By Amanda Witherell The Government's plan to construct Roads of National Significance is a decade too late, according to a talk given by Todd Litman, a transport policy expert visiting Wellington from Victoria, Canada. As part of the Motu Economic and Public Policy Research Centre's seminar series in May, Litman said car use has peaked."It's time to employ a new urban planning model - one that favours accessibility over mobility - in order to meet increased consumer demand for walking, cycling and public transport," he said. "During the 20th century motor vehicle usage grew steadily. By the year 2000, everyone who could and should have a car had one," Litman told the room full of planners and policy analysts.Decline in the auto industry is due to an aging population, increases in fuel cost, urbanization, traffic and parking congestion, roading costs, changing consumer...
News: May 2013
May
May
Writing Letters to the EditorBasic four sentence structure:1 State the argument that you're responding toIs it a particular article?What prompted you to write this?2 State your position3 Provide Evidence4 Provide a Solution - say what should be doneGood to infuse wit and personality into letter -however not a must: most of the letters to the editor in the Dom Post are fairly dry.Good to start off with a slightly more emotion-based appeal, and then end with a fact-based solution.Example of a letter using this structure:Why is it that the world recognises our magic Basin Reserve roundabout but the New Zealand Transport Agency doesn't? (Basin to join list of 'magic roundabouts', April 10)Surely a cold, grey, shadow-casting concrete flyover will remove the magic from the roundabout and the Basin Reserve.Maybe NZTA could consider another option to just extend Kent...
May
If you build it, they will come: Capacity crowd at Wellington's cycling forumBy Amanda WitherellThe capital's first public forum on cycling drew 180 people off their bikes and into Wellington City Council chambers, overflowing capacity. Sporting cycle shorts beneath her mayoral robes, Celia Wade-Brown addressed the crowd. "We compare ourselves to Copenhagen and Portland, but we're not doing really well with cycling. Wellington is now the most dangerous place in New Zealand to ride," she said. "We want to know your priorities. We will act on them. We can make things happen faster than they're happening now."Even with a cycling mayor, seven other city councillors in the room and elections a few months away, some attendees questioned whether there is the political will to meet the demands of cyclists, which have doubled in number over the past six years."As...
May
Many thanks to everyone who provided their thoughts and comments on the CAN Do 2013.This report provides an overview of feedback from the CAN Do 2013, which was held at the Pioneer Women's Hall in Auckland on the 13-14 April.CAN Do 2013 was the biggest that we have held, with 68 people registering to attend. We received feedback from 37 attendees, a respectable 54%. Of those of you that responded, 35% attended on just the Saturday and 65% attended both days.Speakers and FormatMost of you welcomed the range and variety of speakers. Jonathan Daly, the keynote speaker, was the stand out with, 70% of you finding his presentation useful.82% of you responded positively to the format of the event, with a few caveats e.g "Excellent-- but not enough time for questions and perhaps too many speakers".Highlights and LowlightsThe range of speakers was...