastructure Committee:

a) tuhi ā-taipitopito / note the plan to address the recommendations and findings from the weather event debrief reports for 2023.

Horopaki

Context

7. One of the accountabilities of ATOC is to lead the Emergency Management Response for AT. ATOC’s Joint Venture arrangement with AT and Waka Kotahi contributes to Waka Kotahi’s National Emergency Response Team.

8. Auckland has experienced several severe weather events so far in 2023 and each varied in complexity and severity. Through jointly undertaken internal debriefs for discrete weather events, six key themes of successes have been highlighted on our emergency responses. Additionally, opportunities have been identified to improve customer experience across the roading and public transport networks, customer communications and internal capability.

9. There are 24 detailed recommendations consolidated from the Auckland Anniversary Flood, Cyclone Gabrielle and the 9 May 2023 Flood internal reviews. These have been summarised into 9 key themes in this report for transparency. Several of the recommendations are already being proactively worked on and several others require investment, resource allocation and a broader programme of work to be established.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

10. Common and consistent successes and recommendations were noted across all discrete reviews.

Successes in summary

· Operational relationship with Auckland Emergency Management (AEM) was effective and recognised by AEM.

· ATOC was the first to stand up an Incident Management Team (IMT), to respond to the Anniversary weekend flooding event.

· The level of readiness for the 9 May 2023 flooding was high and ATOC operated very closely with the MetService to ensure this.

· AT made a deliberate decision to prioritise additional bus resources for schools that enacted early closures with no notice to ensure safe journeys of Auckland tamariki.

· AT contractors proactively monitored vulnerable areas of the network (Wairau, Karekare, Piha) and prioritised the safe and quick re-opening of roads where possible.

· Public transport operators supported customer demand in off-peak hours, and they were very responsive.

· IMT staff demonstrated a high level of commitment and goodwill throughout lengthy response periods.

Recommendation themes in summary

· Enhanced customer communications and alignment in key messages between key agencies. Specifically improved working relationships at a strategic level with partners and key agencies and the implementation of a strategic communications function in ATOC (initiated).

· Faster, reliable, consistent, and accurate real-time communications to customers on the ‘one transport network’ (initiated).

· Egress Planning for emergency situations through plans for varied situations across roading and public transport and contribution to the AEM evacuation planning process and plan (initiated).

· Improved Network Resiliency. Proactively addressing vulnerable parts of the network, capital improvement programmes, planned detour routes and implementation of weatherproof solutions to protect vulnerable signals and other assets.

· Internal process enhancements and People Capability. Align emergency response plans and governance across AT, Waka Kotahi and ATOC to enable a clear command and control system during an emergency. Define the level of service and resources appropriately to enable the delivery of a ‘one customer’ and ‘one network’ focused emergency response effort.

· Improved common understanding with MetService. Encourage the use of plain language to minimise technical metrological expertise and to allow easier identification of potential areas of impact from a weather warning.

· Develop a common operating picture. Enable ATOC to quickly identify the whole network impacts and communicate this through a purpose-built technology-enabled solution. To enable better sharing of information with customers, AEM and other stakeholders to inform strategic and operational decision-making at pace.

· Uplift people's capability through the minimum standard of training, practice and exercising complex response scenarios with partner organisations.

· Ensure resiliency of staff, wellbeing, technology, and work facilities for the seamless response effort.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

11. Mitigations and preparedness for an increase in severe weather events resulting from climate change underpin this work.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

12. The internal reviews have identified the need for stronger strategic relationship between Auckland Emergency Management and ATOC/AT. Staff from both organisations are working collaboratively to give effect to these recommendations.

Ngā whakaaweawe ā-rohe me ngā tirohanga a te poari ā-rohe

Local impacts and local board views

13. The localised impacts or local board views were not part of the preparation of this report as it summarises internal review.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

14. The impact on Māori and or on Māori outcomes was not a consideration of the internal review.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

15. With implementation of the above recommendations, risks to organisational reputation, employee engagement, network performance and customer experience will be mitigated through improved emergency management preparedness.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

16. With implementation of the above recommendations, risks to organisational reputation, employee engagement, network performance and customer experience will be mitigated through improved emergency management preparedness.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

17. Several improvement initiatives are underway to enhance the customer experience across the Transport Network.

18. The Emergency Management Improvement Programme will highlight further solutions with a focus on One Network and One Customer approach. The progress of the initiatives under this improvement programme is being monitored by ATOC’s Joint Management Board.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a ⇨	Anniversary/Gabrielle Flood Response Review
b ⇨	9 May Flooding Response Review - Lessons Management Report
c ⇨	Weather Events - Presentation

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Author

Sarah Bryant, Group Manager, Auckland Transport Operation Centre (ATOC)

Authorisers

Dean Kimpton - Chief Executive Officer (AT)

Barry Potter - Director Infrastructure and Environmental Services

Transport and Infrastructure Committee

16 November 2023

Time of Use Congestion Charging Methodology and Next Steps

File No.: CP2023/17456

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To update the Transport and Infrastructure Committee (TIC) on the proposed methodology to progress Time of Use Charging and to outline recommended next steps.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. The joint TIC and Auckland Transport (AT) Board workshop held in August 2023 reinforced previous Council and AT Board decisions that Time of Use Charging is a priority for Auckland.

3. It was requested that officers report back to the TIC in November 2023 with a proposal to implement Time of Use Charging as a priority and to potentially coincide with the opening of the City Rail Link in 2026.

4. In parallel the Manifesto for Auckland, outlines that the Auckland Deal “needs to include an Auckland Integrated Transport Plan … which will include [among other priorities, the ability to empower] Auckland Council to implement congestion charging, set our own parking fines, and other decisions about our transport system”.

5. While enabling legislation is still required to implement a Time of Use Charging scheme in Auckland there are several workstreams that can be carried out in parallel with the path of proposed legislation through Parliament and this could inform the detail of the legislation.

6. AT has developed an implementation plan (detailed below) to complete the scheme design and engage with stakeholders in the community with the view to moving forward into procurement and implementation by early 2025.

7. While early funding placeholders have been included in the Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP) and the draft Long Term Plan (LTP), resourcing is needed in FY24 to begin pre-implementation activities. Work needs to begin now to ensure a scheme could be implemented to coincide with the opening of the City Rail Link in 2026.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendations

That the Transport and Infrastructure Committee:

a) ohia / endorse the creation of a joint Auckland Transport / Auckland Council programme team to implement Time of Use Charging.

b) tuhi ā-taipitopito / note that officers will report back on progress on implementation of Time of Use Charging

Horopaki

Context

8. Work by agencies involved in ‘The Congestion Question’ programme of work estimated congestion to cost between $0.9 billion and $1.3 billion per annum in Auckland.

