Telecom Partners with Auckland Transport: reduces congestion

Friday, 25 March 2011, Scoop
Press Release: Auckland Transport

Friday 25 March

Telecom partners with Auckland Transport to reduce congestion

Auckland Transport has teamed with Telecom to develop a plan of sustainable transport measures to implement at their new Telecom Place building on Victoria Street, Auckland.

Telecom aims to educate staff on their travel options and challenge their current choices of commute to and from work. Employees are being encouraged to use peddle power, pound the pavement, car pool or simply use public transport as a more environmentally friendly and cheaper way of getting to work.

As part of the partnership Auckland Transport is offering staff free travel on all bus and train services in April to entice staff out of their cars. It is also offering Telecom the use of their Rideshare software to help staff find a carpool match.

Auckland Transport’s Matthew Rednall applauds Telecom on developing a travel plan.

“Telecom has more than 2400 staff working at Victoria Street. Potentially there is a large number of staff that will accept the travel passes, give public transport a go and hopefully continue with it long after the trial period.

“If people can leave their cars at homes it not only helps reduce congestion and pollution associated with heavy traffic but offers wide-ranging health benefits to employees themselves – not to mention cost savings,” says Mr Rednall.

Free travel passes are offered to all organisations developing a Travel Plan to help facilitate change in commuter behaviour.

Telecom’s Corporate Communications Consultant, Stephanie Fergusson says that a company survey conducted in June 2010 showed that a large number of staff would be willing to change how they travel to work if public transport was accessible and affordable.

“As we have significantly decreased the number of car parks in our new building to comply with our Five Star Green rating, it is excellent to see that people are willing to use public transport and carpool, and it is very heartening to have Auckland Transport’s support on this.

“We also encourage active transport to work, by providing 22 showers with ironing facilities and more than 200 lockers and cycling facilities on-site at Telecom Place,” says Ms Fergusson.

On Wednesday 16 March, Telecom launched its first initiative, a public transport clinic.