$1.2b cleanup includes
Targets to cut the use of light vehicles, a subsidy to help lowincome households get rid of polluting vehicles and a possible future rebate for electric bikes are among the moves mooted in the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan.
Legislation to allow congestion charging will be ‘‘considered’’ late this year, initially with Auckland in mind, but discussions will begin with Wellington councils on a scheme in the capital if that proceeds.
The Government is committing $1.2 billion over the next four years to transport from the Climate Emergency Response Fund, unveiled yesterday ahead of Thursday’s Budget.
Of that, $350 million is aimed at getting people into ‘‘cleaner transport choices’’ and includes the provision of 100km of safer urban cycleways.
More than half a billion dollars is earmarked for a scheme to help low-income households scrap ‘‘dirty’’ vehicles for cleaner alternatives such as electric vehicles. A ‘‘social leasing’’ scheme will lease ‘‘clean’’ vehicles to low-income people.
Transport Minister Michael Wood said the scrap-and-replace scheme could eventually extend to ‘‘tens of thousands of families’’, with the eligibility threshold around the median household income, which was $89,127 last year. With its focus on action up to 2025 – covering the first of three nationwide emissions budgets – many transport initiatives are not yet certain. One policy to be agreed on this year is a target to reduce vehicle kilometres travelled (VKT) to meet a 20% nationwide cut by