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Howick residents will benefit from improved bus services if Auckland Council’s proposed Climate Action Package is supported by councillors as part of this year’s annual budget. Mayor Phil Goff says the Climate Action Package will help reduce carbon emissions by encouraging more people to use public transport and making it safer and easier to walk and cycle around the city. It will also enable almost 15,000 large native trees to be planted across Auckland. “Auckland Council voted unanimously to declare a Climate Emergency in 2019, and while we have increased investment in climate action since then, we are still not doing enough. A recent progress report on our Climate Action Plan stated that Auckland’s emissions are not remotely tracking in line with our target of a 50 per cent reduction by 2030,” Mayor Goff says. “One of the most effective ways we can reduce emissions is by encouraging people to use public transport—rather than private cars—to get around the city, and the best way to do this is to provide services that are fast, frequent and reliable. “The Climate Action Package includes a more than half-billion-dollar boost to deliver new and frequent bus services throughout the city, which will see more than a million Aucklanders living within 500m of an improved bus route. The package will also provide for 79 new electric or hydrogen buses, new low-emission ferries and infrastructure upgrades, increased funding for cycling and walking infrastructure, and urban ngāhere (forest).” For Howick, the proposed Climate Action Package will fund service level upgrades to all bus routes north of Botany, as well the frequent routes from Botany to East Tāmaki, Papatoetoe and Māngere and from Botany to Ormiston and Manukau. It will also enable the existing 314 route to be extended to Ormiston Rise. Howick Councillor Paul Young says the upgraded services will make getting around the area by bus faster and easier, helping Auckland to achieve its climate goals. “Residents of east Auckland know all too well the consequences of short-term planning, and projects like the Eastern Busway and Airport to Botany Rapid Transit are underway to address historic underinvestment in transport in our area,” he says. “We can’t make the same mistake with climate action. Delaying necessary action now will only increases the cost and burden on future Aucklanders and younger generations. “If passed, the Climate Action Package will enable further improvements to our public transport system to make it a more attractive and convenient alternative to driving. Every additional journey that is taken by public transport means less carbon in our atmosphere contributing to global warming and frees up space on the road for those who need to drive. If Aucklanders have access to a high-quality and reliable public transport network they will use it,” Councillor Young says. The Climate Action Package will be funded by a Climate Action Targeted Rate of around $1.12 per week for ratepayers with a median-value property, now worth more than $1 million, as well as co-funding from government and fares from increased public transport patronage. “It’s a small weekly sum but a big investment in our city and in future generations,” Mayor Goff says. Consultation on Auckland Council’s Annual Budget, including the Climate Action Targeted Rate, is open from 28 February to 28 March. Visit akhaveyoursay.nz/budget to find out more and have your say. Across Auckland, the Climate Action Targeted Rate will deliver:
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