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Public transport meeting - creating a new vision for Otago

Submitted by Nicky Chapman on 18 June 2010 - 6:18am | Event

Public transport is of major importance to our community's wellbeing. At the moment it is difficult to live a low carbon lifestyle in Port Chalmers, given the high cost and infrequent times of the bus service. We therefore plan to put in a submission to the ORC about these issues.

However, our community's particular problems come from a transportation approach that prioritises cars. We want to start a conversation about a new vision for Otago that puts bikes and shared transport (bus, train, tram, ferry) at the centre, not individual cars.

Please come along and join in!

Location / Venue: 
Rolfe Room (opp library), Port Chalmers
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heaps's picture

Funding

Submitted by heaps on 24 June 2010 - 2:45pm.

What the problem is that it is extremely convenient to drive individual cars as opposed to either public transport or riding a bike. Funding needs to stop going into roads and more into providing pedestrian and bike lanes, and funding for public transit.

Also, if public transit is available, it will not be guaranteed for people to start using it if driving a car is still convenient. Perhaps a stronger tax on petrol or parking would suffice. Or perhaps charging drivers to bring their cars into the city centre. London has had great results from charging drivers heaps of money. Bus ridership increased, and traffic decreased so much that they had to change the timetables of buses because they were running so much faster.

Call it a radical idea, but we need something of this sort if we want people to stop using their cars.

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