9. A large amount of work has progressed in recent decades to use road pricing to reduce the burden of excessive congestion and deliver other benefits for Auckland. This has been reflected in the Auckland Transport Alignment Project (ATAP) since 2016 and many reports are available on the Ministry of Transport website under the banner of ‘The Congestion Question’.

10. At its meeting of 6 May 2021, the Planning Committee supported implementation of congestion charging in principle subject to certain conditions being fulfilled, including equity issues being addressed, adequate public transport and available funding to offset the Regional Fuel Tax (Resolution number PLA/2021/37). These views were represented in a joint Auckland Council (AC)/AT submission to the Transport and Infrastructure Select Committee on 20 May 2021.

11. The Transport and Infrastructure Select Committee released its findings in support of enabling congestion charging on 19 November 2021. All political parties offered support to progress the issue.

12. Broad support for Time of Use Charging was expressed publicly across the political spectrum in the lead up to the October 2023 government election, providing a strong expectation that enabling legislation will be developed.

13. The ‘Manifesto for Auckland’ published prior to the election made it clear that “Auckland has not been given the funding and financing tools to meet the challenges of growth” so a deal is required for “empowering Auckland Council to implement congestion charging”.

14. The previous Government had prepared draft legislation to enable Time of Use Charging. However, this did not enter the legislative process prior to the national election despite multi-lateral support for the Select Committee report back on The Congestion Question work in late 2022.

15. Legislation will clarify the powers of Local Government to implement any charging scheme and any conditions needed for that scheme.

16. Applying for and implementing a charging scheme for Auckland requires AT and AC to undertake the pre-implementation activities outlined below. This is a significant piece of work.

17. Gaining public acceptance for Time of Use Charging is critical – once implemented nearly all international schemes have been successful but, prior to implementation, failures tend to be due to a lack of public support or understanding.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

18. Officers have developed a proposed implementation plan as per the table below. The identified pre-implementation activities are proposed to be grouped into the following activities:

Workstream	Description
1	Pre-Implementation workstreams scheme purpose and objectives – the critical first step to (re)establish the purpose(s) of the Time of Use Charging scheme.
2	Public and stakeholder engagement – critical to the decision-making process. Involving both the planning for, and undertaking of, the engagement activities prior to implementation to establish and build social licence.
3	Physical scheme design – workstream 3 and 4 are primarily technical workstreams that are concerned with the development and definition of the preferred Time of Use Charging scheme and its components.
4	Functional specifications.
5	Governance / ownership – workstreams 5 and 6 are somewhat interrelated and relate to who and how the scheme would be implemented and operated on an ongoing basis.
6	Procurement, delivery and operations.
7	Mitigation mechanisms – workstreams 7 – 10 are primarily related to policies and initiatives that are directly related to the Time of Use Charging scheme.
8	Complementary policies and initiatives.
9	Revenue policy.
10	Privacy.
11	Legislation – relates to the legislative process that is needed to enable Time of Use Charging to be implemented. Te Manatu Waka have progressed draft legislation since the Select Committee recommendation, so it would be expected that it would be responsible for this workstream. There will need to be a need for discussion between Te Manatu Waka and this work programme to shape the draft legislation in the right way to support successful implementation and operation of Time of Use Charging.
12	Implementation and Procurement plan – this prepares the implementation plan for the scheme and would consider the detailed design and procurement and delivery of the physical assets, digital systems and processes and scheme commissioning to get to go live.

Table 1: Proposed Auckland Time of Use Charging Implementation Plan

19. An indicative programme of work is provided in Attachment A and the presentation which staff will take the committee through is provided in Attachment B to this report.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

20. Time of Use Charging will have a positive impact on reducing emissions as the charging will eliminate some car trips or transfer them to other modes or to free flow traffic conditions. Eliminating car trips or mode change to public transport or car sharing reduce emissions.

21. Funding sourced through Time of Use Charging is expected to be invested in improving alternative ways to travel thus growing mode share for public transport and active modes that would lower emissions.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

22. Time of Use Charging would provide an additional regional source of funding for transport related projects in Auckland.

Ngā whakaaweawe ā-rohe me ngā tirohanga a te poari ā-rohe

Local impacts and local board views

23. Local boards will be engaged early during workstream 2, public and stakeholder engagement.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

24. Mana whenua and mataa waka will be engaged early during workstream 2. Some early work has been done on equity to assess impact on such a scheme on Maori, equity work will need to be further refined when a final scheme location is known.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

25. Current work on the development of the implementation plan has been met within existing operational staff costs.

26. This work stream is currently not funded in the 2024 financial year. There is an estimated budget of $2m in the 2025 year in the draft LTP ($16b version) and $34m in FY2026 with the balance ($187m) spread between FY27 and FY30.

27. Indicative costs to complete the implementation plan are between $3.7m and $4.7m. Staff propose to seek approval to bring forward funding from 2026 to 2024 and 2025.

28. Time of Use Charging will deliver revenue once implemented and may potentially reduce the potential loss of the Regional Fuel Tax revenue.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

29. Political uncertainty, legislation delay (not a listed priority in the in first 1000 days plan for the Government elect). This is mitigated by the broad political support for the scheme and the Mayoral Manifesto and Auckland Deal which outlines an expectation that Auckland is empowered to implement congestion charging.

30. Public sentiment lost early to be mitigated through public engagement via townhalls and civic forums and incorporating earlier feedback received for communities.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

31. Set up a cross-entity programme team (led by AT) to manage the pre-implementation workstreams that are the subject of this update.

32. Support funding for the business case and pre-implementation in the LTP.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a ⇨	Time of Use Charging - Indicative Work Programme
b ⇨	Time of Use Congestion Charging - November 2023 - presentation

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Author

Tracey Berkahn, Group Manager, Services and Performance (AT)

Authorisers

Dean Kimpton, Chief Operating Officer (AT)

Barry Potter - Director Infrastructure and Environmental Services

Transport and Infrastructure Committee

16 November 2023

Auckland Ferry Network – Update and Future Procurement

File No.: CP2023/17135

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To provide an update on the current state of Auckland ferry services and future service procurement within the Auckland ferry network.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. The Auckland ferry services has been operating in some form for over 150 years. Current services focus on the Waitematā Harbour and Hauraki Gulf routes. Services are predominantly delivered by Fullers360 (Devonport, Half Moon Bay, Hobsonville, Beach Haven and Gulf Harbour) with Belaire, SeaLink and the Explore group delivering the remaining routes for West Harbour, Rakino Island, Pine Harbour, Bayswater and Birkenhead).

