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School Travel Plans will help ease Auckland traffic congestion

The release of a new booklet on School Travel Plans and their potential to reduce traffic congestion in Auckland was welcomed today by Auckland Issues Minister Judith Tizard and Mayoral Forum Chair, John Law.

The booklet is the first step in a central and local government programme that will aim to reduce car trips to schools in Auckland by 10 percent over a 10-year period.

Judith Tizard says the programme, due to be launched in February 2005, will build on the successful Walking School Bus initiative in place in over 50 Auckland schools - an initiative that has already reduced car trips on Auckland roads by over 5,200 each week.  Government has committed additional funding of $1.3 million over the next two years to support the initiative.

"School travel plans are a great way to help ease traffic congestion in Auckland, while giving children options of active, social and safe journeys to school," said Judith Tizard.

"A school travel plan involves the whole school, parents and the wider community in taking a thorough look at school transport, and identifying how to make it safer for children to walk, cycle or catch the bus to school."

John Law says Auckland local authorities are actively supporting this process by participating as partners in School Travel Plans, and by including priority infrastructure, identified as a result of School Travel plans, in their budgets.

"I am delighted with the broad support for this innovative programme. Managing Auckland’s problems of traffic congestion is a shared responsibility. It needs concerted action by both central and local government, and by families and individuals. Journeys to education currently account for nearly 40% of all morning peak trips within the Auckland urban area."

The School Travel Plans programme is an Auckland Sustainable Cities Programme project, which is part of the Sustainable Development Programme of Action. The region-wide programme is based on successful models in use in the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.

Hon Judith Tizard

10 September 2004