Strategies, Policies & Plans A-Z

The Car Share Operation Policy outlines the assessment criteria and process for organisations applying to Council to become approved car share providers.
Approval of a car share organisation provides scope for Council to reserve designated car parking spaces, as well as grant other general parking concessions, for vehicles which are part of the applicable car share scheme.

• This policy also provides guidance to Council in making decisions regarding the designated car parking spaces and other general parking concessions for car share vehicles under the Council's Traffic and Parking Bylaw 2023.
• This policy implements a commitment in the Parking Strategy 2022 to develop operational guidelines for car sharing in Nelson, and it is consistent with the Bylaw.

Car Share Operation Policy 2024

Creating a sustainable transport culture is a key priority in Nelson City Council's 2021-31 Long Term Plan, written after Council declared a Climate Emergency in 2019.

Encouraging people to walk, cycle or use public transport is one of the key ways in which we can reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with transport.

This Active Travel Strategy gifted the name, “E Tū Whakatū – is a call to action to change how we travel. It is part of a suite of transport and planning strategies that aim to support the zero carbon emissions by 2050 target. Together, they provide the framework for Nelson to tackle some of the biggest transport and urban challenges currently faced. Including, climate change, car dominated urban environments and a lack of safe, accessible, comprehensive and sustainable transport options.

E Tū Whakatū – Active Nelson focuses on providing the framework and guidance to change the way we travel. It will deliver a programme of investment in walking and cycling over the next 10-15 years, that will change the way we travel so it is more sustainable, reducing carbon emissions and private car use. The plan has been developed for all age groups and abilities to promote the broader well- being of all our community.

E Tū Whakatū - Nelson's Active Travel Strategy 2022-2032

The Nelson Future Access (NFA) Project is the investigation of a future-proofed transport system considering the needs of all users travelling within Nelson. The NFA project is led by Waka Kotahi (New Zealand Transport Agency) with Council as a key project partner.

Nelson is the commercial and social centre to the Te Tāuihu - Top of the South region, with the Port, Airport, Regional Hospital and commercial heart all in the centre of Nelson. Strong residential growth coupled with the region’s economy being driven by primary produce and marine research, education and industry is making Nelson an even more important economic centre for New Zealand.

Nelson City is forecast to experience a high level of residential growth with 12,000 new houses in the next 30 years. Freight is also forecast to grow by 53% over the next 15 years. In the absence of significant changes to the transport system, access, safety, travel times and the reliability of the transport system will deteriorate.

To help manage this growth safely whilst reducing carbon emissions and efficiently managing freight movements to and from the Port there is a need to plan for the whole transport system. Having this plan will help maintain access and improve the livability of residential areas, the waterfront and the city centre. This plan will also need to consider the behavioral change required to manage this growth.

Nelson Future Access Draft Detailed Business Case

Read the latest media release (26 October 2021).

Visit Shape Nelson for more information.

The Nelson Tasman Land Development Manual became operative 1 July 2019 and supersedes the Land Development Manual 2010. A revised version was issued on 16 November 2020. The councils consider this an important document for delivering the shared goals for affordable and resilient asset management while balancing community expectations for our environment.

The manual is Council’s engineering standards and forms the basis for design and construction of all Nelson City’s roads, drains, water supply and reserve areas. The inundation practice note is also referenced in the NTLDM which, among other things, provides guidance on floor levels for development in relation to inundation exposure.

The manual delivers the shared goals for affordable and resilient asset management while balancing community expectations for our environment.

Nelson / Tasman has seen significant change over the last five years. The population has increased, and development of the primary sector is resulting in a greater number of vehicles on our roads than ever before.
Community values are starting to shift, which means that the environmental and social effects from more vehicles on the roads is becoming unacceptable. This conflict is realised most acutely in Nelson, Richmond and Motueka where the values of place and movement on our road networks coincide. In recent years, this growth in vehicles on our roads has been recognised by central government agencies, with a number of key planning projects initiated to help determine how the transport network will cater for this in future.

This RLTP recognises that the transport network we have traditionally relied on may not be appropriate for the future. The key transport issues in Te Tauihu in the next 10 years are:

• vehicle usage growth and its effects on access
• safety on our roads
• our communities are susceptible to losing access in more frequent weather events
• maintenance has been underfunded in the past and road condition is getting worse
• vehicle usage is affecting our natural environment.

The programme over the next 10 years envisages completing the planning projects already underway with NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi; while also carrying out local work to make sure these large projects are integrated into the local networks and that key access outcomes are met. These planning projects include the Nelson Future Access Study and the Richmond Programme Business Case.

The focus of this RLTP will be on supporting economic and population growth, improving safety, travel choice and resilience and making an increased investment in maintenance. The Partners to the RLTP recognise they need to continue to work together to achieve these outcomes.

This is a critical document for Nelson / Tasman as it underpins all of the region’s road network and transportation planning, as well as the investment priorities over the next 10 years on both the state highway and local road networks.

