City’s transport priorities debated

Dunedin's car culture, or the city’s potential shift away from cars, once again became the focus of debate at the Dunedin City Council yesterday.

As a precursor to the development of the council’s 10-year plan, councillors yesterday approved a raft of supporting information for the plan that included community priorities, a snapshot of the city, climate change and city growth projections.

But an emphasis on pedestrians, cyclists and buses as priorities became the major debating point at the full council meeting.

Cr David Benson-Pope thanked council staff for their work in the preparation of documents that were at once "accessible" and "useful", then addressed the issue that has at times divided councillors this triennium.

"I think it’s important to state unequivocally that there is no council policy that is ‘anti-car’, or ‘anti-private vehicle’, or ‘anti-driver’," Cr Benson-Pope said.

"We’re all drivers and pedestrians, and some of us are skateboarders as well — though not me, I hasten to add.

"The very issues that we are facing because of growth are going to make our current management challenges even greater.

"One thing’s for certain, no matter what your view is, lots more people living in Dunedin with lots more cars will not improve the accessibility of the central city."

Cr Mike Lord said just as past councils had a role to play in keeping chicken coops an appropriate distance from dwellings to
stop the spread of disease, the council now had a role
to play in facilitating the
so-called active modes of transport to stop rising
obesity rates and heart disease.

Cr Christine Garey said initiatives that increased pedestrian safety, including pedestrian friendly sections of roadways on Otago Peninsula, allowed children to walk safely to school.

Cr Jules Radich questioned the council document’s draft priority of working "to reduce demand for vehicle travel" and the draft priority of "investment and space to improve the provision of active modes and public transport".

He said businesses relied on the city’s transport network, and "by far the majority of people are getting around in cars".

Cr Carmen Houlahan joined the majority of councillors who praised staff for their work in the preparation of the documents, but also asked whether residents’ priorities of parking and mobility in cars could be better reflected in the supporting documents for the long-term plan.

Dunedin Mayor Aaron Hawkins said the priorities used by staff in the draft community outcomes priorities under scrutiny were taken from the council’s 2013 integrated transport strategy "set by elected members — and not by staff".

The staff’s job was to "give effect" to policies and strategies set by elected members.

"Those strategic priorities can be changed by council at any point," Mr Hawkins said. "I would argue that on the fly at a meeting where we are considering the underlying assumptions of the 10-year plan isn’t the most strategic method of reviewing our strategic framework."

Addressing council assumptions about climate change, Crs Rachel Elder and Jim O’Malley questioned the supporting information’s reliance on South Dunedin as the sole example of an area that would be affected by rising sea levels.

hamish.maclean@odt.co.nz