Transport has a major role to play in ensuring a zero-carbon, equitable Aotearoa New Zealand. In this policy, the traditional prioritising of road development and private motoring over all other modes of transport is reversed. For many people, car dependency is an unwanted financial and personal burden. Investment in revitalising rail, enabling active and public transport, and electrifying vehicles is prioritised so that our towns, cities and rural areas become less car-dependent and the use of fossil fuels for transport is eliminated.
Vision
People experience equitable mobility freedom, where everyone can safely, conveniently and independently get where they need and want to go with minimum harm to the planet. Transport is decarbonised, streets have fewer cars, and people feel a connection to their community.
Values and Principles
Transport policy must be underpinned by the following values and principles:
- Honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi: Tino rangatiratanga is upheld by prioritising Māori communities and aspirations and by deciding all transport projects and infrastructure using a Tiriti-based model.
- Ecological Wisdom: All transport modes should be carbon neutral. Other negative effects of transport on the environment must also be minimised.
- Social Responsibility: Transport should equitably (i.e. including those facing disability or access barriers) connect everyone to their needs.
- Appropriate Decision-Making: People disadvantaged by the transport system, workers, and affected communities, should be involved with decisions made about transport infrastructure and services, incorporating evidence-based best practice for emissions reduction and safety improvements.
- Non-Violence: Transport infrastructure should be built and operated with the aim of increasing community connectedness and having nobody killed or seriously injured on the transport network.
Strategic Priorities
The Green Party’s strategic goals include:
“Sustainable transport (...) will predominate.”
Actions in this policy that will help reach this goal include:
- Requiring equitable co-design with tangata whenua in the development and implementation of transport planning (1.1.1)
- Providing high-frequency, well-integrated, reliable public transport services with high-quality transfers, where appropriate, scheduled and routed to suit a range of trip types and transport users (2.1.1)
- Making urban public transport fare-free, starting with young people, students, disabled people, and those on low incomes, including beneficiaries (2.1.2)
- Building surface light rail through key routes in our major cities (3.1.1)
- Updating relevant standards to require key public facilities and transport infrastructure to provide safe access for pedestrians (including wheelchair users), micromobility users, and cyclists (4.1.1)
- Ensuring that necessary zero-emission heavy vehicles are affordable (in comparison with diesels), through tax incentives and funding (5.4.4.5)
Connected Policies
Transforming how we get around and move freight is a key part of our response to Climate Change, in a changing Energy future. Our personal transport needs are dictated by how and where we build Housing and Sustainable Communities - see our policies on walkable communities, transit-oriented development, and satellite cities - and organise our Workforce. Tourism is a seasonal factor. Freight transportation is influenced by Trade and Foreign Investment policy settings. Acknowledging that the transport network is built on land once owned by Māori, including stolen land, our approach to transport must be integrated with our Kaupapa Māori Policy.
