Bus services running to and from Auckland’s city centre in the evenings will see improvements under a Climate Action Package proposed by Auckland Council that aims to reduce emissions, upgrade public transport, deliver new cycling and walking infrastructure and plant thousands of trees across the region.

Mayor Phil Goff says the Climate Action Package will help reduce carbon emissions by encouraging more people to use public transport and making it safer and easier to walk and cycle around the city. It will also enable more than 15,000 mature native trees to be planted across Auckland.

“Time is running out to take action on climate change,” he says.

“A recent progress report on our Climate Action Plan stated that Auckland’s emissions are not remotely tracking in line with our target of a 50 per cent reduction by 2030. We have just eight years left to achieve this target and deliver the transformation we committed to in the unanimous Climate Emergency declaration and adoption of Te Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri: Auckland's Climate Plan.

“The Climate Action Package includes a more than half-billion-dollar boost to deliver new and frequent bus services throughout the city, which will see more than a million Aucklanders living within 500m of an improved bus route. The package will also provide for 79 new electric or hydrogen buses, low-emission ferries and infrastructure upgrades, increased funding for cycling and walking infrastructure, and urban ngāhere (forest).”

For the Waitematā ward, the Climate Action Plan will fund evening service improvements on frequent routes to and from city centre from areas including New North Road, Sandringham, Mt Eden, Manukau and Remuera, to the support City Centre Access for Everyone programme.

Waitematā and Gulf Councillor Pippa Coom says the bus upgrades are part of a suite of actions that will reduce carbon emissions, make it easier to get around the city by public transport, walking and cycling, and green Auckland neighbourhoods.

“We need to urgently increase our action on climate if we are to avoid the disastrous consequences of unchecked global warming,” she says.

“The Climate Action Package targets interventions to where they can have the most impact on emissions, in particular by enabling more Aucklanders to make sustainable transport choices. With 40 per cent of regional emissions coming from the transport network, encouraging more people to cycle, walk or take public transport is a key emissions-reduction lever.

“It will also help improve air quality, particularly in our city centre, making central Auckland a more attractive place to live, work and visit.”

The Climate Action Package will be funded by a Climate Action Targeted Rate of around $1.12 per week for ratepayers with a median-value property, now worth more than $1 million, as well as co-funding from government and fares from increased public transport patronage.

“It’s a small weekly sum but a big investment in our city and in future generations,” Mayor Goff says.

Consultation on Auckland Council’s Annual Budget, including the Climate Action Targeted Rate, is open from 28 February to 28 March. Visit akhaveyoursay.nz to find out more and have your say.

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