National has launched a petition to stop Labour from banning school drop-offs and pick-ups without consultation in its Reshaping Streets proposal, National’s Transport spokesperson Simeon Brown says.

“Our streets should not be reshaped without community consultation whenever the Labour Government or local councils see fit – something that Labour’s proposal allows for.

“Labour has made it clear in its Reshaping Streets proposal that there should be greater restrictions of school drop-offs and pick-ups in cars, supposedly to get more people walking, cycling, or taking public transport to school.

“Giving communities more transport choices means innovating and investing – not simply taking options away. Whether to drop the kids off at school in a car belongs to parents and communities, not governments and local councils.

“Drastic changes can be made to our streets under these proposals as two-year ‘pilots’ without any consultation by local councils beforehand.

“Councils could restrict school pick-up zones, block off one end of a street, ban some types of cars from certain streets, re-purpose streets as playgrounds for certain times, and remove curbside parking.

“If communities decide to support some of these changes, that’s fine. But they need to be consulted first.

“Without the proper consultation beforehand that communities deserve, road users will have to stomach these changes whether they like them or not.

“Acting first and then asking for permission later is not consultation. That’s arrogance that those in authority know better than the communities they serve.

“The Government needs to scrap these proposals immediately. National’s petition will send that message loud and clear."

Click here to view National’s petition.

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