26 April

The case against Auckland Transport and Auckland Council for adopting a transport plan that fails to deliver any meaningful reduction in emissions is being heard by the High Court at Auckland today.

The case is brought by All Aboard Aotearoa Inc, a coalition of climate and transport advocacy groups, in relation to the Regional Land Transport Plan for 2021-2031. According to AT’s own analysis, the plan would increase Auckland’s land transport emissions by 6% by 2031 compared to 2016 levels. Even with government interventions in the form of Clean Car Standards and biofuels improvements, only a 1% reduction would be achieved.

The 2021 Regional Land Transport Plan sets out the investments that will be made in the transport system for Auckland over the 10 years until 2031. “The investments we make in the transport system significantly affect how people get around our city and the emissions created in doing so. This plan was the opportunity to allocate funds to projects that would reduce emissions. Instead, we have a “business-as-usual” approach that essentially maintains the current transport system” says Paul Winton of the 1Point5 Project.

All Aboard Aotearoa says that AT and the Council acted unlawfully in adopting the plan. “The Land Transport Management Act requires the plan to be consistent with the Government Policy Statement on Land Transport. That Policy Statement requires the rapid transition to a low carbon transport system. This plan does not do that - it does not even come close. For that reason, we consider it is unlawful”, says Zoe Brentnall of Lawyers for Climate Action NZ. All Aboard Aotearoa is asking the Court to declare the plan is unlawful and order that a new plan be prepared.

About All Aboard Aotearoa

All Aboard Aotearoa Inc is a coalition of climate and transport advocacy groups, including Generation Zero, Bike Auckland, Movement, Women in Urbanism, Greenpeace Aotearoa, Lawyers for Climate Action NZ and others. All Aboard Aotearoa is calling for decarbonisation of transport by 2030 because this is the best way for Aotearoa to contribute to the global effort to limit warming to 1.5C. It also provides a unique opportunity to re-think our transport system with the potential for significant intergenerational benefits for health, quality of life, and social equity as well as environmental benefits.

The Court case follows All Aboard Aotearoa’s submission on the Regional Land Transport Plan and a presentation to the Auckland Council Planning Committee to highlight the key messages of the All Aboard Aotearoa campaign and the steps Council needs to take.

All Aboard Aotearoa’s legal submission and other case files may be accessed here after the hearing starts. Follow updates here.

The coalition has also penned an open letter to the Minister of Transport, the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Transport, the Mayor, Chief Executive and Councillors of Auckland Council, and the Boards of Directors and Chief Executives of Waka Kotahi and Auckland Transport calling for urgent transformation of the transport system. Follow All Aboard Aotearoa on Twitter here.

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