Transit New Zealand
Encyclopedia
Transit New Zealand was, from 1989 to 2008, the New Zealand
Crown entity
responsible for operating and planning the New Zealand State Highway network
(10,894 km, about 12% of New Zealand's roads). It also concerned itself with developments close to State Highways, as it considered the potential additional traffic that these would create, and it was responsible for State Highway landscaping.
Transit New Zealand was merged with Land Transport New Zealand
to form the New Zealand Transport Agency
on 1 August 2008. Up to 9 December 2009, Transit's website was still active, as its content had not been transferred to new NZTA website.
through the National Land Transport Programme.
Until 1996 Transit approved subsidies for passenger transport services contracted by regional councils, before this was devolved to Transfund and then Land Transport New Zealand (now NZTA).
However, the government proposed that Land Transport New Zealand and Transit New Zealand be merged again, with some functions devolved to the Ministry of Transport. This eventually took place in 2008, creating the NZTA.
. After World War II, the National Roads Board was formed. During this time, deferred maintenance and a great need for bridge works were complicated by a lack of manpower, plant and materials at a time when traffic volumes rose steeply and rural areas were opened up to road traffic.
During the economic reforms of the 1980s direct Government control of service provision was reduced, and new methods of providing for roads were developed. On 1 April 1988, the Ministry of Works and Development was corporatised and the National Roads Board's operational arm, the Roading Division, was incorporated into the Ministry of Transport. On 1 October 1989 it became Transit New Zealand.
The agency also came under some criticism for being 'anti-development'. It often lodged objections to resource consent applications which in its opinion created safety or capacity problems on close-by motorways (such as large retail developments like Sylvia Park
) or required substantial consultation and mitigating measures for them before they were allowed to go ahead. Rodney District Council once threatened court action, alleging that the agency was effectively preventing any substantial development within its area.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
Crown entity
The Crown
The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...
responsible for operating and planning the New Zealand State Highway network
New Zealand State Highway network
The New Zealand State Highway network is the major national highway network in New Zealand. Just under 100 roads in both the North and South Islands are State Highways...
(10,894 km, about 12% of New Zealand's roads). It also concerned itself with developments close to State Highways, as it considered the potential additional traffic that these would create, and it was responsible for State Highway landscaping.
Transit New Zealand was merged with Land Transport New Zealand
Land Transport New Zealand
Land Transport New Zealand was a Crown entity in New Zealand, tasked with promoting safe and functional transport by land, and includes responsibilities such as driver and vehicle licensing...
to form the New Zealand Transport Agency
New Zealand Transport Agency
The New Zealand Transport Agency is a New Zealand Crown entity tasked with promoting safe and functional transport by land, including the responsibility for driver and vehicle licensing and investigating rail accidents. It was created on 1 August 2008 by the Land Transport Management Amendment...
on 1 August 2008. Up to 9 December 2009, Transit's website was still active, as its content had not been transferred to new NZTA website.
Structure
Transit had an annual operating budget of over NZ$1 billion and about 450 staff, with much of its actual planning and design work contracted out to construction companies and consultancies. Almost all of its funding was approved by the government's land transport funding agency Land Transport New ZealandLand Transport New Zealand
Land Transport New Zealand was a Crown entity in New Zealand, tasked with promoting safe and functional transport by land, and includes responsibilities such as driver and vehicle licensing...
through the National Land Transport Programme.
Until 1996 Transit approved subsidies for passenger transport services contracted by regional councils, before this was devolved to Transfund and then Land Transport New Zealand (now NZTA).
However, the government proposed that Land Transport New Zealand and Transit New Zealand be merged again, with some functions devolved to the Ministry of Transport. This eventually took place in 2008, creating the NZTA.
History
Transit New Zealand was the successor to similar previous entities. The Main Highways Board, created on 1 April 1924, to facilitate the overall planning and control of roads on a national basis, especially arterial routes, under the control of the Public Works DepartmentNew Zealand Ministry of Works
The New Zealand Ministry of Works, formerly the Department of Public Works and sometimes referred to as the Public Works Department or PWD, was founded in 1876 and disestablished and privatised in 1988...
. After World War II, the National Roads Board was formed. During this time, deferred maintenance and a great need for bridge works were complicated by a lack of manpower, plant and materials at a time when traffic volumes rose steeply and rural areas were opened up to road traffic.
During the economic reforms of the 1980s direct Government control of service provision was reduced, and new methods of providing for roads were developed. On 1 April 1988, the Ministry of Works and Development was corporatised and the National Roads Board's operational arm, the Roading Division, was incorporated into the Ministry of Transport. On 1 October 1989 it became Transit New Zealand.
The agency also came under some criticism for being 'anti-development'. It often lodged objections to resource consent applications which in its opinion created safety or capacity problems on close-by motorways (such as large retail developments like Sylvia Park
Sylvia Park
Sylvia Park is a large business park and shopping centre in the Auckland, New Zealand suburb of Mount Wellington. Less commonly known, the area around the centre is also called Sylvia Park...
) or required substantial consultation and mitigating measures for them before they were allowed to go ahead. Rodney District Council once threatened court action, alleging that the agency was effectively preventing any substantial development within its area.