The Green Party has committed to funding and delivering level crossing removals in Auckland, allowing for better safety outcomes, more frequent trains, and fewer delays.

The Green Party has announced that they will provide fast, frequent and affordable public transport that saves everyone time, money and frees us from the expense of filling up a car.

“New Zealanders deserve a fast, convenient and affordable transport system. The Greens have the plan to get immediate improvements using what we’ve already got, while laying down the tracks for the future,” says Green Party Co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick.

“Congestion sucks – it costs us time, money and productivity. The Greens will unclog our roads and free up wallets with mass rapid transit, free travel for kids, students, Community Service Card holders, Total Mobility users, and a maximum $2 fare for everyone else.”

“Visiting family members or friends across the country shouldn’t cost a small fortune or rely on an air carrier that’s been shutting down regional routes. Only a few generations ago, we invested in land transport to connect our cities and regions, and the Greens will do it again.”

“We will deliver overnight passenger rail from Auckland to Wellington, bring back the Southerner between Christchurch and Dunedin, extend Te Huia to Tauranga, and strengthen rural bus services. These practical projects keep people connected and give everyone the ability to explore our beautiful country.”

“In the middle of a fossil fuel crisis, these common sense investments will save New Zealanders money, stress and time. It’ll cut emissions and improve quality of life. The Greens are ready to build a transport system that works for all of us,” says Swarbrick.

Green Party transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter says, “Years of underinvestment in public transport have left our cities harder to get around without a car. Our cities have the potential to be accessible, vibrant and connected for locals and visitors.”

“Improving our cities with a plan more frequent buses and modern trains will set New Zealand up for the future and help meet the demands of our growing towns and cities.”

The Green Party’s plan for connecting aotearoa with fast, frequent and affordable public transport will:

• Immediately save people money by making bus and train fares free for children, teenagers, students, apprentices, Community Service Card holders, and Total Mobility Users, and capping bus and train fares at $2 for adults
  
• Build mass rapid bus and light rail in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch
  Improve public transport in smaller cities and towns, as well as major metropolitan areas, by funding the shortfall councils need to deliver services, to give people options to escape the fuel crisis.
  
• Deliver more frequent inter-regional bus services so people can travel in and
  around smaller cities and towns affordably and frequently.
  
• Connect the country with intercity, long-distance rail through new train services including an Auckland-Wellington overnight rail service, passenger rail between Christchurch and Dunedin with a potential extension to Invercargill, and improve, electrify and extend the Te Huia route to Tauranga.
  
• Enable councils to pedestrianise more inner-city areas to boost urban revitalisation, increase safe walking and biking spaces, and make urban areas beautiful places where people want to spend their time.

“The Green Party will create many more options for people to hop on fast, affordable buses and trains either in their town, city or across the country. Our plan will provide options that are affordable and easy, for all of us to get to where we need to go,” says Genter.

The Green Party has announced its plan to invest in New Zealand’s rail network by connecting the country with intercity passenger rail services.

The Green Party welcomes the Crown Review Office report into Moa Point, which made clear there were a multitude of failures that led to the disaster. 

The Green Party says the Government's decision to cancel next year's fuel excise increase will leave the land transport system short of the money it needs and shows neither major party has a serious plan for paying for transport.

The Government's Major Transport Projects Pipeline, released today, shows billions of dollars of mega-roads still unfunded with no timeframe for when many will ever be built.

The Green Party are calling on the Government to immediately activate the Civil Defence Payment across the Wellington region, after a regional state of emergency was declared this afternoon. 

The Green Party says scrapping the Clean Car Standard will mean New Zealanders end up paying more to run their cars.

The Green Party has welcomed the release of the report from the People's Select Committee on Pay Equity.