New report urges public transport investment
By | Aug 22, 2008
A report commissioned by New Zealand Transport Agency has confirmed what many, including myself, have been advocating: we need to shift away from road building to more effectively prioritizing public transport. It’s an incredibly important report, and I hope it gives the Government sufficient justification to re-prioritise appropriately.
The report can be downloaded here:
http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/research/reports/357.pdf
The report calls for a fundamental shift in the Government’s transport solutions - away from building more roads toward investing in alternative transport and maintaining existing roads.
It says most of the recommendations are low-cost and can be afforded within current land-transport budgets. Charging motorists the true cost of parking and using roads will raise funds to invest in alternative transport.
Drivers will be further discouraged by reallocating road space and slowing traffic to make roadways more pedestrian-friendly. Rather than widening roads, it says one existing lane should be for buses or car-pooling, leaving less room for private cars and making efficient options even more attractive.
The authors acknowledge that the recommendations may be unpopular with the public but say they will reduce dependence on oil so the average consumer will spend almost the same on oil-based transport in 20 years as they do now, despite escalating fuel prices.
They also calculate the recommendations will save $15 billion over 20 years in fuel and vehicle expenses as well as the welfare benefits of reduced congestion, air pollution and greenhouse gases.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4664533a11.html
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