3. Ferry services are funded as part of the Public Transport programme budget (Waka Kotahi 51% and Auckland Council 49%) and managed via contract by AT. Services are subsidised on a per route basis (as per table 2 below), except for the Waiheke ferry service which is a registered exempt service under the Land Transport Management Act. Total expenditure on ferry services is in excess of $50m per annum (gross).

4. Over the last 12 to 18 months there have been well documented issues with service performance on several ferry routes across the region. As a result, Auckland Transport (AT) has been working with industry participants to address this.

5. In early 2023, an industry meeting was called by the then Minister of Transport, Hon Michael Wood, to discuss the marine crew challenge being experienced in Auckland. This involved representatives from across the industry including Auckland ferry operators, unions, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), Immigration New Zealand, Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency (Waka Kotahi) and AT. A subsequent meeting in April 2023, endorsed an industry response plan to help address marine crew shortages that sectors of the industry were facing (Attachment A).

6. Renumeration interventions are currently being finalised to increase qualified crew wages to be competitive with overseas markets.

7. Commencing on 1 October 2023, a rationalisation of service offering has been delivered to free up staff and vessels to enable training, development, and upskilling of existing and new staff by Fullers 360 Limited (Fullers). This accelerated training programme is expected to take approximately 18 months to complete.

8. In response to the challenges being experienced in the sector, several companies have reached out to local communities, elected members and thus AT around assisting with the provision of services in either the immediate, short-term, or as longer-term participants in the industry. These have been contacted and AT is continuing to assess and follow up where appropriate.

9. To address the cost-of-service delivery, it is proposed that the fare structure for ferry services is reviewed as part of future fare strategy and that AT works with the industry to reduce the cost of operations by undergoing a tender process for some of the non-Fullers contracted routes.

10. Subject to agreement of a revised procurement strategy, it is proposed that AT will commence a procurement process in early 2024 for some of those routes not currently contracted to Fullers.

11. A detailed update on the provision of contracted Auckland Ferry Services and future procurement was presented to the AT Board at its meeting on 31 October 2023.

12. Updates on how the service is performing will be provided to the Transport and Infrastructure Committee.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendations

That the Transport and Infrastructure Committee:

a) tuhi ā-taipitopito / notes the update on the Auckland Ferry network including the background and context of the issues identified regarding the delivery of ferry services in Auckland.

b) ohia / endorse he approach taken to approve the delivery of Auckland ferry services as per the actions endorsed by the Ministerial Working Group.

c) ohia / endorse the holistic approach of Auckland Transport’s procurement strategy of consolidating the industry through longer-term contracting and vessel ownership.

Horopaki

Context

13. The Auckland ferry services has been operating in some form for over 150 years. Current services focus on the Waitematā Harbour routes. Services are predominantly delivered by Fullers360 (Devonport, Half Moon Bay, Hobsonville, Beach Haven and Gulf Harbour) with Belaire, SeaLink and the Explore group delivering the remaining routes for West Harbour, Rakino Island, Pine Harbour, Bayswater and Birkenhead). Further detail of these contracts are as per table one in this report.

14. As noted, ferry services are funded as part of the Public Transport programme budget and managed via contract by AT. Total expenditure on ferry services is ~$50.5m per annum (gross).

15. Over the last ten years there has been a gradual evolution of the passenger ferry industry in Auckland. AT has:

· assumed ownership and / or management of public transport ferry facilities;

· taken on revenue risk by converting operating contracts from net to gross;

· added new destinations to the network (Hobsonville Point);

· extended weekend service provision (Hobsonville Point and Pine Harbour);

· delivered the first stage of the development of the Downtown Ferry Terminal; and

· more recently moved into vessel ownership with the purchase of four diesel vessels from Fullers and commencement of the decarbonisation of ferry public transport.

16. The industry coped well with the immediate impacts of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, with core service levels maintained through-out on many routes; on lifting of restrictions, patronage initially responded well.

17. Since early 2022 when border restrictions were lifted, Fullers, and to a lesser extent the other ferry operators, have experienced difficultly in retaining and attracting sufficient qualified marine personnel to provide timetabled services.

18. In July 2022, AT signed a Ferry Services Agreement with Fullers for the provision of ferry services from the Downtown Ferry Terminal to; Devonport, Gulf Harbour, Half Moon Bay, and Hobsonville/Beach Haven until 2034 (2028 for Gulf Harbour). AT was able to achieve a long-term objective of contracting the Devonport ferry service (including acquisition of berthing infrastructure at Devonport for public use) and build on Fullers experience and investment in the development of low emission technology.

19. This was part of the wider Ferry Procurement Strategy (approved by the AT Board and Waka Kotahi Board in 2021) which envisaged the procurement of two packages of ferry routes: the Fullers negotiated unit, and a tendered unit (being the balance of the network). Fullers would also remain as the operator of the Bayswater and Birkenhead routes until July 2025, when the tendered unit was expected to commence.

20. Due to ongoing marine crew challenges, Fullers exercised a mutually agreed early termination provision on the Bayswater and Birkenhead contracts ferry routes in August 2023 to enable them to concentrate on other contracted services from 1 October 2023. AT was able to successfully directly appoint Explore Group to continue service provision on the route until 30 June 2025, when a new tendered unit is expected to commence.

21. Fullers also commercially operate (without public subsidy or under contract with AT) public transport and tourist ferry services to Waiheke Island and Rangitoto Island. In recent years, it has also operated services to Motutapu Island, Rotoroa Island and the Coromandel Peninsula, but these have recently been suspended due to marine crew shortages.

22. The balance of the ferry public transport network is operated by Explore Group (Bayswater and Birkenhead / Te Onewa Point), SeaLink (Pine Harbour) and Belaire Ferries (West Harbour and Rakino Island). Due to the size, type and nature of operations provided, the smaller ferry operators in Auckland have been able to minimise the impact of marine crew shortages and still maintain contracted service levels.

