A summary of feedback on the Draft South Island Freight Plan shows widespread support for its development, with a number of key points raised to ensure it addresses the South Island’s growing volumes of freight.
The feedback received will be incorporated into the final South Island Freight Plan to produce a comprehensive document which can help meet the future needs of moving the South Island’s freight, Governance Group Chair and NZ Transport Agency Regional Director Southern Jim Harland said.
“We’re delighted with the level of interest from a range of organisations,” Mr Harland said. “While many organisations have their own perspective on how we can address the challenges and constraints within the freight sector, broadly speaking there is a common view of what is needed.”
Submitters said of the draft plan:
Overall the draft plan is a significant body of work and provides an excellent foundation document for current and future freight planning for key stakeholders.
The Draft South Island Freight Plan is seen as a critical analysis and plan to better understand the nature – freight movement, the interconnection of all modes and all road users.
Some of the themes to emerge from the feedback:
- Respondents would like to ensure that once the plan is finalised there is a structure in place to see it implemented and updated as required in the future.
- Many respondents felt that the plan needed to take greater consideration of a longer term view (over 15 years) alongside short to medium term actions.
- Greater importance needed to be placed on collaborating with regional economic development planning frameworks.
- A strong focus should be placed on safety, resilience and the role of rail in moving freight.
- The companies that produce freight should have a greater role in the planning process.
Read the full summary of feedback.
The Draft South Island Freight Plan, released in July 2015, is the result of collaboration across the freight sector with stakeholders including KiwiRail, port companies, road transport operators, the NZ Transport Agency and local and regional councils. The plan will be finalised and issued in the second half of 2016.
An Upper North Island Freight Plan was released in October 2015 while work is underway to develop a Central Freight Plan.
The development of these plans is a key recommendation of the Productivity Commission’s Inquiry into International Freight Services. The plans are designed to ensure better alignment across the private and public sectors. Once the regional freight plans are developed, work will begin on a national plan, which it is expected will inform government investment and policy decisions.