UnitedFuture recognises that an efficient transport sector is an essential component of national infrastructure and economic and community wellbeing. We will work towards an integrated national transport system that meets the needs of industry, commerce and the wider community at a reasonable cost.
Cycling, Walking, & Public Transport
- Encourage greater use of cycling and walking as alternative transport methods, through better cycle lanes and walking paths in urban/suburban areas and in the countryside, to discourage the use of cars for shorter trips;
- Encourage Councils to increase off street parking spaces and remove on street parking to make room for better cycling infrastructure;
- Encourage cities and towns to introduce bike share schemes in order to increase use of cycling in inner cities;
- Encourage car parks to be developed on the edge of CBDs, where land is cheaper, accompanied by more cycle lanes, walking paths, low cost buses or trams, and bike share schemes to take people the last mile or two into CBDs;
- Initiate a full review of the effects (negative and positive) and the overall benefit of the compulsory helmet law;
- Support the continued use and upgrading of commuter buses and rail;
- Improve the school bus system to assist de-congesting roads at peak times in the major cities;
- Encourage Walking Buses within a two km radius of every urban school.
Roading & Freight
- Support public private partnerships (PPPs) and other investment options for urgently-needed, high cost highways for which there is significant community support, but continue to treat the National Land Transport Fund as the primary source of funding;
- Increase the Financial Assistance Rate (FAR) that is paid by central government to local authorities for the construction and maintenance of local roads up to 80% of their total costs;
- Complete the Roads of National Significance programme, across New Zealand (including the construction of the Transmission Gully highway);
- Improve traffic flow and road safety by road straightening along State Highway 1;
- Encourage the use of electric and hybrid motor vehicles;
- Implement policies to reduce the average age of New Zealand’s vehicle fleet, thereby reducing average fuel consumption and vehicle emissions;.
- Promote research into alternative energy sources for transport, such as fuel cells;
- Promote barging and coastal shipping services where economically viable as an alternative to land-based freight movement;
- Support fair and free competition between air travel providers.
Road Safety
UnitedFuture believes that a number of simple measures can make a big impact on the unacceptably high road toll in New Zealand. We aim to institute a licensing regime that will help young drivers gain more experience, while also making sure that dangerous drivers face tougher penalties in line with the irresponsibility of their actions.
It is UnitedFuture policy to:
- Legislate for compulsory third party insurance;
- Maintain the age by which someone may obtain a learner drivers licence at 16;
- Implement driver education in schools;
- Institute elements of compulsory practical defensive driving course into the driver licensing system;
- Toughen penalties for driving while disqualified or without a licence, alcohol or drug-impaired driving, and driving at excessive speeds;
- Promote the use of technology to generate a rapid response to accident investigations and to help minimise congestion;
- Support the labelling of cars for sale to denote their safety ratings.