23. An overview of our current ferry network contract is below (future tendered units highlighted in blue):

Route(s)	Operator	Current Contract Term	Rights of Renewal	Performance Regime
Devonport Half Moon Bay Hobsonville & Beach Haven Gulf Harbour*	Fullers360	18 Jul 2022 to 17 Jul 2034 18 Jul 2022 to 17 Jul 2028*	None, negotiation to vary	Cap & Collar deduction/incentive scheme
West Harbour	Belaire	01 Aug 2019 to 30 Jun 2026	None, negotiation to vary	Punctuality and Reliability deduction scheme
Rakino Island	Belaire	01 Jul 2021 to 30 Jun 2024	None, negotiation to vary	Punctuality and Reliability deduction scheme
Pine Harbour	SeaLink	01 Aug 2019 to 30 Jun 2027	None, negotiation to vary	Punctuality and Reliability deduction scheme
Bayswater	Explore Group	01 Oct 2023 to 30 Jun 2025	None, negotiation to vary	Punctuality and Reliability deduction scheme
Birkenhead	Explore Group	01 Oct 2023 to 30 Jun 2025	None, negotiation to vary	Punctuality and Reliability deduction scheme

Table 1: Summary of Auckland Ferry Services

*Gulf Harbour is on a different term of 6 years only

24. The Auckland passenger ferry fleet consist of approximately 27 vessels (all of which apart from four vessels are owned by operators), delivering over 120,000 services a year (including Waiheke Island services) currently carrying over 4,000,000 passengers. The service operating cost to AT is in excess of $50m per annum (gross). This is co-funded by Waka Kotahi and Auckland Transport as noted above

25. Over the last 12 to 18 months there have been well documented issues with service performance on several ferry routes across the region. Whilst some routes, such as West Harbour and Pine Harbour have managed to be insulated from ongoing marine crew shortages, other routes such as Gulf Harbour and Devonport have been more severely impacted.

26. As a result, public and customer confidence in ferry services is at an all-time low and AT has been working with industry participants to address this.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

27. Over the last 18 months, AT has been working closely with the industry, and Fullers in particular, to seek solutions to address ferry service performance.

28. During 2022, AT agreed to a reduction of ferry services with Fullers to provide service surety for customers in line with measures agreed with bus operators. This was agreed to be a temporary measure, supported by cost rebates to AT for those services not operated. All Fullers operated routes, except Hobsonville Point, were impacted by this support. Routes operated by SeaLink and Belaire Ferries have continued to be operated with no reduction.

29. In early 2023, an industry meeting was called by the then Minister of Transport, Hon Michael Wood, to discuss the marine crew challenge being experienced in Auckland. This involved representatives from across the industry including Auckland ferry operators, unions, MBIE, Immigration New Zealand, Waka Kotahi and AT.

30. An immediate action plan was agreed at the meeting of the Working Group held in April 2023 (see Attachment A), by the various industry stakeholders that covered the following areas:

· Expediate the certification of overseas marine staff to work on Auckland ferries.

· Revisions to the immigration transport sector agreement, and greater flexibility in immigration settings.

· Improved and enhanced rostering by ferry operators.

· Improvements to maritime training and investment in long-term staff development.

· Renumeration interventions to increase qualified crew wages to be competitive with overseas markets.

· Rationalisation of service offering initially to free up staff and vessels to enable training, development and upskilling of existing staff.

· Delivery of an accelerated training programme.

31. To support the delivery of the above, AT agreed to optimise the network to align advertised services with available resources. The original service rationalisation proposal received included the full suspension of several routes across the network for up to 12 months. This was considered by AT to not be suitable for the continued sustainability of the Auckland ferry network, and thus an extended hybrid rationalisation approach was agreed with Fullers (see Attachment B).

32. No rationalisation of service offering was identified as being required by SeaLink or Belaire Ferries.

33. Commercial terms are continuing to be finalised with Fullers, relative to the temporary rationalisation of service, and rebates will be received by AT on Annual Gross Payments (AGP) to sufficiently cover the cost of additional transport services being provided and to reflect cost savings incurred by Fullers.

34. Additional funding has also been secured by AT to contribute towards renumeration increases for qualified crew wages for staff employed on AT contracted services across all ferry operators. It should be noted that Fullers are separately contributing towards crew wages for their staff who operate commercial ferry services (i.e., those not contracted by, or subsidised by, AT).

35. Regular, weekly reporting is being received from Fullers as to progress against the baseline plan for the Accelerated Training Programme, and this will be regularly reported to the AT Board and Auckland Council, via the Transport and Infrastructure Committee.

36. In addition to the above, contractual remedies are also being reviewed / explored under existing contracts to ensure that operator performance is improved going forward. A summary of the contractual remedies available within existing service contracts is included in Attachment C.

37. On completion of the above actions, and once supply is stabilised, AT were advised by the Ministerial Working Group to consider marketing additional off-peak services targeting those routes that have the highest patronage opportunity.

38. Increasing service provision off-peak will enable better utilisation of resource, however, will require additional funding and need to be balanced with the overall economics of service provision, as the cost of providing ferry services is considered high in comparison to other modes.

39. Assessing current AGP levels (2023) against pre-COVID-19 pandemic patronage levels (2019), the cost per passenger is variable across services with the longer distant routes requiring a significantly higher level of funding per passenger.

Service	2023 Adjusted Gross Profit ($m – average)	2019 Patronage pre-COVID-19 pandemic	Cost per passenger (2023 AGP v 2019 PAX)	Adult AT HOP Fare
West Harbour	5.8	171,966	$33.73	$8.25
Hobsonville Point	6.7	160,334	$41.79	$8.25
Birkenhead / Te Onewa Point	3	170,136	$17.63	$5.80
Bayswater	2.5	218,052	$11.47	$5.80
Devonport	8.8	1,870,897	$4.70	$5.80
Gulf Harbour	7.5	182,204	$41.16	$11.60
Pine Harbour	8	195,537	$40.91	$11.60
Half Moon Bay	8.2	341,153	$24.04	$8.25

Table 2: Auckland Ferry Services Breakdown of Cost, patronage and fares

40. Whilst average fares are lower than the AT HOP Fare due to concessions and demographic usage, the above table shows that there is an increasing requirement for funding over the longer routes compared to the shorter routes. This will require to be addressed in the future through either increased funding or increasing fare cost to passengers.

41. To address the cost-of-service delivery, it is proposed that the fare structure for ferry services is reviewed as part of future fare reviews and that AT works with the industry to reduce the cost of operations by undergoing a tender process for some of the non-Fullers contracted routes.

