Labour will fund Auckland’s Skypath

A Labour Government will commit up to $30 million to build Skypath, the shared cycling and walking path across the Auckland Harbour Bridge, says Labour’s Transport spokesperson Michael Wood.

“The Skypath, which will be built from modern composite materials, will be clipped on to the city side of the bridge. This will give Aucklanders the ability to walk and cycle safely from one side of the Waitemata to the other.

“The Government has said that it supports Skypath but has so far failed to provide any funding.

“Auckland’s Lightpath is already a great example of infrastructure that works for the city’s walkers and cyclists. Since completion, people have flocked to it.

“Skypath is part of a wider policy that will encourage people to walk and cycle safely around our communities. We will renew the $100m Urban Cycleways Fund for a further three years and establish a new ‘Active Neighbourhoods’ Fund to encourage walking and cycling at the local level.

“We’re also committing to work with local councils on a ‘Vision Zero’ strategy to reduce and eventually eliminate pedestrian deaths on our roads.

“Evidence from the Netherlands and Germany has shown that investment in safe, separate walking and cycling paths leads to a lot more people using them.

“Skypath will be good for our health, good for our environment and good for Auckland. We acknowledge the work of the Skypath Trust and Auckland Council in advancing the project, and look forward to working with them to make it a reality,” says Michael Wood.

Policy factsheet attached Investing_in_walking_and_cycling_factsheet.pdf

Since Jacinda Ardern has become Leader of the Opposition, she has announced the following key policies:
• Auckland transport
• Clean water
• School leavers’ toolkit
• Pay equity priority for mental health workers
• Canterbury child mental healthcare
• Pike River recovery
• Rapid rail and Regional Transport
• Better housing for Palmerston North

A full list of Labour’s announced policies, including earlier announcements, can be found here: http://www.labour.org.nz/announced_policies

© Scoop Media