Submission to the Mangere-Otahuhu
Local Board for consideration in the local board plan for 2014-2017.
That the
Mangere-Otahuhu Local Board initiates a one year trial for free public
transport for all routes in the Mangere-Otahuhu area, to determine if such a
move would be successful in getting a substantial number of people out of cars
and on to public transport in sufficient volumes to dramatically reduce traffic
congestion, and advance towards creating a truly ‘livable city’.
Background:
Last year I
attended the first international conference on free public transport hosted by
Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia. Tallinn adopted free public transport for
all residents in January 2013.
Other
cities, notably Hasselt, a provincial capital in Belgium, and Chengdu in China,
and dozens of smaller cities around the world, offer free public transport to
combat traffic congestion and resulting pollution and related serious health
issues.
In 2005 the
then Mayor of Manukau City, Sir Barry Curtis, proposed that the ARC trial free
buses throughout 3 south Auckand suburbs. However his proposal was eclipsed by
other events and never progressed.
The concept
has attracted a degree of popular support during local body elections in recent
years, and was a key platform of the recent ‘Minto for Mayor’ campaign. I stood
for the ARC in 2007 on the RAM ticket advocating free public transport and
received strong support with nearly 11,000 local votes. One RAM candidate from
Manukau was elected to the ARC. A petition for free buses in Auckland gathered
4,000 signatures in 2007.
This
proposed trial project should be accompanied with much improved bus routes and
infrastructure, plus upgraded park and ride facilities, and safer cycling and
walking opportunities.
A trial
project confined to a low-income suburb that experiences mobility issues, such
as Mangere-Otahuhu, would be a practical way is testing the merit of free
public transport. If successful, the Auckland Council could be encouraged to
roll out a city-wide trial.
Roger
Fowler
5 Tennessee
Ave,
Mangere
East.
Related
website: www.farefreenz.blogspot.com
Email:
roger.fowler@icloud.com
18 February
2014.
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