The Climate Action Framework – a speedy feedback guide

Sep 29, 2019
The Climate Action Framework – a speedy feedback guide

Bike Auckland

The clock is ticking: Auckland Council has acknowledged there’s a climate emergency, and something must be done. The city’s Climate Action Framework is now up for consultation. Your feedback will help Council make a plan, and work out how to fund it in the next ten-year budget. You can see the summary and the full plan here, and give your feedback here.

NOTE: feedback closes 8pm MONDAY 30 September 2019. Much like climate change itself, the deadline has crept up on us! But it’s not too late – even a quick submission is better than no submission.

Use our speedy feedback guide to make sure bikes are in the plan

(You can find more detail on our feedback suggestions in this blog post. Generation Zero has an excellent feedback guide here. And for a wider transport perspective on the Climate Action Framework, we also recommend Heidi’s blog post at Greater Auckland).


Our speedy feedback guide

There are five questions, to be answered YES, NO, or PARTIALLY, with space to say why. Feel free to use or adapt our suggested answers below. The pink buttons will take you directly to the feedback form.

HAVE YOUR SAY NOW

1. Do you think the framework takes us in the right direction to act on climate change?

YES. This is a very welcome and overdue move, and should proceed with urgency.

 

2. Do you think Auckland Council should facilitate action and bring together those that can deliver on the framework?

Again, we say YES. And, specifically on transport:

• Auckland Transport should be directed to reallocate existing roading budgets to rapidly improve public transport and active transport, including cycling.

• A unified approach is needed so the various Council agencies and NZTA all work together to deliver “at scale and at pace”, rather than each working alone and at odds.

 

3. Do you think these are the right key moves for Auckland?

We say YES.

In particular, Key Move 5, “Deliver clean, safe and equitable transport options”, is urgently needed because road transport is responsible for over a third of Auckland’s greenhouse gas emissions.

We applaud the promise to deliver safer walking and cycling “at scale and at pace”. However, this key move can’t be achieved via business as usual. It requires interim and long-term targets, a coordinated plan, a refocused budget, and a commitment to leveraging any and all opportunities to make things better for walking and cycling.

Please start immediately by lifting the current target of 10km/year of protected bike lane to 50km/ year of “climate-protecting bike lanes” using tactical designs and pop-up protection.

 

4. Do you think that the key moves will drive business and organisational action?

We say PARTIALLY.

Why? In the transport sphere, action will only happen at the necessary pace if the plan contains clear directives and ambitious targets, as noted above, and in the specific suggestions below.

 

5. Any other ideas or comments?

This is where you can add your thoughts and suggestions – see ours below.

  • Set clear and tangible targets, both interim and long term. Start by lifting the current target of 10km/year of protected bike lane to 50km/ year of “climate-protecting bike lanes” using tactical designs and pop-up protection.
  • Create an integrated plan for delivering a citywide cycling network ‘at scale and at pace’, to be embraced and acted on by all transport delivery partners, at speed.
  • Refocus the budget by seeking and creating active transport and micromobility opportunities within every transport project, to address decades of inequitable investment and the urgent need for change.
  • Dig once. All routine road renewals, especially of any streets on the Auckland Cycle Network, should deliver safety upgrades for walking and biking. Likewise, any public projects that involve digging up the street should deliver active-transport-friendly results.
  • Build active transport into and around public transport by ensuring all public transport investment is accompanied by safe bike-and-scoot routes and copious bike parking.
  • Maximise public transport capacity by developing the cycling network around the central city and other transport, employment and education hubs, to provide more and better transport options for those within the ‘last mile’ of their destination.
  • Create low-traffic neighbourhoods to empower more of our youngest and oldest citizens to walk or bike for short trips, democratising transport options and making carbon-free local trips more thinkable for everyone.
  • Future-proof our transport system by making space for scooters and other micromobility options.
  • Pursue incentive schemes to encourage people to use active and public transport, especially for shorter trips. This might include free bus travel, better bike parking, bike share, subsidies for purchasing e-bikes, etc.
  • Free us from consultation gridlock. The Climate Action Plan should strengthen other imperatives to prioritise safe and healthy travel, e.g. safer speeds, Auckland Transport’s Vision Zero policy, parking strategy, and other relevant policies.

QUICK, HAVE YOUR SAY BY 8PM MONDAY 30 SEPTEMBER!

 

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Bike Auckland is the non-profit organisation working to improve things for people on bikes. We’re a people-powered movement for a better region. We speak up for you – and the more of us there are, the stronger our voice!

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