Funding to councils to be throttled for using too many road cones

RNZ News

2 days ago

The government says use of too many road cones costs too much, and wants local councils to cut down on how many they use (file photo).
Photo:
RNZ/ Indira Stewart
The government will require councils to use fewer road cones, or miss out on government funding for roads.
Minister of Transport Chris Bishop said people have become increasingly irritated by the too-frequently over-the-top use of road cones and costly temporary traffic management around roadworks.
"We campaigned on bringing some much-needed common sense to the use of road cones, and we're making good progress," said Bishop.
He said the code of practice for traffic management risk assessment had been overly prescriptive, and the New Zealand Transport Agency has now stopped using it for work on state highways.
"They have instead moved to a far more pragmatic guide which allows contractors to use their experience and common sense to keep everyone safe on a worksite, rather than specifying road cone use down to the centimetre."
Bishop said many councils, which own and maintain local roads, were still using the code of practice.
"Which is why we still see ridiculous temporary traffic management measures on local streets, such as quiet cul-de-sacs covered in road cones because of minor work on a footpath.
"This over-the-top traffic management by councils is costing ratepayers money. The government has got its own house in order by significantly cutting its temporary traffic management costs on state highways. Some councils are also making good efforts in this area - but now all councils will be required to get on board."
He said the government funds local council transport projects to the tune of over $1 billion per year through the National Land Transport Fund, which is administered by NZTA.
In future the NZTA board will not approve funding unless the councils use the New Zealand guide to temporary traffic management for their local roadworks contracts, Bishop said.
"By requiring local councils to adopt a risk-based approach, we'll see more sensible use of temporary traffic management on local roads, keeping road workers and others safe, at a more reasonable cost to ratepayers.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter
curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.