With transport set to be the big issue in this year's local elections, The Traffic Jam podcast is running two meetings
to help voters decide which candidates will get Wellington out of gridlock.
On Wednesday 18th September, Regional and City Council candidates standing in central, western and northern suburbs,
will put forward their solutions to Wellington's transport woes at the Loaves and Fishes Hall on Molesworth Street.
The following Wednesday, 25th September, it's the turn of candidates standing in the city's southern and eastern suburbs
to set out their policies in the Matairangi Room, upstairs in the ASB Sports Centre in Rongotai.
"As an issue, transport is bigger than any one suburb or residential meeting" says Traffic Jam podcaster and RNZ evening
host, Bryan Crump. "I reckon it's worth devoting a couple of meetings to"
"From the Bustastrophe to the trains, from cycleways to the Basin Reserve and the Mt Victoria Tunnel, people want to
know where candidates stand on these key issues".
"Some bus users, angry with the new system, want to get rid of all the regional councillors who oversaw its
introduction. But who are you going to replace them with?"
"Meanwhile, Wellington City Council is talking about making more room on the roads for buses, bikers and pedestrians,
but who's going to give up parking spaces to allow that to happen?"
Well known South Wellington writer and Dominion Post commentator, Dave Armstrong, will chair the Southern and Eastern
Suburbs meeting, which kicks off at the ASB Sports Centre at 6.30pm.
Bryan Crump will chair the Central, North and Western suburbs meeting, which starts at the Loaves and Fishes at 6pm.
"Dave's written a lot about the new bus system for the Dominion Post as he's experienced a lot of its failings first
hand," says Crump.
"If you want to make sure your votes go to the right candidates as Wellington moves into the next decade, you can't
afford to miss these meetings."
The dates again:
Meeting one: For central, northern and western suburb voters. Wednesday September 18th; 6.00 to 8.30pm. Loaves and
Fishes Hall (next to the Anglican Cathedral in Molesworth Street). MC: Bryan Crump.
Meeting two: For voters in the southern and eastern suburbs. Wednesday, September 25th, 6.30 to 9.00pm. Upstairs
Matairangi meeting room, ASB Sports Centre, Rongotai. MC: Dave Armstrong.