42. Subject to agreement of a revised procurement strategy, it is proposed that AT will commence a procurement process in early 2024 for some of those routes currently not contracted to Fullers ferry routes.

43. The current Procurement Strategy has an objective of enabling AT to procure one, or two, service operating contracts in 2034 that covers the whole of the public transport ferry network. This would involve AT owning, or at least having control over, the vessel fleet required to deliver contracted services and make significant inroads into the decarbonisation of the ferry public transport network (see Attachment D).

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

44. Current ferry services have a disproportionate impact in terms of emissions relative to mode share (20 per cent of all transport emissions versus 6 per cent ferry mode share). Renewal of the ageing diesel fleet is key aim of the Transport Emissions Reduction Pathway, with a target of 75 per cent ferry fleet to be low emissions by 2030 and is supported and funded via Climate Action Targeted Rate (CATR) programme.

45. The average ferry trip is around 3 times less by distance than the land based alternative and enables both significant network decongestion benefits and potential reductions in emissions over the longer term.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

46. There has been regular engagement with elected members on ferry network service issues, including as part of the recent consultation on the Regional Public Transport Plan. These have been particularly focussed on the Gulf Harbour service and the reduction in service level and longer-term planning. A comprehensive study on the transport requirements for the Whangaparaoa Peninsula is underway to assess the future requirements of all modes, including the current ferry service at Gulf Harbour.

47. Elected members have also been briefed on the ferry decarbonisation initiatives and fleet renewal as part of the CATR programme and the recent “Mission Electric” update to the Transport and Infrastructure Committee.

Ngā whakaaweawe ā-rohe me ngā tirohanga a te poari ā-rohe

Local impacts and local board views

48. AT acknowledges views expressed by local board members, notably recent representations from the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board at the 31 October 2023 AT Board meeting and the October Transport and Infrastructure Committee meeting.

49. The Hibiscus Coast community has been disproportionately impacted by service cancellations and the subsequent reduction to the ferry network, the actions noted in this report aim to address this impact, where possible.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

50. The Ferry Programme has been discussed with mana whenua via regional hui and dialogue will be ongoing to ensure Te Ao and Te Reo Māori principles are reflected in further development of the programme, including vessel design and naming.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

51. Ferry services cost ~50mm per annum and are jointly funded by Waka Kotahi and Auckland Council. The activities to improve the services as described in this report have been met from existing operational budgets. Consideration of future funding will be managed via the LTP and RLTP processes.

52. The Annual Fare Review process is underway; recommendations are being developed and will be reported to the AT Board in early 2024. In addition, AT will be reviewing the current Fare Strategy in 2024, which will include analysing ferry fare structures against international comparatives.

53. The commercial implications of the Accelerated Training Programme with Fullers including service abatement calculations, will be formalised via contract variations over the coming weeks, and are expected to be funded from existing budgets.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

Risks	Mitigations
Marine crew and staff recruitment does not recover at expected pace	Regular monitoring and reporting of agreed Accelerated Training Programme outcomes, with escalation as required if targets are not being met
Adverse public reaction and reputational impacts arising reduced and/or unreliable ferry services	Development of stakeholder and public communication plan to advise on progress with Ferry recovery plan including progress against targets and reinstatement. Use of contractual levers in ferry operating contract (including formal cure plans) as required

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

54. AT will continue to progress the actions to improve ferry services with our service providers including payments to ensure market relativity with regards to wages for qualified marine crew, agreement of commercial terms with Fullers regarding the Accelerated Training Programme and enhanced service monitoring and contract management of Fullers.

55. Regular reporting on progress of the Fullers Accelerated Training Programme to be received and shared with the AT board and Auckland Council.

56. Planning will continue to recast ferry timetables on return of full employment levels by Fullers to maximise value for money and service coverage against demand.

57. AT will progress with updating the procurement strategy for the tendered unit and prepare to go to the market in Q1 of 2024.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a ⇨	Ferry Action Plan Ministerial Working Group
b ⇨	Summary of Service Rationalisation to Support Fullers Accelarated Training Programme
c ⇨	Summary of Contract Terms for Fullers Contract
d ⇨	Ferry Procurement Status Update
e ⇨	Ferry Services Update - November 2023 - presentation

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Authors

Stacey van der Putten, Executive General Manager, Public Transport Services Auckland Transport

Gareth Willis, Metro Contract Manager

Greg Milner-White, Commercial Services Manager – Public Transport and Operations

Authorisers

Dean Kimpton, Chief Executive Aucklnad Transport

Barry Potter - Director Infrastructure and Environmental Services

Transport and Infrastructure Committee

16 November 2023

Regional Public Transport Plan - Outcomes of Consultation

File No.: CP2023/17126

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To provide an update on the outcome of the public consultation process for the draft Regional Public Transport Plan (RPTP), ahead of its adoption by the Auckland Transport (AT) Board.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

3. The RPTP is Auckland’s 10-year plan for public transport (PT) services, required by the Land Transport Management Act (LTMA). AT must prepare the RPTP in parallel to, or as soon as practicable after, the Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP).

4. AT has updated the plan to reflect current challenges facing the network and to align with the 2021-31 RLTP.

5. The draft RPTP went out for public consultation during July and August 2023, where it received 3,196 responses.

6. Most aspects of the RPTP were well-supported by the community. The core feedback received included:

· a desire to see AT’s plan delivered faster;

· support for more frequent services;

· a desire for cheaper fares; and

· frustration with the reliability issues which were being experienced across the bus network at the time of the consultation.

7. The most significant topic receiving feedback was the proposed replacement of the Gulf Harbour ferry service in 2028 with increased frequency buses throughout the peninsula and a new bus station at Whangaparaoa.

8. Given the strong and clear feedback opposing this proposal, AT will not decide on the future PT system for the peninsula at this time and instead has commissioned an independent study to identify the transport system needs of the peninsula. The study will involve the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board and include community voices. The outcome will be incorporated into the next RPTP, expected in 2025.

9. The RPTP is intended to be a fundable plan. There is uncertainty about the future operational and capital funding for PT and this will not be resolved until Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP) process is complete in 2024. Nevertheless, we recommend proceeding with the 2023 RPTP to provide the public and stakeholders with a more up-to-date plan that contains key policy updates. We plan to mitigate the funding uncertainty issue by clearly outlining that the service changes identified in this RPTP are subject to this process, and that the RPTP will be updated once these plans are complete (in keeping with the Land Transport Management Act 2003 (LTMA)).

