Services

If you are starting up a new business, extending an existing business, subdividing land, or changing the land use of a site, your local council may require you to demonstrate that your proposal will not have significant adverse traffic effects. This will generally require you to submit a traffic assessment report (either an Integrated Transport Assessment for sites with greater traffic impacts, or a Traffic Impact Assessment for sites with limited traffic impacts).

Integrated Transport Assessments / Traffic Impact Assessments

Integrated Transport Assessments ensure that all transport modes (car, buses, cyclists and pedestrians) are considered for a proposed development. Options such as car-pooling and staggered work start/finish times may also be considered by these reports. Integrated transport assessments are generally more detailed reports that may require complex trip assessments, traffic counting undertaken at the site, computer modelling of intersections and truck swept paths, site layout design work, and the design of intersection improvements. Site safety is considered by looking at the past crash history at the site, and ensuring that the proposed site layout will not adversely affect site safety. A parking demand assessment is included to ensure that predicted parking demand will be met. Traffic impacts from the proposed site on the wider roading network safety and efficiency are also considered.

Traffic impact assessments are generally required for smaller projects, and these reports generally require less detailed assessment compared to an Integrated Transport Assessment. Council District Plans generally set out which type of report is required based on the type of activity, location, and predicted traffic generation of the site.

Design Work

Design work required for a site may include internal design for parking, loading, and manoeuvring areas, or external work for the site access, intersection improvement works such as providing additional lanes, or major works such as the design of signals or roundabouts.

Safety Audits

Safety audits are usually required for more complex projects at the design and post-construction stages. They provide another set of eyes to consider all safety matters at a site, and work with the designer to address any potential safety issues.

Consultation

A key part of preparing a traffic assessment is often consultation with affected parties such as council (generally at pre-application meetings), the NZ Transport Agency, and neighbours. Feedback from these parties is included in the final traffic report that is submitted as part of the Application.

Expert Witness at Council Hearings

If your proposal is discretionary according to the local District Plan, but all groups that could be adversely affected by your proposal are in support of your application, then your application will be processed as a non-notified consent, and will not require a council hearing. However, if affected parties are not in support of your proposal, then your application will require a council hearing. At a council hearing your various experts in matters such as noise, dust, landscape, and traffic will all present evidence and answer any questions that Councillors or the Commissioner may have.