Getting There

Rapid, Reliable, Sustainable - A Green Print for Auckland Transport

Auckland is New Zealand's economic centre and home for more than one million. But we're increasingly frustrated about living here. It's become a difficult place to get around. Our roads are congested and our public transport inadequate.

The fact is — we need a transport system that works. One that makes it easy to get around within Auckland, Waitakere, Manukau and North Shore, and easy to get between these cities.

&nbsp &nbsp &nbspClick map to see a larger PDF version

The value of public transport over roads:

For less than the 1.68 billion dollar cost of completing State Highway 20, we can:

• Build a modern rail network with regular and
  frequent services and increased capacity
  
  
• Create a rail service from the Auckland CBD to the airport
  
  
• Double track the remaining suburban lines and electrify
  all rail lines and upgrade all rail signaling systems
  
  
• Develop Britomart as a through station with a rail tunnel
  under Albert Street to create a link through to Mt Eden Station

Five decades of unbalanced transport planning; traffic growing faster than the economy and the population; car use expected to double in the next 20 years — Auckland needs investment in sustainable transport solutions NOW. Our dependence on cars and trucks is unsustainable. We know that more people die prematurely from exhaust pollution than from road crashes. Many parents are afraid to allow their children to walk or cycle to school. Transport accounts for well over 40 percent of climate changing CO2 emissions. And rising oil prices send a warning of problems ahead if we don't provide real transport options now.

We know that people want public transport as the core of our transport system. Presented with three different transport planning scenarios, 49 percent of respondents chose a public transport focus, while 29 percent favoured more of a pedestrian/cycle friendly bias, and just 22 percent wanted a cars-first focus.

Just over 60 percent strongly agreed or agreed with spending more on public transport than cars, with 25 percent strongly disagreeing or disagreeing. Sixty-three percent agreed or strongly agreed that public transport should have priority over cars and 75 percent agreed or strongly agreed that traffic congestion affects the environment.

A vastly improved public transport system is now within reach because there are politicians that favour public transport solutions including the Greens on several councils including the Auckland Regional Council. Getting Auckland moving means we need public transport. Green transport solutions are cheaper than big roading projects and contribute to environmental quality, healthy communities and enhanced prosperity. The Green Party proposes this plan as the basis of an integrated solution to Auckland's transport problems.

What are we trying to achieve?

• A system which gets us where we want to go quickly, easily and safely.
• A system that is future-proof — one that can grow with Auckland, providing good economic value and the lowest possible environmental impact, while reducing greenhouse gases and ensuring cleaner air.
• A system that supports strong communities.

Green Party Transport principles

The Green Party believes transport policies should contribute to people's well-being, and support community cohesion and local economic development. We also need to reduce climate changing CO2 emissions and our dependence on increasingly expensive imported oil. Our transport system should help create a thriving, 'liveable' Auckland. Public transport must be safe and feel safe and allow people of all ages and abilities to travel with ease. Transport decision-making must be more integrated and recognise the full range of economic, social, health and environmental effects of transport choices. Local communities and tangata whenua must participate in transport decisions that affect them.

One system

The simple fact is that we need to consider all forms of transport - public and commercial, rail, road, cycles, and pedestrians and we need a smoother flow between them. A Green system would:

• Have greatly improved public transport as its backbone
• Allow one ticket per trip, regardless of whether it was on ferry, bus, or train; and regardless of the number of changes. Timetables between services and operators should be coordinated
• Improve travel times and encourage people to live near where they work
• Encourage biking, walking and carpooling
• Avoid building roads that divide communities
• Increase the number of open spaces and 'green' environments in the CBD
• Halt the urban sprawl into Auckland's open spaces

No other way of dealing with the problem makes sense. Smart cities in Europe, North America and South America prosper because they have good public transport and quality walking and cycling facilities. Creating real alternatives to the private car has made their streets safer than New Zealand's, especially for children. They are also more prosperous because business traffic is less likely to be gridlocked! Retail returns are higher in pedestrian-friendly streets. For longer freight journeys, rail and coastal shipping offer greater energy efficiency and safety than road freight.