December 3, 2009
MEDIA STATEMENT

Regional transport planning 30 years out, submissions needed by Dec 9, next Wed - media release

Regional transport reminder: Submissions deadline Wed, December 9, 2009
People have until next Wednesday, December 9 to get ideas in for the Regional Land Transport Strategy. (http://ecan.govt.nz/get-involved/have-your-say/Pages/regional-land-transport-review.aspx or www.ecan.govt.nz/transport )

The strategy is being developed over the next two years by the Canterbury Regional Transport Committee, a multi-agency group including Environment Canterbury, the New Zealand Transport Agency and local councils.

It aims to help prioritise transport projects and funding over the next 30 years in the Canterbury region – from Kaikoura to the Waitaki. Having a united approach across the region is important, says committee chair Cr Jo Kane, also deputy chair of Environment Canterbury, because regions will be competing against each other for national funding.

A good example of a regional transport issue was last year’s petrol price spikes which encouraged some people to conserve the use of their own car and use public transport more in places like Christchurch. But for towns and centres outside Christchurch and Timaru, which do not have a public transport option, what alternatives are there to the private motorcar for daily travel and to keep our businesses running sustainably? Looking into the future, the strategy needs to anticipate what some transport trends could be and how we can future-proof our communities, Cr Kane says.

“We really need to know what people think about their transport needs, the needs of their community and businesses and ways they may change in the future,” says Cr Kane. “For example, what would it take to encourage you to walk or cycle or catch the bus to work? How could the roads around your town be friendlier to people on foot or on a bike or pushing a baby buggy? Do the main bridges near where you live have cycling or walking access?

“I’d like people to think about this strategy as being a bit like a family outing: Don’t just come along for the ride – be part of the decision on where we want to go and help us to start planning how we get there,” says Cr Kane.

ENDS

© Scoop Media