Several organisations across Tauranga have signed up to the Greater Tauranga Travel Pledge, as members seek to improve the region's problematic roading situation.
All three major regional Councils – Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Western Bay of Plenty District Council and Tauranga City Council – are reported to have signed up to the pledge.
They are joined by the likes of employers the Bay of Plenty District Health Board, Fulton Hogan, Trustpower, and Zespri as well as public organisations such as Priority One, Tourism Bay of Plenty and University of Waikato.
The GTTP says that Tauranga has one of the highest rates of private car use in Australasia and traffic flows have been increasing by up to eight per cent each year.
'The Tauranga City Community Carbon Footprint found transport makes up 61 per cent of the city's carbon footprint, of which 97 per cent comes from road transport,” reads a GTTP statement.
They claim that modelling completed in 2018 suggests if Tauranga was to achieve similar mode of transport shares as Wellington, there would be around 50 fewer premature deaths per year.
This would be associated with changes in air quality, road safety and levels of physical activity.
In addition to these environmental and public health implications, traffic congestion is a significant concern to Tauranga residents and businesses alike - a fact made clear by 98 per cent of the Tauranga population stating traffic is a problem in the 2020 Quality of Life Survey.
The GTTP, along with the organisations that signed up, aims to address these issues by investigating and implementing flexible working arrangements where practicable for their organisation, enabling active forms of transport for both staff commutes and work-related travel and implementing other opportunities to reduce their carbon footprint relating to commuting.
'It's hard to find anyone that thinks the current situation is good,” says GTTP organising committee chair Jeremy Levy.
'By working together, we amplify the impact of every initiative.”
Any business that wants to take the pledge can join the GTTP grouping.
'We are open to all organizations that are willing to commit to being part of the solution,” says Jeremy.
8 comments
Interesting but ..
Posted on 08-02-2022 09:47 | By Kancho
The layout of Tauranga is problematic being a peninsula and the roads evolved from a much smaller town are now inadequate for the encouraged growth. I used to use buses but they no longer work well as they did. I have no option but to use a car and that means Cameron road to access the shops, other services and hospital etc. I am not selfish nor to be blamed as there is no option. Avoiding peak times is all that is left but that doesn't always work and being stuck for long periods in an idling car happens regularly. This is true for many people working as their work requires vehicle use, only people who work at one place can use public transport, or people doing a simple there and back trip not carrying anything and people who can walk a fair distance to bus stops
I'm at a loss
Posted on 08-02-2022 11:15 | By rogue
As a commuting cyclist who rides 15 km to work everyday, I see what the councils are doing & planning to do to our roads as more dangerous. Perhaps those clowns in the ivory tower could stop me ask me how my commute is & what would make it safer.... believe me Totara St , Links Ave & Cameron Rd works look it will be bloody terrible. I suggest city planners etc get out of their metal coffins & ride to and from work occasionally to see where the problems lie
Set an Example
Posted on 08-02-2022 12:17 | By gincat
I suspect a warm fuzzy and feel good feeling by those parties who signed this agreement. All parties now need to lead by example and use public transport
Wow
Posted on 08-02-2022 13:58 | By peanuts9
I wait with bated breath for moves to get Tauranga's selfish, dangerous and half-blind drivers out of their status symbol cars.
@Kancho
Posted on 08-02-2022 17:34 | By morepork
Thanks for a succinct and well written nutshell on the commuter's dilemma. Really good points as to why buses need to be much more available and flexible. I see a minibus service like Hong Kong and other places. Electric vehicles and really smart software, monitoring and managing the service. Load levelling with buses added to the network as demand increases, and possibility to hail buses if you are between stops. Retire the big yellow buffaloes that block our roads and get smaller, more agile units that are fit for the roading we have... At the current rate, by the time the roads are fit for purpose, we'll all be in flying cars anyway...
@ peanuts9
Posted on 08-02-2022 17:57 | By Kancho
Wow a chip on shoulder peanut brittle . Can't afford a decent car then ? What tosh Carping about other people. Like it or not people need cars. Can't see me taking a bag of compost on a bus or a length of timber. Not take an hour to go buy frozen food on a bus. Or carry anything much to bus stops . Pick up kids Go to work with tools or visit clients . Plenty of need for vehicles we are not in the horse and cart era anymore modern life is complex. Buses suit some bikes a few more the majority use vehicles as a must not a luxury unless of course sitting home all day like peanut butter maybe
@ Kancho
Posted on 08-02-2022 21:57 | By groutby
Aww...c'mon mate surely 'it's all about me' and my beliefs isn't it?...I would far prefer to take a 'big yella' to do my work and be productive...if only they would agree to my agreed timetable and carry my equipment to do my job required of me by my employer....of course not many of my clients are on the bus route....so I will now purchase an old high emitting diesel powered ute in case I'm spotted by 'a certain writer' who may think that a low emission late model wagon is a 'status symbol'..:)...as for being dangerous and half blind?..well, I'm not 'that' blinkered... does that help?
Haha groutby
Posted on 10-02-2022 13:49 | By Kancho
Nuts . Peanut butter anyone .
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