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An Auckland Transport/Auckland Council transport emission reduction plan is taking aim at urban Auckland, leaving little reform for the rural sector.
The plan aims to reduce Auckland’s transport emissions by 64 per cent by 2030.
It focuses on reducing the demand for private vehicles, increasing accessibility and travel choices with a strong focus on electric vehicle uptake
Cars and light vehicles, which cause 38 per cent of emissions, were emphasised as needing to go through the greatest changes.
Lead transport advisor Michael Roth called the reform “ambitious” while presenting to the Rural Advisory Panel.
“With electricity being a quarter the price of diesel, it will be the cheaper way to drive and do business,” Roth said.
While infrastructure such as the provision of charging stations was a concern for many panel members, Roth said as long as infrastructure was spread out across 10 years the demand would not be overwhelming.
One of the pitfalls Roth noted was that with a cheaper way to drive we could see congestion worsen.
Half of all car trips in Auckland are less than six kilometres long, with commuting making up less than a quarter of emissions.
Rodney Local Board member Brent Bailey said some people had a greater opportunity to reduce their carbon footprint than others.
“There is no safe way to make a six-kilometre trip in some areas. We need to improve walking and cycling,” Bailey said.
Equine industry spokesperson Geoff Smith said charging electric vehicles in multi-car homes would present a challenge.
“The lack of public transport in Franklin means that many houses can have up to six cars parked on the lawn,” Smith said.
Smith also questioned whether Auckland was set up to handle the energy demand created through electric vehicles.
Panel chair Cr Bill Cashmore took the opportunity to highlight New Zealand’s impending energy shortage.
Last year New Zealand saw a 25-year low in lake levels for hydroelectricity and low levels of natural gas production.
Independent Māori Statutory Board member Glenn Wilcox was concerned for those who did their own vehicle repairs.
“A lot of farmers do ‘on the job’ repairs, so will there be training coming along with more electric vehicles? Are they going to electrocute themselves on 500 volts? That is a health and safety issue,” Wilcox said.
Wilcox also wondered whether a separate plan to reduce emissions needed to be developed for rural New Zealand.
Franklin Local Board member Alan Cole said with the agriculture industry making only eight per cent of transport emissions, he was glad that the plan was aimed at urbanites.
Cole was quickly rebuffed by transport advisor Roth.
“The rural sector needs to be included in the change but just to a different degree,” Roth said.
The plan will be presented to the Environment and Climate Change Committee for approval in June.
