NZ Councils Must Follow New Risk-Based Traffic Management

Transport Minister Chris Bishop said the new requirement takes effect from today and applies to councils receiving money from the National Land Transport Fund, which invests more than NZ$1 billion each year in local transport projects.

New Zealand councils seeking government transport funding must now adopt a practical, risk-based approach to temporary traffic management, as the Government moves to reduce the excessive use of road cones on local roads.

Transport Minister Chris Bishop said the new requirement takes effect from today and applies to councils receiving money from the National Land Transport Fund, which invests more than NZ$1 billion each year in local transport projects.

The Government says the change replaces reliance on an older, highly prescriptive code that required contractors to follow detailed rules, including the spacing of road cones, regardless of the actual risks at a worksite.

Practical Safety Measures Replace One-Size-Fits-All Rules

The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has already adopted the new approach on the state highway network, asking contractors to assess the specific risks at each site and apply traffic management that matches the work being carried out. According to the Government, this shift has reduced NZTA's spending on temporary traffic management by around NZ$46 million in the past financial year while maintaining safe working conditions for road crews.

Chris Bishop said the updated system allows contractors to focus on genuine safety risks instead of following rigid procedures that may not be necessary for smaller maintenance jobs. The Government believes this will create more efficient worksites, reduce unnecessary delays for motorists, and make better use of public funding.

Several Councils Already Leading the Way

The Minister praised several councils that have already adopted the common-sense model, including Whangārei District Council, Auckland Transport, Hamilton City Council, Tauranga City Council, New Plymouth District Council, Porirua City Council, Marlborough District Council, Tasman District Council, and Christchurch City Council. From now on, councils wanting National Land Transport Fund support for local transport projects will need to follow the same risk-based framework used by NZTA.

The Government says worker safety remains the highest priority, while the new system is intended to ensure traffic management measures are proportionate to the work taking place. Officials expect the reforms to reduce unnecessary road cones, improve traffic flow, and allow contractors to concentrate on keeping both workers and road users safe.