This afternoon FTMP held an event next to the Chamberlain Park golf course in Mt Albert. He arrived on the Northwestern Cycleway riding a bright green bicycle carrying a large box of Green Party leaflets.

“Good afternoon everyone, thank you all for coming. Today I’d like to lay out my vision for the future of transport in Auckland. Auckland’s transport system was built for the 1950s and it needs to change. The future cannot be expensive, polluting, noisy petrol cars. The current government is content to keep building more roads. But more roads and more cars are not the solution to our transport problems, they are our transport problems.”

“Transport is by far the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Auckland and the biggest contributor to air pollution. We’ve got to change this. The Greens will work with Auckland Council and AT to create zero carbon transport. We need more trains, more electric buses and more options for you to get around. We’ll fully subsidise public transport, so that getting the bus or the train is a better option for everyone.”

“My vision for Auckland is a city where not having a car is an option for everyone but let’s face it: there are still going to be many people who need to drive. The Greens will strengthen emissions standards for new vehicles and we’ll subsidise electric vehicles. This means it will be easier for you to buy cleaner, cheaper cars that are cheaper to run. We’ll help expand the infrastructure needed for electric cars so that we can make petrol cars a thing of the past.”

“Alongside decarbonising our public transport and our cars, we also need to create more alternative transport options. Already over a thousand people are using the Northwestern Cycleway here every day, but we need to get those numbers up. The rate of new cycleways and cycle lanes being built right now is painfully slow. The Greens will work with the council and AT to fast track the building of new cycling infrastructure, so that cycling becomes a viable option for many more people.”

“The future of transport in Auckland is one that gives people many options, not just the car. It’s one that gets you where you’re going quicker. So for a clean, sustainable transport future, vote Green. Vote for me, forgottomentionpeter, in Auckland Central.”