Minister of Transport, Stephen Joyce, is wrong to state (Morning Report 18th February) that extra spending on cycling doesn’t make economic sense said a Green Party Regional Councillor.
“A safe cycle walking path from Petone to Wellington has been proposed for over 100 years, yet expenditure is still stalled while officials divert every spare dollar into the development of new Roads of National Party Significance (RoNs),” said Greater Wellington Regional Councillor Paul Bruce.
“US experience shows that the number of cycle commuters could increase by 10 to 20 times leading to potential savings of $100 million per year if a new cycle way was built, ” Mr Bruce added. NZTA (Tim Hughes) calculates the net economic gain from moving commuters from cars to bicycles as $35 per day.
“The new motorways won’t help our economy at all, because people
still have to fill the tank with petrol which is back over $2 a litre to get anywhere. Electric or fuel efficient cars also cost New Zealanders money. They don’t even reduce congestion at peak hour, while a movement to cycling does.
“Transport Minister Steven Joyce needs to be challenged on his empty
assertions that accelerating road projects is creating jobs or the best way to stimulate our economy for a clean, green future,” concluded Mr Bruce.
