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Environment
Improving environmental sustainability and public health in New Zealand.
Transit's strong commitment to achieving quality environmental and community outcomes is reflected in the publication and implementation of our Environmental Plan. The Land Transport Management Act 2003 (LTMA) requires Transit to "exhibit a sense of social and environmental responsibility" and the Environmental Plan explains how we do this.
The Environmental Plan establishes an environmental policy for state highways and outlines specific actions to improve Transit's performance:
SH12 Waipoua Bridge - mitigating traffic noise and vibration
- managing effects on air quality
- addressing impacts on water quality
- using resources efficiently
- protecting cultural and heritage features
- improving the visual appearance of highways
- protecting biodiversity.
The Environmental Plan enables us to integrate environmental and social considerations into all aspects of state highway planning, construction and maintenance.
In addition, Transit operates within the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) framework. This means that as a developer of urban and rural transport projects we must employ a wide variety of techniques to avoid, remedy or mitigate adverse environmental and social effects. Transit's environmental management techniques compare favourably with international best practice, as is reflected by the international awards we have won for specific projects.
In some circumstances, Transit is an "affected party" under the RMA. This means we influence activities that may affect state highways, such as new retail developments, to ensure they do not have adverse effects on the operation of the road network. In doing this we work closely with local authorities, other transport providers and developers to ensure transport networks are sustainable and effective, especially in the long term. The Planning Policy Manual Supplement provides more detail.
Climate Change Adaptation
Climate change is an important environmental and economic issue and its impacts on transport infrastructure could be significant. Transit has a climate change adaptation programme to minimise the risk to the state highway network and its users of future climate change impacts.
Waste and Energy Management
The Waste and Energy Management Policy was approved by the Transit Board in August 2003, and is one of the ways Transit contributes to government policies such as the New Zealand Waste Strategy, the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy, and the NZ Transport Strategy. Work is continuing to apply the policy to Transit's office-based and on-road activities.