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Generation Zero calls on Council to “Keep it Clean”
Generation Zero calls on Council to “Keep it Clean”
Youth organisation Generation Zero has launched a petition today calling on Greater Wellington Regional Council to keep Wellington’s buses clean.
The petition is online at http://www.generationzero.org/keepitclean
“Last year the Council announced plans to scrap Wellington’s trolley buses by 2017. At the time, they promised to replace the trolleys with modern hybrid buses - but now the Council is considering reneging on this commitment by returning to dirty diesel buses”, said Generation Zero spokesperson Nina Atkinson.
“We are concerned that the Council’s desire for a cheap and easy solution for the trolley buses has the potential to lock Wellington into two decades of higher emissions, more noise, and air pollution. We support the Council’s goal of introducing a fully electric bus fleet to Wellington, but replacing the trolleys with diesel buses could delay this transition for up to 20 years – the lifetime of the new diesel buses.”
“According to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers, which considered the options for replacing the trolley buses, the diesel bus option would lead to a trifecta of increases in greenhouse emissions, harmful local air pollution, and noise along the Golden Mile.”
“We think there are a number of better options the Council should explore. Some or all of the trolleys could be kept in operation until battery electric buses are cost-effective, or the trolleys could be modernised and upgraded allowing them to operate off the overhead wires for part of their journey. At a minimum, the trolleys could be replaced by modern hybrid buses, which are commonplace in many cities around the world”.
“This week the Council announced its climate change strategy committing to the long-term resilience and sustainability of the Wellington region. This showed significant leadership on the part of the Council. An obvious first step in this strategy would be to ensure that investments in transport infrastructure and technology don’t lead to unnecessary increases in emissions.”
ENDS
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