Author: Pippa Coom

Easy Transport Auckland

ETA: Making space for everyone, to get everyone moving!

In March Cycle Action Auckland hosted a think tank weekend to bring together a range of creative thinkers, politicians and journalists to join  cycling advocates in thinking about  how mainstream cycling faster and smarter.

One of the ideas to come out the think tank was Barb Cuthbert’s ‘Easy Transport Auckland’ – to put not just cycling initiatives but a range of transport projects in Auckland high on the agenda for the first ‘super city’ local government elections starting in just 5 days time.

Easy Transport Auckland has gone from idea to reality in an impressively short time.  The City’s walking, cycling and public transport advocates have formed a coalition to transform the new City’s transport system.

The official launch, which promises to be the most fun event so far this election, is happening in front of the Britomart Train and Bus Station. 2pm  Sunday, 12th Sept , QE II Square.

ETA Media Release

‘Room For Everyone, and Everyone Moving’

EHelp is on its way for voters confused by the huge choice of candidates standing for the new Auckland Council and Local Boards.  It comes in the form of a new campaign,  ‘Easy Transport Auckland – ETA’ – created for the Supercity elections by the region’s walking, cycling and public transport advocacy organizations.
The biggest issue and most urgent problem facing the Supercity that unites voters across the region is Auckland’s traffic congestion. We want to see action during the first term of the new Council to provide real options for easier travel to work, schools and other everyday trips. All modes of transport have a role to play. Our goal is ‘room for everyone , with everyone moving.’ says Barbara Cuthbert, spokesperson for Cycle Action Auckland, [one of the groups supporting ETA].

The new website for ETA, www.easytransportauckland.org.nz, identifies a range of transformational projects for trains, buses, ferries, cycling, walking, cars and freight which are the key to achieving easier transport options for the region.

‘The website invites mayoral and council candidates to register their interest in working  towards delivering these projects during their three years in office.  The public can also use the website to learn about the projects and which candidates support them, before deciding  which candidates deserve their vote.’

The ETA website goes live on Friday, and will be launched at a fun event at Britomart at 2pm this Sunday, 12th Sept . Two teams of candidates representing City Vision and C&R for the Waitemata and Gulf ward, wearing model trains, buses, ferries and bikes, will compete in a giant board game to reach their target of the key transformational projects.

‘We’ll see which candidates are in form to race for their goal. We would love the public to join us at Britomart to show that easy transport is at the heart of our Supercity and this election’ says Barbara.

Note – Easy Transport Auckland is the result of a coalition of Campaign for Better Transport, Living Streets Aotearoa and Cycle Action Auckland. The joint campaign is focused on the Supercity elections, and reflects the commitment of the three organizations to sustainable transport and the integration of all transport modes across for the Auckland region.

For further information:
Contact – Barbara Cuthbert, ph 0274 125 824, cuthash@worldnet.co.nz , for ETA -Easy Transport Auckland – 8 Sept 2010

Mike Lee backs the City Vision team for the Waitemata Local Board

Media Release
City Vision – Waitemata Local Board Team

Mike Lee, Chairman of the Auckland Regional Council and Candidate for the Waitemata and Gulf Ward has given his strong backing to the City Vision Team standing for the Waitemata Local Board. Waitemata  is one of the most contested Local Boards of the 21 in the new Super City structure, with 23 Candidates standing for 7 vacancies. The City Vision Waitemata Local Board team welcomes the endorsement from such a high profile and experienced politician.

In giving his support, on his website Mike Lee says “The City Vision team has a marvellous balance of youth and experience.  To my mind their personalities, professional backgrounds, life experiences and political philosophies make an excellent fit for what will be one of the most important Local Boards in the Super City.

Mr Lee goes on to say “This is a team well worth watching – and supporting”

Bruce Kilmister, Kate Stanton and Christopher Dempsey all are currently serving on Community Boards with extensive experience of local government and involvement in local issues.

Jesse Chalmers, a company director, one of the youngest candidates standing, is the new generation of local politics.

Tricia Reade is a well-known Ponsonby resident through her work at the Ponsonby Community Centre and City Fringe Inc.

Pippa Coom, a corporate lawyer is involved with a number of community groups that focus on building vibrant, sustainable neighbourhoods.

Shale Chambers,  a Ponsonby lawyer and company director, brings business experience to local issues.

Shale Chambers on behalf of the team says “Mike Lee will be a strong voice at the top table, with his public service experience and track record he is the ideal candidate to serve as the Councillor for the Waitemata and Gulf Ward and fully has our support. The City Vision Waitemata Local Board team is thrilled that Mike Lee has given us such firm backing and we look forward to working with him for a prosperous, secure, fair, and sustainable future for the CBD and all our central city communities.”

Mike Lee will join the City Vision Waitemata Local Board team for Meet the Candidates Evenings being held in the Waitemata Local board area on Tuesday 7th and Wednesday 8th September.

More details about the City Vision Waitemata Local Board team here.

