| Legislative Consistency | - A legislative regime providing a more efficient, coherent, and pragmatic framework for the relationship between utilities and road controlling authorities.
- Should legislative consistency be achieved through amendment of current utilities legislation OR the creation of an all-encompassing specific utilities statute?
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| Defining a "Road" | - Amend the definition of "road" within the Telecommunications Act 2001 to that of the definition of "road" provided within the Electricity and Gas Acts 1992.
- Call for submissions outlining the extent of any disputes over rights to "public places" as claimed within the definition of road.
- Should the road surface (upon which vehicles travel, and including footpaths) be considered an individual utility alongside other utility operators (e.g. electricity, gas) within the road corridor?
- Should the principal objective of the road corridor be to carry vehicular and pedestrian traffic, or provide a corridor for the location of utility networks (including vehicular and pedestrian traffic as a utility)?
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| Notification of Affected Parties | - Is there good reason for the legislative differences for required notification of affected parties?
- Should they be consistent?
- Should the RCA be required to notify affected parties and other utility operators of its intention to carry out works within the road corridor?
- Should the RCA or the Utility Operator be responsible for notifying affected parties?
- Should the RCA take on a coordination role and administer the notification process?
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| Cost Sharing | - What problems have respondents experienced with cost sharing arrangements for utility work within the road corridor?
- Is there good reason for the legislative differences for cost sharing arrangements?
- Should the legislation be consistent?
- What solutions do respondents propose as providing the most balanced and effective outcome for resolving legislative inconsistency for cost sharing arrangements for utility work within the road corridor?
- What solutions do respondents propose for ensuring the fair apportionment of the true whole of life costs of utility works to the road asset?
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| Definition and Application of Reasonable Conditions | - That the provisions in s119 of the Telecommunications Act 2001 outlining the criteria for setting reasonable conditions be adopted by other utilities legislation.
- How can the interpretation and application of reasonable conditions be defined and tested?
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| Dispute Provisions | - Should mediation and arbitration be the primary means for dispute resolution?
- Should there be a prescribed timeframe for mediation and arbitration? If so, what should it be?
- Is the District Court the appropriate body for final recourse? Should it be the Environment Court?
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| Access to Motorway and Rail Corridors | - That utility operators' right of access as set out in the Electricity Act 1992 NOT be extended to include the rail corridor.
- That the Rail Access Provider's (ONTRACK) rail corridor access evaluation criteria be codified, published and made accessible to utilities.
- That utility operators' right of access as set out in the Electricity Act 1992 NOT be extended to include motorways.
- That Transit New Zealand's motorway access evaluation criteria be codified, published and made accessible to utilities.
- Should the definitions of rail and/or motorway corridors be refined to differentiate the carriageway from the corridor?
- Should utility operators be permitted as-of-right access to the rail and/or motorway corridors (subject to reasonable conditions), BUT NOT to the "carriageways"?
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| Interference and Hazards | - That s24 of the Electricity Act 1992 be amended to clarify the notification and imposition of reasonable conditions for the alteration of electrical characteristics of any works.
- What solutions do respondents consider would best improve the management of interference between utilities?
- What solutions do respondents consider would best improve the management of hazards to equipment and people from utility works within the road corridor?
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| Strategic Planning and Coordination of Utility Works within the Road | - Is there a real issue with current practices of allocating utility space within the road corridor that is posing a barrier to infrastructure development?
- What solutions do respondents propose as providing the most balanced and effective outcome for allocating utility space within the road corridor in a more effective, efficient, and fair manner?
- Should it be a legal requirement for RCAs to install utility ducts in all new road construction and road improvement programmes for utility operators to locate utilities?
- Should the RCA be the party responsible for managing utility space within the road corridor through District Plan provisions?
- Should the RCA be the party responsible for maintaining a coordinated registry of location of utility networks within the road corridor? If so, how could it be funded?
- Should an industry body be responsible for maintaining a central registry of location of utility networks within the road corridor? If so, how could it be funded?
- Is it "reasonable" for RCAs to publish 2 year plans and "require" utilities to work only within the timeframes stipulated?
- That the Ministry support and encourage NZUAG as a facilitator, but that this NOT be extended to legislation.
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