All Aboard Aotearoa is excited to see the release of Auckland's Transport Emissions Reduction Pathway (TERP). The TERP offers a fast, fair, and affordable opportunity to substantially reduce our transport carbon emissions, delivering a healthier city, and giving everybody reliable options to meet their day-to-day needs.

Auckland’s current transport investment programme - the Auckland Regional Land Transport Plan 2021 - is not well aligned with our emissions reduction goals. We welcome the TERP as the evidence-based pathway needed to lead our transport sector away from its current priorities and entrenched processes.

The TERP outlines how, by 2030, Auckland will achieve a truly multi-modal transport system, where sustainable options for getting around make life easier for everyone. It’s a truly people-friendly vision, in which we’ll see improvements to our streets and neighbourhoods, to create safe and attractive spaces for walking, cycling and recreation. Other advantages will include much more frequent and reliable public transport. We'll also need to shift to electric vehicles and where possible, travel shorter distances or avoid making trips altogether.

This is quite different to what we do now. Auckland has a particularly high level of private motor vehicle use. To achieve the outcomes of the TERP, Aucklanders will need to drive less and use other modes of transport more. With the improvements laid out in this pathway, fewer of us will feel the need to own a car, and our streets will be safer for children, elderly and disabled people to walk, cycle or scoot to where they want to go.

And finally, the TERP offers a more affordable pathway. Changing to a less car-dependent transport system will save households money. This investment will create a system that requires far fewer resources to operate and maintain.

This is possible! Many cities around the world are moving ahead with the types of changes that Auckland wants to undertake. If we work together for the best possible outcomes, we can achieve a much more inclusive, liveable city and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions at the same time.

The TERP is not a list of funded projects nor is it simply a set of high level targets; it comprises a detailed and cohesive set of practical steps for changing our systems. The Auckland Transport Board has responded by endorsing the 11 transformation areas of focus and committing to the development of an implementation programme. The next step is for Councillors to endorse the TERP at an Extraordinary Environment and Climate Change Committee on Thursday 18th August.

About All Aboard Aotearoa

All Aboard Aotearoa Inc is a coalition of climate and transport advocacy groups, including Generation Zero, Bike Auckland, Movement, Women in Urbanism, Greenpeace Aotearoa, Lawyers for Climate Action NZ and others. All Aboard Aotearoa is calling for decarbonisation of transport by 2030 because this is the best way for Aotearoa to contribute to the global effort to limit warming to 1.5C. It also provides a unique opportunity to re-think our transport system with the potential for significant intergenerational benefits for health, quality of life, and social equity as well as environmental benefits.

Earlier this year, All Aboard Aotearoa took Auckland Transport and Auckland Council to court over the Regional Land Transport Plan, arguing that its failure to provide for emissions reductions made it unlawful. The Court found that the high threshold of unlawfulness was not reached. All Aboard Aotearoa has appealed that decision.

The Court case follows All Aboard Aotearoa’s submission on the Regional Land Transport Plan and a presentation to the Auckland Council Planning Committee to highlight the key messages of the All Aboard Aotearoa campaign and the steps Council needs to take.

All Aboard Aotearoa’s legal submission and other case files may be accessed here. Follow updates here.

The coalition has also penned an open letter to the Minister of Transport, the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Transport, the Mayor, Chief Executive and Councillors of Auckland Council, and the Boards of Directors and Chief Executives of Waka Kotahi and Auckland Transport calling for urgent transformation of the transport system. Follow All Aboard Aotearoa on Twitter here.

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