Submission to Auckland Transport Plan

Submission on the key transport challenges and priorities for the Auckland region.

With the past & current emphasis on catering for cars and building more & more roads, traffic congestion and resulting pollution, health & other problems are having a serious, detrimental impact on Auckland, and this can only get worse as the population and vehicle-use grows.

There needs to be a substantial shift from cars to public transport.

I submit that to acheive this big shift in mobility modes and outlook, the Auckland Council should urgently consider introducing fare free public transport across the region.

This should be accompanied with an immediate halt to all spending on extravagent roading projects & diverting these funds to the free public transport programme, purchase of a large fleet of modern, low-emission buses, upgraded electric train services & ferries, improved public transport traffic flow measures, and passenger and walking & cycling amenities across the region.

Simple colour-coded integrated routes should be introduced to make public transport easily accessible to all, and allow for an easy, seamless switch from one route to another. Buses, ferries & trains should run at frequent intervals. Services should run 24/7. 'Public Transport Ambassadors' should be engaged to assist passengers, discourage anti-social behaviour, and allow drivers to concentrate of safe driving.

With a massive PR promotion, fare-free & frequent public transport could rapidly attract a large proportion of people out their cars and onto public transport.

This would have a major impact on reducing the road toll (deaths & injuries), reducing pollution & related issues, such as respiratory illnesses & stress, big reduction in wasted time sitting on gridlocked roads, big reduction in fuel costs and wastage, reduction in road maintenance costs, reduce the need for parking, eliminate the need for expensive fare collecting systems, and greatly increase the ability for Aucklanders to move about their city safely & easily.

Thank you,

Roger Fowler
5 Tennessee Ave,
Mangere East
Auckland 2024.

[Submitted Friday 23 March 2012]