10. AT is making some minor changes to the RPTP based on feedback and will provide it to the AT Board later this month for endorsement.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation

That the Transport and Infrastructure Committee:

a) tuhi ā-taipitopito / note the feedback received from the public consultation on the draft Regional Public Transport Plan and the revisions made in response.

Horopaki

Context

11. The RPTP is a statutory plan for the next 10 years of PT in Auckland, prepared by AT under the LTMA. The RPTP’s core purpose is to enable AT to engage with PT operators and the public on our future service planning and policy framework.

12. The RPTP has not been updated since 2018. A full update to the 2018 RPTP has been prepared to reflect the PT elements of the 2021 RLTP, address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on operations, reflect the current policy framework, tell the strategic story of the PT network and set out how we will address issues and leverage opportunities.

13. The RPTP also incorporates initiatives funded by the Climate Action Transport Targeted Rate (CATTR), sets out what would be required to achieve Council’s Transport Emissions Reduction Pathway (TERP) goals for PT patronage, and meets new requirements of the LTMA related to the Sustainable Public Transport Framework, which is the new approach to PT contracting.

14. This report is the third engagement with the Transport and Infrastructure Committee on this project. In the first engagement, the committee was introduced to the project and provided an opportunity for high-level feedback. In the second, the committee endorsed the Vision and Goals underpinning the plan. This third engagement is intended to provide the committee with an overview of the response by the public to the plan, ahead of seeking AT Board approval in late November 2023.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

15. The public consultation process has provided important insights into how important Aucklander’s think their PT system is, and what matters to them. Overall, there was support for the RPTP, with strong positive feedback on the vision, goals, policies and actions. The RPTP’s approach to PT planning and operation, as well as the changes planned to improve the operation of the services and implement improvements in customer experience and technology were also supported.

16. Within the context of overall support, there was a general desire to see faster progress on AT’s plans to improve the PT system, including the following:

a) Reliability – this was front of mind for customers during the consultation period due to the significant bus driver shortages affecting services across the region, which has subsequently been resolved. There are, however, ongoing reliability issues on the train network, due to KiwiRail’s Rail Network Rebuild programme, and on the ferry network, due to crew shortages. AT will focus on addressing these issues, so that reliability and therefore certainty and confidence, can be restored, which will lead to higher patronage.

b) Fares – there was feedback that PT fares are too high. AT received similar feedback from our customer insights research, where it was attributed to a sense that the fares themselves are not high, but rather the value of the service received was insufficient for the price. There was support for proposals to implement a weekly fare cap, which would reward frequent PT use. AT will look to identify initiatives which will raise the value for money of customers and take account of level of subsidy.

c) Frequency – there was strong support for improvements in frequency of routes, reinforcing the fact that higher frequencies drive patronage. There were also requests for many more routes to become high frequency. AT would like to increase frequency beyond its current plans, but this will require additional funding.

d) First and final leg connections – respondents wanted to see active modes better integrated with PT, to create a seamless interface. AT has established a First and Final Leg Programme to identify initiatives which could improve this connection for active modes.

e) Meeting TERP targets – there was a desire by many respondents for AT to do more, and do it faster, with a significant portion asking for a higher patronage target to be in the plan. Consistent with legislation, AT writes the RPTP to be a fundable plan. However, in response to this feedback, the plan will now include details of what additional changes (including additional funding) would be required to achieve the TERP target of 550 million boardings by 2030 (up from the target the RPTP has of 150 million boardings by 2031).

17. The largest topic receiving feedback during the consultation was the proposed changes to PT in the Whangaparaoa Peninsula. The proposal was to replace the Gulf Harbour Ferry in 2028 with an extension of the NX2 rapid transit route and increase frequencies of routes across the peninsula, interchanging at a new bus station at Whangaparaoa.

18. There was strong opposition from the community to this proposal – mainly related to the removal of the Gulf Harbour ferry. 1,291 of the 3,196 submissions on the RPTP (representing 40%) were related to the proposal and of these 1,157 opposed changes to the ferry service and 35 in support.

19. Given the strong and clear response from the community against these changes, AT has commissioned an independent study to be completed to look at the full transport needs of the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, across all modes. The study will incorporate the views of the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board and will include customer insights as part of its development. The outcome of the work will be used to determine the way forward for PT in the Peninsula, which will be included in the next version of the RPTP, expected in 2025.

20. There was also opposition to the planned removal of the Northcote Point ferry terminal service. We received 62 responses against this proposal. Given the low patronage of this service, and opportunity to grow boardings at the Birkenhead ferry terminal by increasing the frequency of service to 30 minutes by removing the Northcote Point stop, AT will conduct a trial period to see if boardings increase to hit a required target (with the exact target yet to be set). The outcome of this trial, and future of the service, will be included in the next version of the RPTP.

Cost and funding issues

21. Recent forecasts have identified that the costs of PT services are likely to be significantly higher than anticipated and will place Auckland Council’s budget under more pressure. This raises the prospect that some planned service improvements may not be able to be delivered and the overall plan may need to be revised.

22. Our view is that the proposed 2023 RPTP will present the public and key stakeholders with a better view of AT’s planned approach to development of the PT network than retaining the 2018 RPTP. To address the funding uncertainty, we will clearly state that the final service patterns are subject to funding decisions in the 2024 LTP, and that a 2025 RPTP will be where they are confirmed. This will enable the rest of the RPTP, which is required as support for the daily operation of the PT system, to proceed as planned.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

23. PT will need to play a key role in reducing carbon emissions. One of the five goal areas for the RPTP is ‘enhancing the environment and tackling the climate emergency’.

24. The RPTP has a core role in making progress towards the targets included in Council’s TERP and Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP). The RPTP will set out the service patterns and policies that will contribute to mode shift required to meet the targets of these documents.

25. Achieving the targets of the TERP and ERP will require additional interventions, such as congestion pricing, that are outside of the scope of the RPTP to deliver. The RPTP is required to be a fundable plan, and current budget constraints mean that AT cannot commit to reaching the TERP and ERP’s targets within the RPTP.

26. Having heard feedback from customers on the desire to see the nature of the gap, and what will be required to bridge it, the new RPTP will include details on the additional steps needed to reach TERP’s PT ambition of 550 million boardings by 2030.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

27. The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has provided endorsement of the plan’s Vision and Goals through resolutions in early 2023.

