Quick update from WQ TMA August 2022 |
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Car Free Day, World Rally Champs, Reshaping our Streets and do we have enough bus drivers? |
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| | World Car Free Day - what will you be doing? In NZ more than 20% of our emissions come from transport, and cars are our default way of getting around. If we want to reach our goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, this needs to change. On Thursday 22nd September many cities will close down streets or even entire districts to cars, and enjoy cleaner air, quieter neighbourhoods, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions – not to mention less money spent on fossil fuels. Genless wants to encourage us all to go one step further and commit to regular Car Free Fridays. One car-free day each week will reduce carbon emissions. Even if only 1 in 5 ditch the car for active transport (biking or walking), or work at home one day a week, 84,000 tonnes of carbon emissions each year could be avoided – that’s like taking 35,000 cars off the road for good. See how you and your business can get involved in the link below. | | |
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| | World Rally Champs coming our way! Rally New Zealand, which is part of the FIA World Rally Championship will be housed in Wynyard Quarter ready for the racing to take place from 29 September to 2 October 2022. During this time the cars will race over 275kms. In 2022, WRC Rally 1 cars are using plug in hybrid powered vehicles with technology applied from the same company that supplies hybrid technology to Formula E and Formula 1. A service park and fan zone will be located on the waterfront utilizing Silo Park, Halsey Wharf and Wynyard Point. There will be no racing and no road closures in Wynyard Quarter for the event. Crowds of between 5,000 and 10,000 per day are expected in the rally village where big screens will be bringing you all the action. Rally NZ will attract more than 90,000 spectators and showcase New Zealand to a huge global audience. | | |
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| | Reshaping our streets - have your say now The Government are proposing changes to legislation to make it easier for local authorities (like councils) to make street changes that support public transport, active travel and placemaking. These proposals would enable Auckland Council to make street changes more efficiently and provide new ways for communities to be involved in changes that affect them. Traditionally streets have been designed for moving motor vehicles, as well as parking and storing cars. The Government wants to make it easier and safer for people to walk and cycle. This will help reduce emissions, reduce deaths and injuries, improve public health and create more appealing streets. Streets are public places that should prioritize people, not just vehicles. A full copy of the new proposals can be seen here. Public feedback is invited and closes on September 19th. | | |
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| | Good news for employers offering subsidized PT to staff The Government is proposing to make employer-subsidized public transport exempt from Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT). In NZ employers get an exemption for providing staff parking. This encourages people to drive to work instead of using other modes. At the moment there are only a few companies subsidizing public transport for their employers, and for those companies that are, the impact will be even smaller right now due to the 50% nationwide discount on PT fares. So the effect of an FBT exemption will be small but it is a step towards a level playing field, with some symbolic value, and it should be encouraged. Genesis Energy as part of their move to Wynyard Quarter set up a subsidized public transport scheme for their staff, with a discount of 25%. 81% of their staff signed up for the scheme. They have had a 50% increase in people taking public transport or using EVs, and a 102% increase in biking, running, walking or e-scootering to work. | | |
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| | Free prescriptions, including walking, wheeling and cycling to be offered in England Social prescriptions, including walking, wheeling and cycling, will be offered by GPs as part of a new trial to improve mental and physical health and reduce disparities across the England the Government has announced. £12.7 million has been allocated in multi-year funding to 11 local authority areas. The funding will go towards several pilot projects in each location, including adult cycle training, free bike loans and walking groups. Other schemes include cycling taster days where people who may not have cycled before can try it out, or walking and cycling mental health groups where people can connect with their communities as they get active. The pilots will be delivered between 2022 and 2025 with on-going monitoring and evaluation to support continued learning. | | |
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| | 50% off PT extended until end of January 2023 The Government has announced that the scheme to give 50% off public transport fares in Auckland will be extended until 31st January 2023. Now is a great time to try out pubic transport for your commute. All you need is an AT HOP card, if you don't already have one these are also half price. Some exclusion apply and the discount does not apply to Waiheke and tourist ferries (Rakino, Rangitoto etc.) but the Devonport ferry is included. If you travel during the off peak periods you will get a further 10% off. If you would like help planning your commute email us transportwq@outlook.com Image from Invercargill City Council | | |
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| | Do we have enough bus drivers? Todd Niall comments of the driver shortages affecting services in Auckland. On Friday August 19, a record 2185 bus services were cancelled in Auckland – about 15% of all services. With public transport use needing to rise ninefold to meet emissions reductions targets - do we have enough drivers to move us around? In June 2022 buses made up 79% of Auckland's public transport trips - they are critical. Todd Niall looks at the issues and some possible solutions. | | |
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| | Cycling over Auckland's harbours The new $38m Ngā Hau Māngere walking and cycleway connecting Onehunga and Māngere has opened. Photo: LDR / Stephen Forbes The name of the bridge means gentle lazy winds. The project took two years to complete and provides a new link between Onehunga and Māngere. Greater Auckland points out the stark contrast between the new bridge in Māngere and the lack of progress on an active modes crossing between the City and the North Shore. Waka Kotahi are planning for opportunities to allow Aucklanders to walk or cycle over the bridge in a safely controlled environment as part of a series of single day walking and cycling festivities this summer. | | |
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| | Cheaper fares for Waiheke commuters Commuting from Waiheke Island will be noticeably cheaper from 1 September with the launch of a new AT HOP Monthly Pass. The AT HOP Monthly Pass will be $58 cheaper than the current Waiheke monthly pass and will give users unlimited travel for a month on the Waiheke to Downtown ferry. It will also have the added benefit of including all one-zone bus or train trips at either end of the journey, meaning it won’t cost you a cent more to head all the way from Onetangi to Wynayrd Quarter, Ponsonby or Newmarket. | | |
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| | Zilch is a finalist! Local start-up, Zilch, is delighted to be a finalist in the Excellence in Innovation category at the Westpac Auckland Business Awards (Central Region). Zilch have been nominated for their Electric Mobility as a Service Product. Zilch was formed in 2016 and launched New Zealand's first EV public car sharing model in Christchurch in 2018. Since then, it has expanded into Auckland and the combined efforts have resulted in more than 90,000 pure electric trips and saved more than 600 tonnes of carbon. Zilch have worked with the IRD to gain a FBT exemption for their customers. This means businesses can rent their EV's to their staff out of hours, which further increases the fleet utilisation, while encouraging staff to ditch car ownership. The awards will be handed out in early December - watch this space! | | |
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Check out our news items and keep up to date Got something you want to share? Email us transportwq@outlook.com |
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