Government’s transport plans will take Horizons region backwards: Chairwoman Rachel Keedwell

Horizons Regional Council’s bus service changes in Palmerston North (pictured) and Whanganui were signed and sealed under the land transport policies of the previous Labour Government.

OPINION

I imagine most people give very little thought to our transport network – how it is funded, or how choices are made about what types of transport to fund. Maybe when you are stuck in traffic you might ponder these issues a little bit. Otherwise it probably fades into the background noise of everyday life and you just use the available network to get from A to B.

In local government land, it is a little different. Transport is a big topic of conversation and it gets even bigger when central government drops its latest policy document – the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport, more commonly known as the GPS.

The GPS is an example of a policy document that can shape our transport network well into the future. This is not a document that sits on the shelf and is ignored – it provides the future direction for the transport network and outlines the funding available for the various parts of the network. It is absolutely critical for determining what work local government can deliver in the transport space.

Horizons Regional Council’s fantastic new bus service improvements in Palmerston North and Whanganui were signed and sealed under the GPS of the previous Labour Government. That GPS used transport policy to address climate emissions from the transport network by encouraging a range of travel options, and public transport met that requirement.

Our proposals would never have received funding under the GPS versions before 2017 because funding was only allocated for passenger transport if it would significantly improve congestion issues. Nowhere in the Horizons region suffers from congestion so it was difficult, if not impossible, to secure any increased levels of services over that period.

This new draft GPS proposes to take us backwards to a network that focuses almost solely on roads, cars and trucks, which means once again no funding for improved bus services or provision for improvements to walking and cycling.

I’m incredibly disappointed by what is, in my view, the lack of joined-up thinking exhibited in this GPS. Our transport network is exactly that – a network of overlapping systems – which means the functionality of all parts of the transport system should be considered together. This GPS proposes completely inadequate funding to maintain the rail network and specifically states that funding revenue from roads should not be used to fund rail. Road and rail are intrinsically linked – if we make rail attractive to freight, then we get big trucks off the road which will substantially reduce road maintenance budgets.

Similarly, the GPS proposes massive cuts to walking and cycling budgets, and states investment in walking and cycling will only occur in areas of proven demand. Often there is no proven demand because it is unsafe. There are multiple examples around the country and the world that show when safe infrastructure is provided for active transport it will be well used. Under this approach, new infrastructure like bridges will be built that have no allowance for vulnerable road users. It is incredibly expensive to retrofit such infrastructure and so these decisions being made today will create limitations well into the future.

Perhaps the most startling omission of all in this proposal is the absence of any discussion around the impact of the transport system on our climate emissions targets. Transport is arguably the single biggest contributor to our greenhouse gas emissions and the GPS could and should be used to shape our transport network in a way that simultaneously addresses our climate change obligations. Instead, a headline target from this GPS is 15 new four-lane roads, which will mean more cars, more driving and more emissions. Pretending we can separate transport and emissions is complete nonsense.

You can express your views to the Government about this draft policy. I certainly will be. Submissions close on April 2.

Dr Rachel Keedwell is chairwoman of Horizons Regional Council. The views expressed here are her own.