Policies to improve rural transport
The Matamata Chronicle continues its regular Q&A with party candidates for Waikato and Hauraki-Waikato electorates. This week we asked what their party can do to improve transport to better connect rural towns with each other, as well as with cities like Hamilton and Tauranga.
trip.
EVs are an important part of the solution to our transport pollution problem that makes up 20 per cent of New Zealand’s climate changing greenhouse gas emissions.
Road transport causes 90 per cent of this.
Up to 80 per cent of New Zealand’s electricity is generated from clean, local sources yet we spend over $6 billion every year importing petrol and diesel for our vehicles.
There are enough new renewable power plants consented or ready to be built to provide the extra electricity needed to power millions of electric cars in New Zealand.
New Zealand First
privatised or corporatised.
They will be properly maintained and will balance road user needs with public transport to reduce dependency on private cars.
Public transport is a major priority for the regions and our party wants to encourage its use. In order to do this, we need to subject roading projects to wider scrutiny, so that we have an encompassing regional strategy.
This includes better use of our rail network with connecting coaches linking to outlying areas.
We need to develop a programme of railways of national importance, with improvements and extensions where there is an opportunity. This will reduce dependency on the roading network for heavy and bulk freight services.
New Zealand First also promotes electrification over liquid fuel powered vehicles where possible.
Labour
Rapid Rail plan which will benefit the Waikato, starting with a $20m commitment to establishing a passenger service between Auckland, Hamilton, and Tauranga. As part of Labour’s revitalisation through decent regional economic development, the Waikato deserves well paid jobs and housing, and better transport option, to offer people a reason to stay and build their lives within the Waikato.
In the next 25 years, the population of the ‘‘Golden Triangle’’ of Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga is projected to increase by 800,000 – threequarters of national population growth. It is time this growing region had a modern, rapid rail service.
As Labour candidate for Waikato, I have advocated for commuter rail and improved roading throughout the Waikato and I amproud to support this initiative.
Labour will boost transport investment in regional projects across the country by doubling the funding range in the Government Policy Statement. The Waikato is growing rapidly – and the roads are struggling to cope with increased heavy traffic and tourist vehicles.
Labour will also hold an urgent Roading Summit in Wellington working alongside councils to compile a plan to accelerate projects that would otherwise be delayed or never be built, as an assessment of regional needs, with a focus on fixing accident blackspots given the worrying rise in the road toll in recent years.
Labour’s regional transport plan will make New Zealand an even better place to live, work, visit, and do business.