Nelson Tasman Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP)

This Regional Public Transport Plan (RPTP) details the investment programme required to increase the role public transport (PT) plays in the delivery of a multimodal sustainable transport future for the Nelson Tasman region.

Both Nelson City Council and Tasman District Council have placed climate change and carbon emission reduction amongst their highest priorities and community outcomes for the coming years.

This RPTP has been prepared to deliver ongoing improvement to the public transport network system in the wider Nelson Tasman area over the next 10 years. It focuses on delivering a system that builds on the step change that was delivered by the recent introduction of eBus services.

The RPTP supports accessibility and good urban design, provides a large proportion of our residents with a viable alternative to using the private car, is sustainable, affordable, and contributes to meeting our emission reduction targets.

It has been prepared as a partnership between Tasman District Council and Nelson City Council, with our funding partner Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (Waka Kotahi), with the intent of providing the wider community with an aligned, improved public transport service integrated across the district.

Nelson Tasman Regional Public Transport Plan (RPTP) 2024-2034

The purpose of this document is to create a balanced plan for implementation of safer speeds in Nelson Tasman recognising economic impacts and the views of local communities and road users are considered alongside safety. This plan excludes safer speeds on State Highways.

Road safety risk can be reduced by improving infrastructure to make a road safer at current speeds, or by managing travelling speeds down through a combination of road function, design, enforcement and education on safe behaviour. We are taking an approach that recognises people make mistakes, people are vulnerable, we need to share responsibility and we need to strengthen all parts of the system.

The Speed Management Plan sets out what work needs to be done in the next three years to improve safety on our roads by managing speeds.

Our communities have been asking for changes for some time, so we are proceeding with speed management changes as a result of consultation.

Nelson Tasman Speed Management Plan 2024-2034

Parking is one element of a holistic, sustainable transport system for Nelson. The role of parking in influencing transport choices is significant. The availability and price of parking can impact a person’s decision to drive, cycle or use public transport. It can help determine where they travel and when they travel.

As more and more people want to live and work in and around Nelson, parking in our region will need to evolve in a way that encourages a shift to alternative, sustainable forms of transport while acknowledging that, for some journeys, driving remains the most practical option.

By creating a more sustainable transport system, we aim to reduce congestion in Nelson, meet greenhouse gas emission goals, and create a parking system that allows our community and visitors to spend quality time enjoying retail and hospitality in a people-focussed city.

Parking Strategy 2022

Nelson City Council and Tasman District Council are adjoining Unitary Authorities who work together to deliver Regional Council public transport services. This combined Public Transport Procurement Strategy (Procurement Strategy) covers the existing public transport arrangements of both Councils, including Total Mobility services.

This Procurement Strategy is valid for a period of up to three years. Both Councils have separate NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) endorsed transport procurement strategies that cover their infrastructure procurement activities. In July 2023, a new bus public transport service contract commenced servicing both Nelson City and Tasman District.

The service comprises six distinct bus routes and the Late Late bus service. The new bus public transport service contract was procured using a partnering (staged) delivery model with a price-quality supplier selection method. The new contract utilises the Public Transport Operating Model (PTOM) and has a nine-year contract term. It is compliant with the Rules in the NZTA Procurement Manual. During the term of this Procurement Strategy, we will refresh of our Total Mobility Services contracts.

We will use Procurement Procedure 4 in the NZTA Procurement Manual to procure new contracts. No other significant procurement activities are currently envisaged during the term of this Procurement Strategy. Any additional public transport activities that may be identified will be procured in accordance with this Procurement Strategy and the NZTA Procurement Manual.

Public Transport Services Procurement Strategy 2025-2028

Consistent with our Long Term Plan 2024-2034, entitled ‘Beyond the Storm’, this Procurement Strategy reflects the cautious approach taken to new capital expenditure for any large civic projects over the next few years; while continuing preparatory work so those projects are ready to go once the economic situation improves.

We will spend approximately $29M to $33M per year on transport activities (capital, renewals and maintenance, excluding public transport services) for the next three years (2025/26 - 2027/28), with 51% (being the current New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) Financial Assistance Rate) of this expenditure, funded through the National Land Transport Fund (NLTF).

This Procurement Strategy has been developed to ensure that the Council delivers the desired outcomes with the funding provided; it is a requirement of the NZTA; and represents good procurement practice. The transport programme is forecast to grow over the next 10 years and this Procurement Strategy is an important part of the framework to secure more transport investment in the future.

Transport Infrastructure Procurement Strategy 2025-2028

This Activity Management Plan (AMP) documents the condition, risks, liabilities and improvements required so people can use the transport system with confidence for the next 10 years and beyond.

The transport activity has a budget of $152M for operations and capital expenditure over the next three years with approx. $71M subsidy from central government.

Public Transport expenditure is expected to be $33M with $9M programmed for Parking and the CBD.

Nelson City Council has prepared this AMP to outline our strategic options to meet desired levels of service, value for money and funding requirements

Transportation Activity Management Plan