Megan Wilson: Futureproofing Cameron Rd is a positive step for Tauranga

Tauranga was dubbed the most car-reliant city in New Zealand in 2018. Photo / George

OPINION:

It's understandable why some businesses on Cameron Rd aren't in favour of the council's futureproofing project.

Predictions of going under, loss of parking spots and other infrastructure problems where money could be better spent were concerns raised by local business owners.

But it's clear we have a huge traffic and congestion problem here.

And Tauranga City Council said the best long-term solution to reducing congestion was by creating more reliable and viable transport alternatives to a car.

The futureproofing Cameron Rd project aims to make one of the city's main arterial routes safer, more attractive and provide more ways to travel.

Quite frankly, something needed to be done because Tauranga was dubbed the most car-reliant city in New Zealand in 2018. About 76 per cent of commuters used cars on their own in Tauranga, compared with 68 per cent nationwide.

Personally, I'm used to living in cities where I can fully rely on public transport, walking or cycling.

Having spent the past seven years in Wellington, Sydney and Berlin, I've adapted to a car-free lifestyle. And my bank account and carbon footprint have been better for it.

Wellington is so compact you can walk anywhere and everywhere when living in the CBD.

Sydney is much more spread out. But it was still easy to live there without a car.

I lived in Coogee in the east, which was a 30-minute walk from my work. Buses could take me to the CBD, and within the city there were regular trains. Day trips to national parks and beaches were accessible via train and ferries.

And if there was ever a city geared up for cyclists, Berlin would win. Biking culture is ingrained into everyday life - cycle lanes were clearly marked on all roads and you always felt safe when riding. I put this down to power in numbers between cyclists and drivers.

Otherwise, the train services were reliable, frequent (24/7 on weekends), and could take you anywhere within the city or to the lakes and forests on the outskirts. And you'd never pay more than about $5 for a one-way trip (even to the airport).

But moving to Tauranga this year was the first time I've ever needed to own a car.

And I was shocked at how difficult it was to get around without one.

While acknowledging those cities have far greater populations which makes public transport a more viable and manageable option for commuters, I appreciate the investment that is being made to improve the system here.

Transport advocate and former councillor Heidi Hughes pitched a Wednesday Challenge in the Long-term Plan this year. This was an incentive for people to use an alternative mode of transport once per week and would receive funding of $146,000 provided other funding partners also agreed to chip in.

I hope Tauranga residents jump on board with this.

Because I miss living in a city where you don't need a car - it's much more affordable, time-efficient and environmentally friendly. Being climate-conscious, I already take the bus to work every day.

So, I hope the Cameron Rd project encourages people to ditch their cars for other transport methods and to play their part in futureproofing the city.