Auckland Mayors in support of School Travel Programme

The School Travel Programme is one of many regional initiatives being implemented over the next few years as part of the Auckland Sustainable Cities Programme. The programme is launched today to give children a wider choice how they get to and from school.

How is this going to make Auckland a better place to live? The answer can be found by examining how many trips are currently made everyday on Auckland roads to and from schools.

“As Chair of the Mayoral Forum I represent a group of Civic leaders who are well aware of the reasons children are driven to and from school. But we are also aware of the costs to the region as a whole”, said Mayor of Manukau Sir Barry Curtis.

“We are supporting the School Travel Programme because it meets many aims of the Auckland Sustainable Cities Programme well including reducing congestion. Any plan enabling our children to walk safely to and from their schools is a step in the right direction in strengthening our communities.

“We have recognised that we cannot say children will now make their own way to school, it is merely one part of the School Travel Programme. Parents and caregivers have to be confident that when their children leave from home they will be safe.

“The Mayoral Forum supports the Auckland Sustainable Cities Programme because we see it as a means of addressing the complex and difficult issues we face as a region,” said Sir Barry. “The programme is the perfect vehicle to bring together the variety of agencies and organizations with the community to meet the needs of the fastest growing and most productive region of the country. It is imperative that those closest to the issues are involved to provide workable solutions”.

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