16 February 2007

First Sustainable Transport Plan For Auckland

The Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA) today announced the release of the first Sustainable Transport Plan for Auckland. The Plan focuses on reducing car journeys in the region during weekday morning peak by 20,000 trips by 2016 and increasing Aucklanders awareness of the more sustainable transport options, increasingly being made available to them.

ARTA's Chief Executive of the Auckland Regional Transport Authority Fergus Gammie says;
"This is the first Sustainable Transport Plan for Auckland and one of the first of its kind internationally.

"Sustainability underpins all of ARTA's work. It supports the effectiveness of all elements of the transport system by reducing traffic on the roads, promoting choice and ensuring the users of our system- the travelling public have the best possible information to make it easy for them to use the transport system, so they can contribute to broader sustainability and energy efficiency outcomes for Auckland.

"There is no question in the broader context that many New Zealanders are starting to understand the message with respect to global warming and are starting to think of the impact they are having on the environment. Choosing a more sustainable transport solution is a clear option.

"ARTA is not saying ban the car. We are saying to people have a think about the choices available to you with respect to using public transport, walking or cycling and think about when you use your car, not only with respect to the impact on congestion but the more long term impact on our planet.

"We want to change behaviour in a city which has lacked reasonable transport infrastructure and services for a very long time so that Aucklanders have got out of the habit of thinking there are choices and more sustainable choices.

"We want to remove the obstacles for people who are willing to use the system but don't quite know how. People need help and advice in finding information to make choice and use easier for them. Once they are shown 'how' then they have choice.

"Sustainable 'wins' for Auckland include 1.8 million car journeys and 700 million tonnes of CO2 emissions reduced due to the number of school children, schools and local authorities committed to making a difference to congestion, to their children's mental and physical health, by taking one of Auckland's now iconic Walking School Buses. Only Auckland's children are going against the national trend of increasing numbers of children being driven to school in the family car.

"There are 60,000 people now participating in a Workplace or Tertiary Travel Plan. Our original goal was 90,000 people over ten years.

"Where ARTA has developed or improved public transport services, Aucklanders are flocking to use them. For example the Northern Express Bus Services between Auckland's CBD and Albany and Constellation bus stations on the North Shore grew by 200 per cent in the first five months of running, with 39 per cent of users sampled in a usage survey, being first time public transport users.

"Auckland's train passenger journeys have reached well over five and a half million an all time high with patronage continuing to grow. Walking and cycling can also become part of these journeys or options in themselves".

Mr Gammie said, "The challenge now is to continue to encourage Auckland's adult population that walking, cycling, taking the bus, train or ferry, is an easy way to help reduce one's environmental footprint and follow in the footsteps of the example set by many of Auckland's children".

ENDS

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