28. Council’s Transport Strategy Unit has been involved in the development of the RPTP. They are represented within the project’s governance structure, as well as invited to attend workshops and review material.

29. Officers have included Eke Panuku in workshops that have informed the vision and goals.

Ngā whakaaweawe ā-rohe me ngā tirohanga a te poari ā-rohe

Local impacts and local board views

30. Local boards were briefed on the plan and workshops were held with each local board (except Aotea Great Barrier) to discuss feedback received by their communities. Local boards provided AT with formal resolutions with their views. These resolutions have contributed to the final changes made to the plan.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

31. AT has engaged with mana whenua from the start of the development of the RPTP, using their guidance to shape the vision and goals for the draft plan, via multiple rounds of AT’s regular Transport hui.

32. Through this engagement, mana whenua have indicated that their priorities are providing services to connect communities with their marae or wahi tapu; use of te reo Māori across the network, applying Māori design principles to PT infrastructure and partnering and social engagement.

33. Mana whenua were supportive of AT’s intention to embed Māori Outcomes throughout the plan, including in the Goals, Actions and Policies. They also asked for a specific Māori outcomes section, which has been included in the plan.

34. Mātā waka were also surveyed as part of early engagement undertaken in March and April 2023, and their feedback has helped to shape the content of the RPTP.

35. The proposed service planning improvements will significantly improve access to services for Māori, compared to today’s levels. This will primarily be part of committed service changes associated with infrastructure, or as part of the CATTR improvements. The service improvements will deliver more services for Māori, taking them to important destinations and improving access.

36. Feedback on the draft RPTP included 5% who self-identified as Māori. This is lower than the 11 per cent proportion of the population made up of Māori, however only 50 per cent of respondents identified their ethnicity. The feedback received from Māori supported the plan’s proposals for supporting Māori outcomes and wellbeing.

37. The Independent Māori Statutory Board (IMSB) recognises access to infrastructure services and development as an Issue of Significance to Māori in Tāmaki Makaurau, and the IMSB’s Schedule of Issues of Significance includes key actions to ensure for equitable access for Māori to transport services across Tāmaki Makaurau.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

38. There are no direct financial implications associated with the RPTP.

39. AT is currently supporting Council in the development of the LTP, which will set Council’s ten-year investment plan, including Council’s contribution to funding PT services. Once this is complete the RPTP will need to be updated to confirm the service improvements which can be delivered within available funding.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

40. The sole risk associated with the release of the RPTP is the funding uncertainty for the proposed service improvements which have been consulted on (and strongly supported). This will be mitigated by clearly setting out the current process involved in developing the LTP and that the service changes will be confirmed via an update to the RPTP in 2025.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

41. The project team will seek approval of the RPTP from the AT Board, except the service change element, which is subject to the financial outcomes of the LTP and release the plan and consultation report to the public.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a ⇨	RPTP - Consultation Outcomes - presentation

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Author

Andrew McGill – Head of Integrated Network Planning Auckland Transport

Authorisers

Jenny Chetwynd – Executive General Manager, Planning and Investment Auckland Transport

Dean Kimpton – Chief Executive Auckland Transport

Barry Potter - Director Infrastructure and Environmental Services

Transport and Infrastructure Committee

16 November 2023

Auckland Transport quarter one performance report 2023/2024

File No.: CP2023/16563

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To receive a high-level summary of, and comments on Auckland Transport (AT)’s first quarter report (the period from 1 July 2023 to 30 September 2023).

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. Under Auckland Council’s accountability framework, each substantive CCO must provide a quarterly report to the relevant committee. Auckland Transport’s report for the first quarter of 2023/2024 is contained in Attachment A (report). The first quarter report provides measures against the 2021-2031 10-year Budget and the 2023-2026 Statements of Intent (SOI).

3. Direct revenue is $11m favourable to budget due to the approval of additional Waka Kotahi operating funding for extreme weather-related costs and higher than forecast public transport patronage.

4. The net operating surplus was $12 million favourable to budget for the first quarter due to additional funding from Waka Kotahi and higher bus patronage. Capital expenditure of $202 million is tracking at 83 per cent of budget. AT has not provided performance reporting on projects/programmes identified in the SOI, we expect this to be provided in the quarter two (half year) report.

5. Auckland Transport has 19 SOI measures. In quarter one, nine performance measures have met or exceeded targets, five were below target and five were not measured or reported on.

6. Passenger transport continues to improve (sitting at 80 per cent of pre-COVID levels), with bus patronage tracking ahead of planned recovery. Public transport reliability and punctuality are also on target.

7. The recent cyber incident has meant that there are some data reconciliation issues. Positively, the incident was resolved quickly and without compromising customer and financial data.

8. Auckland Transport is showing positive improvements in the results for customer satisfaction and in responding to customer complaints, reflecting the effort they are making in responding to the letter of expectation.

9. Asset condition and road maintenance are not meeting targets and remain under significant pressure. Deaths and serious injuries also continue to remain a concern. Pedestrian crashes now represent 18 per cent of crashes. Reduced funding provision in this area and increased costs indicate that this target will remain challenging.

10. Auckland Transport highlight several risks. Funding uncertainty with the potential removal of the Regional Fuel Tax (RFT) are limiting its ability to commit to multi-year projects and potentially resulting in the under delivery of the FY23/24 capital programme. Auckland Transport note that if the RFT was cancelled on 1 December 2023, it would leave council with a $675 million funding gap.

11. Another area of concern is the increase in violence and threats to safety to staff and public.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Transport and Infrastructure Committee:

a) whiwhi / receive Auckland Transport’s 2023/2024 first quarter report (Attachment A of the agenda report).

Horopaki

Context

12. Auckland Transport must provide a quarterly report to the Transport and Infrastructure Committee. They are required to:

· summarise the CCO’s performance against the approved budget and agreed targets in the 10-year Budget and SOI

· provide a forecast of the CCO’s performance

· identify the cause of major variances

· highlight major achievements for the quarter

· signal any potential or developing issues.

13. Finance and CCO Governance staff have worked with the CCOs to update the template for quarterly reporting so that is provides a better picture of performance trends, risks and issues and more financial information at activity level. Auckland Transport has included trend information for all the SOI KPIs. Auckland Transport have not provided information on the programmes and projects that are specified in its Statement of Intent. We do expect this information to be provided in their six-month (quarter two) performance report.

