Greens release Auckland traffic congestion plan

The Green Party wants to move funding from new motorways into public transport under its plan to tackle congestion in Auckland.

Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said her party would put all the $500 million recently announced for new transport projects into public transport infrastructure.

It would also postpone the State Highway 20 western extension in favour of developing a state-of-the-art electric rail system.

"People don't realise quite how expensive new roads are. But for the $1.68 billion price tag of the SH20 extension, we could build a modern, double-tracked electric rail network including upgraded signalling, an underground tunnel loop under the CBD and a rail service from the CBD to the airport," Ms Fitzsimons said.

The Green Party said its plan for Auckland transport would cost around $2.5 billion to $3 billion to implement. It would take 10-15 years to put in place, although some aspects of it could be done in the next five to seven years.

If a serious commitment was made, the electrification and double tracking of the existing rail network, plus much of its investment in buses, could happen in the next three to five years, along with the construction of an underground line between Britomart and Mt Eden stations.

Its plans included:

* Emissions standards for all vehicles. Vehicles older than seven years prohibited from importation unless these met strict emissions standards;

* One ticket per trip -- whether for ferry, bus or train and regardless of the number of changes;

* Passing tracks at West Auckland bottlenecks and double tracking of the whole western line;

* State-of-the-art signalling and electrification of rail routes;

* Services re-started on the Auckland CBD to Onehunga line;

* Ensure there was a train every 20 minutes during peak periods;

* Inner city underground rail link through Britomart to Mt Eden station;

* Include rail on the Manukau Harbour Bridge;

* Dedicated bus lanes on major routes;

* Giving buses priority on main roads

* Improving frequency of bus services;

* Trialing LPG and CNG-powered buses and hybrid electric-biodiesel buses;

* Cycle and walking networks within and between cities;

The Green Party also said it would prohibit the disconnection of pollution controlling equipment, such as catalytic converters, from vehicles.

It would reduce sulphur in petrol from 150ppm to 50ppm in line with diesel.

- NZPA