In addition, our approach to road safety needs to be in line with health and safety legislation which gives people the highest level of protection against harm.
Priorities are to:
- improve the safety for those walking, cycling or riding motorcycles
- address safety issues for people crossing roads and railways.
Overall, to make progress we need to give safety a higher priority in our decision-making than it has at the moment.
We must also do more to minimise the harmful environmental and health impacts of the transport system. It is therefore fundamental that the use of fossil fuels is reduced, and harmful pollutants are prevented from entering Auckland's waterways.
Pollutants and particulate emissions from vehicles and road dust reduce air quality and harm people's health, particularly those who have fragile respiratory systems or who live close to busy roads.
Petrol and diesel vehicles are the largest contributors to Auckland's emissions. Making substantial progress on reducing Auckland's greenhouse gas emissions from transport will require a major reduction in the use of fossil fuels.
Focusing on the transport system is where Auckland can make the biggest difference in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the effects of global climate change.
Paved and sealed surfaces that form part of the transport system, including roads, streets and parking lots, also have negative environmental impacts. Copper, zinc and sediment runoff pollutes waterways.
Impermeable surfaces prevent rainwater from recharging groundwater reserves, add to local flooding, and increase the amount of water that needs to be treated as stormwater.
