Chapter 18 - Land Transport The Plan adopts the regional roading hierarchy and accepts a certain level of effects from transportation activities along national and arterial routes. It will be the non-Plan initiatives of the Council and other agencies which will encourage traffic to use appropriate routes within the hierarchy. The Council acknowledges the Government’s commitment to reducing overall carbon emissions to the atmosphere and acknowledges the significant contribution to emissions made by vehicles. The reduction of these emissions relies on a co-ordinated national strategy, rather than piecemeal initiatives of individual authorities. The Council will therefore remain in touch with the development of any national strategy and is prepared to become involved with initiatives and programs as they are developed. The Plan is considered to be the most appropriate and effective means of controlling the adverse effects of activities on and from the transport infrastructure and activities. In the case of district roads, the Council is able to assess the likely effects of activities. The Council will, in the case of state highways, recognise Transit New Zealand’s role and interest in maintaining safe and efficient highways and will ensure that Transit New Zealand is aware of proposed activities likely to affect the highway. Transit New Zealand has powers under the Transit New Zealand Act 1989 to control the location and design of state highway crossings and remove trees shading roads. Remedies under this legislation should be used where appropriate to control adverse effects. Transit New Zealand has produced a guideline ‘Transit New Zealand Planning Policy Manual SP/M001, December 1989’ which is a useful reference when considering the effects of land use activities adjacent to highways. The Council will continue to use this document as a reference when considering applications for resource consent which have implications for the land transport infra- structure. 18.5 Anticipated Environmental Results Implementation of the policies and methods for land transport will result in: • A land transport system capable of safely and efficiently moving people, goods and vehicles, where practical, throughout the Sounds; • Minimal adverse effects on the natural and physical resources, the amenities of the environment and the landscape of the Sounds resulting from the construction and maintenance of the land transport infrastructure and operation of transport activities; and • Minimal interference, caused by land use activities, to the safe and efficient movement of people, goods and vehicles throughout the land transport networks of the Sounds. 18 - 11