21 April, 2006

Turning the Corner on Transport

How people, goods and services get around is one of the most pressing issues facing the Auckland Region.

And residents of Waitakere are now being asked for their views on how the problems of a rapidly growing City, and how that impacts on transport, could be tackled.

One of the key issues for consultation in the City’s draft Long Term Council Community Plan (for 2006-2016) is its Transport Strategy.

The draft strategy has an emphasis on giving people more choices about how they can get around- from improving public transport, some roading improvements, and developing a network of cycleways and walkways.

The proposed package is costed at $380 million over the 10 year period. That is, effectively, double what is currently spent on transport.

"If we continue to hold our traditional levels of transport spending and focus on the old way of doing things, existing problems with congestion and the economic and environmental problems that brings will only get worse,” says Deputy Mayor Carolynne Stone.

“This draft Strategy is looking at how the financial cake should be sliced. Because if we spread our spending across state highways, roads, passenger transport, walkways and cycleways in the right way, it means people will have more choices about how to get from A to B.”

“The rising price of petrol will change the way we live. Every household will look for better ways to get around, how they can spend less time in traffic jams, and spend less money on travel,” says Councillor Stone, who is also Waitakere’s representative on the Regional Land Transport Committee.

“This City- along with others in the region- is asking the same questions about what is affordable and through this exercise we want public feedback on what level of funding they are prepared to see go into solving the transport problem.”

Submissions on the draft strategy (and the Long term Council Community Plan) are open until the19th of May, 2006.

The draft strategy, budget and submission form is available online at www.waitakere.govt.nz or can be posted on request by calling the Council’s 24 hour Call Centre on (09) 839 0400.

ENDS

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