Vital infrastructure

Buddle Findlay provides land transport advice across the legal service spectrum, including land transport regulation and policy, resource management, property, construction, commercial and procurement issues, and employment law.

Clients and services

We advise clients in the private sector (including public transport operators) and in the public sector on public transport issues.  In 2009, we were appointed as a legal provider to the New Zealand Transport Agency to advise it on a range of land transport and other matters.

We advise clients on a range of transport related issues including:

  • RMA consenting and designation processes for roading projects
  • Public Works Act issues in relation to acquisition
  • Property law issues, including construction contracts and property-related contracts
  • Commercial contracting and procurement processes
  • Key government policy and planning documents that the government, the New Zealand Transport Agency and regional councils prepare under public transport legislation
  • Decision-making by central and local government under the Land Transport Management Act and the Public Transport Management Act
  • Public funding and procurement policies prepared under the Land Transport Management Act
  • Public law issues arising in the transport section, including advice on policy, legislative and regulatory proposals
  • Litigation, including construction contract disputes.

Recent work

  • Advising the New Zealand Transport Agency on the development of the Rangiriri Section of the Waikato Expressway between Auckland and Cambridge
  • Advising the New Zealand Transport Agency on the designation of State Highway 20B in Manukau, Auckland - one of the strategic links to Auckland International Airport
  • Advising a number of bus operators, a ferry operator and a transport trade association on several large public transport matters, including:
    • parliamentary process for enacting the Public Transport Management Act
    • passing of other legislation related to public transport
    • development of planning and rule-making documents under the Public Transport Management Act
    • commercial and subsidised services
    • funding framework for subsidised services
  • Advising on the resolution of complex land rights in relation to roading projects, and negotiating and drafting a range of documents including entry agreements, temporary land access agreements, acquisition agreements, easements, tunnel agreements and mitigation agreements
  • Advising the New Zealand Transport Agency on litigation surrounding a large construction contract
  • Advising the New Zealand Transport Agency on Māori issues relating to proposed state highway projects
  • Advising a range of local authorities on designation, resource consent and property issues concerning local roads
  • Advising the New Zealand Transport Agency and KiwiRail on employment law issues
  • Advising the Transport Accident Investigation Commission on the statutory scheme for allocating responsibility for safety among rail operators on the railway network
  • Advising the former Land Transport Safety Authority on the statutory accountability of various public sector entities for the safety of the roading network

Articles