Fuming at traffic queues
While we are all being prompted to combat climate change, Auckland Council appears to be doing the opposite with roading changes that are snarling up traffic in town centres such as Henderson, Onehunga and Pukekohe.
These changes are having bifurcated negative effects for our climate. Within
the town centre the travel delays cause more fuel burn by more slowly moving cars and, perhaps ironically, public transport buses. Conversely, the frustration caused by the chaos is simultaneously incentivising others to drive further afield to do their shopping. In the case of Henderson, this appears to benefit Westgate and New Lynn. If these changes are intended to drive people from their cars, then this substitution of shopping effect will more than offset any reduction in town-centre traffic.
Climate is not the only area negatively impacted as these changes are killing Main Street shopping. Challenged by Covid and facing fierce competition from online and Mall shopping, the last thing these struggling retailers need are artificial disincentives to using their respective town centres. "Save Our Stores" posters are now common in these areas.
For both climate and business reasons, the council should reconsider these changes.
Peter Jansen, Henderson.
Driving change
Given that Auckland Transport is signing off the Regional Transport Plan and has ignored the 6000 public submissions on concerns that it is not doing enough about the climate crisis, I hope it has an insurance policy to cover property damage from sea-level rise, and extreme storms, and the multiple insurance claims that result from this inaction, and gross negligence.
As a double-decker bus passed me this morning with two people aboard, and the road was at gridlock with cars - one thinks something has to change. Aucklanders can all help through driving fewer kilometres and using public transport or cycling and walking. We are all in this together and need to take action now, but Auckland Transport has the ability and the responsibility for turning this around and facilitating change.
Alison Feeney, Remuera.
Higher shame
Simon Wilson shames Auckland Transport (NZ Herald, June 28) for its lack of ambition in reducing Auckland's carbon emissions. Indeed, the RLTP's goal of reducing them by 1 per cent makes a mockery of the council's recent declaration of a climate emergency.
But Wilson is wrong in arguing that climate action in cities is about "less driving". It is actually about less of any mobility that involves motorised transport. After all - what about all those trucks and vans, apparently so vital to Auckland's present economy?
The only radical solution to our excessive transport emissions is to reduce the overall demand. Diversifying the supply - such as having more public transport and EVs - only changes the type of our impact on nature.
We must profoundly change the economy of our city and the lifestyle of its citizens which now rest on extravagant mobility encouraged by cheap vehicles and fuel, and free-for-all roads. This calls for hefty price increases of all elements of the transport system. These painful interventions are far beyond AT's mandate. Somebody higher up than the AT board should be ashamed for not telling us as it is: we must live, work, shop and socialise locally.
Dushko Bogunovich, adjunct professor, Auckland University.
Going electric
I would like to correct a couple of points in Jeff Hayward's letter (NZ Herald, June 28) about diesel buses in Auckland.
Auckland Transport has committed to accelerating the transition to zero-emissions buses; no more diesel buses will be bought from this week, July 1, 2021 - not 2025, as Mr Hayward said.
AT now has 33 zero-emissions buses in operation and is in commercial discussions with a number of bus operators to deploy more electric buses in the next 2-3 years. This includes the necessary electricity network upgrades with high voltage connections to bus depots.
Mark Hannan, media relations manager, Auckland Transport.
