13 April 2005

The future is sustainable transport

A sustainable transport programme prioritising passenger transport over the next three years was agreed at this afternoon’s Transport and Urban Linkages Committee meeting.

The committee believes the programme’s focus on improving passenger transport is crucial to providing efficient and sustainable transport for the city and region.

“Our endorsement of the three year
programme signals this council’s commitment to sustainable transport solutions,” says Councillor Richard Simpson, the committee’s chairperson.

“Sustainable transport focuses on raising awareness and improving the availability of travel choices for people.

“Auckland City is already doing great work with school travel plans in a bid to reduce travel during peak times related to education and continues to roll out bus lanes on the city’s key arterial routes.

“We need to build on these successes, including making walking and cycling convenient and safer, and developing integrated ticketing for improved travel convenience. Also, applying a holistic approach to parking within the city will support sustainability and encourage growth in numbers of passenger transport patrons,” says Mr Simpson.

The programme’s implementation is dependant upon funding being available.

“If the council’s proposed transport targeted rate gets the go ahead, additional funding will go into this programme. The key projects also rely on funding from Land Transport New Zealand [formerly Transfund] and ARTA [the Auckland Regional Transport Authority],” says Mr Simpson.

The programme includes the following projects in its first year:

completing a rapid transit plan for Auckland city and investigating the eastern transit initiative implementing Project Greenlane and investigating a corridor management plan for Remuera Road completing the widening of Fanshawe Street to extend bus lanes and implementing the central transit corridor implementing cycle and walking plans for Avondale, Panmure, Grafton and Otahuhu investigating school travel plans for Ellerslie and expanding the walking school bus network across the city implementing parking plans in Ellerslie, Mt Albert, Mt Eden and St Heliers and investigating plans for Grey Lynn, Parnell and Pt Chevalier reviewing the Gulf transport strategy and advocating for improved ferry services to increase transport options.

ENDS

© Scoop Media