14. Auckland Transport will report on the Department of Internal Affairs mandatory measures annually.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

Financial performance

15. The net operating surplus was $12 million favourable to budget for the first quarter.

16. Direct revenue was $11 million higher mainly due to additional adverse weather emergency work funding received from Waka Kotahi and an increase in public transport income, driven by higher bus patronage.

17. The favourable Waka Kotahi grant and public transport income was partly offset by lower on-street parking revenue due to lower occupancy and a delay in the anticipated parking tariff increase.

18. Direct expenditure was $4 million favourable to budget primarily due to lower IT, professional services and staff costs.

19. Capital spend was $202 million, tracking at 83 per cent against budget of $244 million. Forecast for the year remains in line with the annual plan. The primary areas of underspend include:

· renewals, including projects such as seismic strengthening, street lighting upgrades, and public transport facility renewals

· flood/storm recovery and renewal works

· decarbonisation of the ferry fleet, due to procurement delays for landside charging equipment.

20. External capital revenue was behind the budget by $14 million mainly due to lower than budgeted capital expenditure.

Non-financial performance and other issues

21. Auckland Transport has a total of 19 SOI measures.

22. For quarter one, nine performance measures have met or exceeded targets, five were below target and five were not measured or reported on.

23. The table below sets out a summary of performance results at quarter one.

Table 1: Summary of performance measures results by strategic transport priorities

Strategic transport priorities	Target exceeded or met	Target not met	New Measure / Not Reported	Total
Better understanding of the communities we serve	3			3
Getting the basics right	2	3	2	7
Leveraging our existing network using data, technology and insights	3		2	5
Collaboration and improving relationships			1	1
Support Māori wellbeing, outcomes and expectations		1		1
Delivering value for money	1	1		2
TOTAL	9	5	5	19

24. Positively, Auckland Transport’s measures relating to customer perceptions and complaint resolution were all met this quarter and showed improvement from previous reporting.

25. Passenger transport continues to improve (sitting at 80 per cent of pre-COVID levels), with bus patronage tracking ahead of planned recovery. The recent cyber incident has meant that there are some data reconciliation issues that may affect these results. Positively, the incident was resolved quickly and without compromising customer and financial data.

26. Across all public transport modes, reliability and punctuality are on target.

27. Asset condition and road maintenance are not meeting targets and remain under significant pressure. Deaths and serious injuries also continue to remain a concern, with pedestrian crashes now representing 18 per cent of crashes. Reduced funding provision in this area and increased costs indicate that this target will remain challenging, despite the reduced target this year.

28. Highlights for quarter one include:

· Public transport – patronage growth, improvements to service reliability of ferry services, progress on Eastern Busway, electrification of the Kinetic NZ Bus New Lynn bus depot (Auckland now has the largest zero-emission bus fleet in New Zealand and the second highest in Australasia).

· Flood recovery works – Tahekeroa Road and the adjacent rail line slip repair was completed, incorporating build back better resilience features.

· Removal of 2,600 items of redundant temporary traffic management gear cleared from the network.

Issues / risks

29. Auckland Transport identify ten issues and risks. Violence, threats and aggression continues to be a concern across all public transport services. The area around Quay Street and the Downtown Ferry Terminal are of particular concern and assistance is being sought from New Zealand Police.

30. Several other risks relate to a lack of certainty over funding and cost increases in programmes. The potential removal of the Regional Fuel Tax (RFT) by the new government and the reduction in the 2023/24 Regional Land Transport Plan road safety fund will impact on Auckland Transport’s capital programme. The extent of this is not known at this stage. RFT projects which are either contractually committed or on a critical path include, Eastern busway, new trains, stabling and other CRL related projects, Point Chevalier cycleway and ferry charging infrastructure. Some RFT is also earmarked to fund Eastern busway services and new train services.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

31. Auckland Transport have undertaken an external emissions inventory audit and gained Toitū certification.

32. Auckland Transport has updated and publicly released its Low Emission Bus Roadmap 2023. It is targeting 2035 for a full zero-emission fleet. An application to the Climate Emergency Response Fund has been made to accelerate additional roll-outs across the region.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

33. Auckland Transport’s report contains information on how it is contributing to the council’s outcomes and objectives.

Ngā whakaaweawe ā-rohe me ngā tirohanga a te poari ā-rohe

Local impacts and local board views

34. The governance of Auckland Transport is delegated to this committee. The views of local boards have not been sought. Auckland Transport reports to local boards directly.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

35. Auckland Transport’s SOI performance measure for Māori-owned business spend has not been met ($4.06 million spend to date). Auckland Transport note that they expect to receive contract spend data in the next quarter which will provide a clearer picture of performance.

36. Auckland Transport has provided information on their mana whenua engagement and activations across the network in their report.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

37. Auckland Transport’s financial performance is provided in paragraphs 15 to 20.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

38. Issues and risks largely reflect the trends in the performance measures and financial performance. The risks are summarised above.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

39. The next quarterly report (quarter two, 1 October to 31 December 2023) will be provided to this committee early in 2024. Auckland Transport will continue to provide monthly updates.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a⇨	Auckland Transport quarter one performance report 2023/2024

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Author

Claire Gomas - Principal Advisor

Authorisers

Alastair Cameron - Manager - CCO Governance & External Partnerships

Barry Potter - Director Infrastructure and Environmental Services

Chairperson	Cr John Watson
Deputy Chairperson	Cr Christine Fletcher, QSO
Members	Cr Andrew Baker	Cr Mike Lee
	Cr Josephine Bartley	Cr Kerrin Leoni
	IMSB Member Billy Brown	Cr Daniel Newman, JP
	Mayor Wayne Brown	IMSB Member Pongarauhine Renata
	Cr Angela Dalton	Cr Greg Sayers
	Cr Chris Darby	Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson, JP
	Cr Julie Fairey	Cr Sharon Stewart, QSM
	Cr Alf Filipaina, MNZM	Cr Ken Turner
	Cr Lotu Fuli	Cr Wayne Walker
	Cr Shane Henderson	Cr Maurice Williamson
	Cr Richard Hills

Date	Subject
30/10/2023	Update on the midtown programme
3/11/2023	Auckland Transport Annual Report 2023

Author	Mara Bebich - Executive Officer
Authoriser	Barry Potter - Director Infrastructure and Environmental Services

Author	Lata Smith - Senior Governance Advisor
Authoriser	Barry Potter - Director Infrastructure and Environmental Services