Transit New Zealand
[1] Transit had an annual operating budget of over NZ$1 billion and about 450 staff, with much of its actual planning and design work contracted out to construction companies and consultancies.During this time, deferred maintenance and a great need for bridge works were complicated by a lack of manpower, plant and materials at a time when traffic volumes rose steeply and rural areas were opened up to road traffic.[4] During the economic reforms of the 1980s direct Government control of service provision was reduced, and new methods of providing for roads were developed.It often lodged objections to resource consent applications which in its opinion created safety or capacity problems on close-by motorways (such as large retail developments like Sylvia Park) or required substantial consultation and mitigating measures for them before they were allowed to go ahead.[6] Rodney District Council once threatened court action, alleging that the agency was effectively preventing any substantial development within its area.