Hamilton City Council staff have highlighted choice as the key factor for Hamiltonians when it comes to the city’s future transport needs.

An activity report was presented on Tuesday (9 November 2021) to Council’s Infrastructure Operations Committee on travel modes, outlining the research that will help guide the design and delivery of transport initiatives for Hamilton.

The Committee’s Chair, Councillor Angela O’Leary, said that travel choice is a critical consideration for the city’s transport plans.

“For Hamilton’s future, we think it’s crucial to provide people with choices when it comes to transport,” she said.

“We want to provide options – but ensure that we’re make sound decisions around the investment in infrastructure, facilities and connections across the city.

“Ultimately, we want people to be able to safely and conveniently travel to where they need to go, in the way that they prefer.”

The 2020-21 report shows that Hamiltonians are still relying on their cars, with traffic volumes up 6% on 2019. New initiatives have likely lessened this increase, with the Te Huia train service taking an estimated 8500 cars off the road in the quarter from April to June 2021, and the Transport Centre recording an average of 2300 daily bus trips taken each weekday during the same period.

Council’s Public Transport and Urban Mobility Programme Delivery Lead, Martin Parkes, is championing mode choice in transport planning to reduce the city’s reliance on private cars.

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“Understanding how people are using our transport system is the first step towards being able to provide what they need to safely get around – however they choose to travel,” he said.

“The common thread with all our feedback is that people need to feel safe – so providing a separated cycleway network, for example, would enable more people to choose active modes of transport to get around, access services, and connect with family and friends.

“We need to build a modern transport system with a mix of reliable transport options that help keep people and products safely moving.”

Revised each year, the activity report measures the volume and movement of road users of all types. This data helps Council staff understand both the need for, and impact of, changes and investments into the city’s transport network.

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