27 April 2016 National should let KiwiRail compete for funding from the enormous roading budget and scrap the two-tiered funding system which grossly favour costly highway projects, the Green Party said today. The comments come following a report by KiwiRail showing it considered shutting down its entire freight business to meet the Government’s requirements to deliver a short-term profit. “The $3 billion a year in National’s transport budget should be opened-up to be invested in rail, not just roads," said...

Wellington bus operator Infratil’s decision to repower its iconic electric trolley buses with electric drivetrains is a victory for the environment and all those who campaigned to keep clean buses in the capital, the Green Party said. “Electric buses will be excellent for Wellington’s air quality and for reducing our contribution to climate pollution,” said Green Party transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter. “I want to congratulate Infratil for making a good decision, and also congratulate the people who signed postcards...

The Green Party today announced a new Safe to School plan, which aims to dramatically increase the number of young people biking and walking to school. The campaign calls for a 30 km/h speed limit outside all urban schools, and an 80 km/h speed limit around rural New Zealand schools, with the limit dropping to 30km/h during school hours. Our plan would see these changes introduced over three years. Local authorities, in conjunction with schools, will also be able to...

The National Government’s lack of a plan to shift New Zealand to electric vehicles will have contributed to Nissan’s decision to stop selling its Leaf electric car new in New Zealand, the Green Party said. The Nissan Leaf was formerly the most affordable electric car (EV) available new in New Zealand. “There is a huge opportunity for electric vehicles to cut our contribution to climate pollution and our $6 billion annual oil import bill but the National Government is being...

It’s time for Transport Minister Simon Bridges to stop having photos taken of him opening electric charging stations, and deliver actual policy to get more electric vehicles on our roads, the Green Party says. Transport Minister Simon Bridges is opening another electric vehicle charging station at Bayfair Shopping Centre in Tauranga today. “At this rate, there’ll soon be more photos of Simon Bridges opening charging stations than electric vehicles on our roads,” said Green Party Transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter....

The Green Party celebrated the National Government's U-turn on the City Rail Link (CRL), with a mock-opening of the planned Karangahape rail station, which will be built on the site of its Auckland office. The Prime Minister, in his speech to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce today, committed to work with Auckland Council to allow major works to begin on the CRL in 2018. Karangahape Station will be built on the CRL route, and the Mercury Lane entrance constructed on...

The Green Party is celebrating a major victory today following the Prime Minister’s announcement that the National Government will no longer stand in the way of the City Rail Link (CRL), the Green Party said. The Prime Minister, in his speech to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce today, backtracked on the National Government's long held position of a 2020 start date for the CRL. The Government is committing to work with Auckland Council to bring forward a business plan, formalise...

Rumours that Auckland Transport is set to raise the fares on buses and trains are disappointing given the huge fall in oil prices, said the Green Party today. Auckland transport writer, Ben Ross, has reported today that Auckland Transport is set to raise public transport fares on February 28. “Auckland’s bus and train fares should be falling, not rising, if Auckland wants to fix its transport problems,” said Green Party transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter. “With record low inflation last...

The Government’s continued underfunding of Kiwirail is driving it into the ground and contributing to it losing major contracts, such as its Tranz Metro Wellington passenger rail contract today, the Green Party said. “The National Government has driven Kiwirail into the ground and now Kiwirail’s lost its important Wellington passenger rail contract,” Green Party Wellington issues spokesperson Gareth Hughes said. “Ultimately, people who want to travel by clean public transport will lose out if Kiwirail’s viability is threatened by the...

Green Party MP Gareth Hughes made a final plea this morning to Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) to not replace Wellington’s iconic, pollution free trolley bus system with dirty diesel buses. Gareth Hughes spoke with GWRC councillors ahead of their vote today on Wellington’s public transport strategy. The strategy includes a decision about whether to replace Wellington’s 60 electric trolley buses with diesels. Last year GWRC decided to remove 60 trolley buses from the fleet by 2017. “Last year councillors...