Wairau/Awatere Resource Management Plan 5 March 2015 and efficient operation of the railway line are able to be identified and avoided, remedied or mitigated as appropriate using the Resource Management Act. The Council will continue to work with Traffic Safety Service, transport operators and Transit New Zealand to minimise the incidence of accidental spillage onto roads. The Council is the agency with primary responsibility for the District road infrastructure, including facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. Changes to the road network will occur primarily through new subdivision and development. Given the importance of land transport infrastructure to the community, Plan rules and resource consent applications are considered to be the only way to ensure appropriate location and alignment of new roads and to ensure consistent high standards in the design and construction of new roads and other transport infrastructure. Designation of public works including transport infrastructure and facilities is a method available under the Act. The Council will consider notices of proposed new designated transport works in terms of the objectives and policies of the Plan. The Plan specifies the standards to be met and subdividers and developers can employ whatever methods are appropriate to meet those standards. The Council is able to offer the Code of Practice for Subdivision and Development as a means of compliance with specified standards. The Council will continue, in association with other agencies, to improve infrastructure and facilities for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport passengers and will continue to maintain and improve the safety and efficiency of the road network. The Plan recognises existing roads through designations. New and extended roads will be considered on their merits as new designations and be assessed in terms of the policies of the Plan relating to environmental quality. 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. 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 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 “Planning for a safe and efficient State Highway Network under the Resource Management Act 1991” which is a useful reference when considering the effects of land use activities adjacent to highways. The 19 - 12