Free buses an idea whose timetable should come

green-party

Tue May 09 2006 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Free buses an idea whose timetable should come

Tuesday, 9 May 2006, 4:08 pm
Press Release: Green Party

9 May 2006

Today's Otago Daily Times editorial urging a study into the feasibility of free buses for Dunedin has been welcomed by the city's Green Party MP, Metiria Turei.

"The idea of free buses has taken root in cities around the world, from Amsterdam to our closest city neighbour, Invercargill. I agree with the editor that it must be taken seriously by the city's decision-makers," Mrs Turei says.

"There are many obstacles to the use of public transport. Free buses remove not merely the barrier of cost. Free buses also address the issues of timeliness and frequency, which can also be barriers to the regular use of buses by the public.

"With petrol prices on the rise, our community is looking for solutions to their transport needs. Public transport services that are easier for everyone to access and use can only be good for them, and for our city.

"Transport is an important issue for New Zealand to tackle, because it is the fastest growing contributor to climate disruption, and already produces over 18 percent of this country's total greenhouse emissions," Mrs Turei says.

"We need to take all the chances we have to reduce greenhouse gas emissions - and increasing the use of public transport offers a significant opportunity to do so. "

ENDS

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

a.supporter:hover {background:#EC4438!important;} @media screen and (max-width: 480px) { #byline-block div.byline-block {padding-right:16px;}}

Using Scoop for work?

Scoop is free for personal use, but you’ll need a licence for work use. This is part of our Ethical Paywall and how we fund Scoop. Join today with plans starting from less than $3 per week, plus gain access to exclusive Pro features.

Join Pro Individual Find out more

Find more from Green Party on InfoPages.