The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance Is Dismissing Claims That There Is Wide Public Support For Auckland Transport’s Anti-car Transport Emissions Reduction Plan. An Internal Report Obtained Under The Local Government Official Information And Meetings Act Found That Aucklanders Want AT To Deprioritise Building More Cycle Lanes In The Short-term.

Today, Auckland Council’s Environment and Climate Change Committee is meeting to vote on Auckland Transport’s proposed Transport Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP). The Plan is intended to reduce ‘car-dependency’ and re-prioritise funding to active modes of transport.

Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesman Josh Van Veen said, “If implemented, this Plan will see travel time savings criteria removed from design standards and business cases. That means AT will no longer have to think about motorists – or bus patrons – stuck in traffic.”

“Cycling and micro-mobility will take priority over new road infrastructure and rapid transit. For a small minority of Aucklanders, this is good news. But it is guaranteed to make life harder for everyone else.”

“Auckland Transport’s own market research has found that just 12% of Aucklanders want more cycle lanes in the short-term,” Mr. Van Veen said. “The overwhelming majority (93%) believe the number one priority should be making it easier to get around the region.”

“Make no mistake: the TERP is an ideologically-driven, anti-car agenda that won’t reduce net carbon emissions and won’t improve our quality of life.”

A copy of the AT report, “RLTP Public Preferences Study: Final Results” (December 2021), can be found here.

NOTES:

The Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance is a not-for-profit community group dedicated to championing prudent fiscal management of our Super City. Membership is free and open to all Aucklanders who sign up at www.ratepayers.nz.

The Ratepayers’ Alliance has spokespeople available for comment on ratepayer and Super City issues. Representatives can be contacted on 09 281 5172 or via media@ratepayers.nz. License free, high-resolution images are available here.

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