Contacts:

Shale Chambers  0274765284

Mike Lee 0274943198   www.mikelee.co.nz

Meet the candidates evenings for the Waitemata Ward and Local Board:

Tuesday 7 September at 7pm, Parnell Community Centre, Jubilee Building, 545 Parnell Rd. Hosted by Parnell, Newmarket and Grafton community groups

Wednesday 8 September at 7.30pm, Grey Lynn Community Centre hosted by Grey Lynn 2030

Having my say on NZ’s Draft Energy Strategy

Thanks to WWF and Greenpeace I have been able to make a quick submission on the Government’s visionless Draft Energy Strategy.

Submissions are due by Thursday 2 September at 5pm.

My submission:

Please accept the following as my submission on the draft Energy Strategy and draft Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy for New Zealand.

I wish to make a number of general comments.

The Draft Energy Strategy is an inadequate and inappropriate response to the challenge of tackling climate change and to providing a sustainable, clean and secure energy future for New Zealand.  There is no plan to protect New Zealanders from the rising costs of oil in the future, nor to set us on a path to lower our greenhouse gas emissions.

The stated goal of 90 per cent renewable electricity by 2025 will not be achieved by this strategy, which fails to provide clear policy goals and incentives.

New Zealand must start real work on achieving a 40 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (on 1990 levels) by 2020. This has to include mandatory emission reductions, and a renewable energy strategy that supports the development of resources like wind, marine, geothermal, biomass and solar.

I therefore call on the Government to:

  • Shift the priorities in the draft strategy towards research, development and greater use of new clean energy technologies and away from fossil fuels (coal and oil). New Zealand has the potential to be a world leader in the development and use of home-grown biofuels.
  • Set out a clear strategy for facilitating a transition away from New Zealand’s current reliance on petrol and diesel for transport. Initial priorities should include expanding public transport in order to provide real alternatives when oil prices rise, and introducing fuel economy regulations (as has been done in several other countries) to gradually make cars sold in New Zealand more efficient.
  • Set out a clear strategy and progress indicators for achieving the goal of 90% renewable electricity generation by 2025. Policies such as ‘feed-in-tariffs’ should be implemented to achieve the desired goal of increased local electricity generation.
  • Clearly state that coal-fired energy generation will not be expanded. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) may not become viable and will almost certainly not be in place during the life of this strategy. Expanding coal-fired energy generation over the next 5 to 10 years therefore not only runs counter to the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions but would also be a risky and potentially obsolete investment.

Your sincerely,

Pippa Coom

Emailed to: nzes@med.govt.nz

Further reading

Have your say on NZ’s energy future. More information here on Lynda Brendish’s Good Magazine blog.

More details about the strategy and how to make a submission here on the MED website.

Just please don’t call me a cyclist

My preferred mode of transport is on 2 wheels. My Victoria Classic sits by the front door ready for any trip I need to make – especially around Auckland’s “Zone 1”.  I’m fortunate that I don’t have the expense of a car and love the convenience cycling.

But please don’t call me a cyclist. I would no more put “cyclist” on my CV than a person who commutes by car would put “motorist”.  I ride my bike every day just for transport and I’m involved with Cycle Action Auckland to improve cycling conditions in Auckland but I rarely go on purely recreational rides.

However over the last weekend there were a couple of special reasons to be out on my bike just for the sake of cycling. On Saturday I joined the  BIG Auckland Ride,  a lesiurely pedal around central Auckland in warm spring weather organised to profile the benefits of cycling in the inner city. Here is an account of the ride by Antoine (and more photos) on the wonderful cycling blog Cycling in Auckland.

One of the reasons I am motivated to stand for the Waitemata Local Board is a desire for better cycling infrastructure in Auckland. I’m on the City Vision team committed to prioritising  public transport and the provision of better bus and train services together with integrated ticketing and timetabling, cycleways and safer walking routes. Read more about City Vision’s policy here.

On Sunday it was necessary to dodge the rain showers to experience the only opportunity to cycle across the new Newmarket Viaduct before the switch next weekend.  As fellow Waitemata Local Board candidate, Chritopher Dempsey commented ” what a fantastic cycleway! Wide,  broad, smooth concrete – I asked if NZTA was planning to continue this  cycleway through to Orewa and south to Hamilton. Wry smile. There’s hope yet!”

Cycle Action’s chair Mark Bracey puts the ride in the context of Auckland’s burgeoning cycling culture on his Cycling in Auckland blog here.

Once in a lifetime cycle ride

I’m looking forward to walking and cycling over the Newmarket Viaduct this Sunday. There is the promise of stunning views and a festival atmosphere as people take over a stretch of motorway. Planning for the event and for the full closure the following weekend when the “switchover” occurs has highlighted our obsession with car travel and how much Auckland’s traffic planners struggle to embrace alternative options (but there are hopeful signs they are willing to make an effort).

We can thank Cycle Action Auckland for working with NZTA to  give cyclists as well as walkers the opportunity to cross the new Newmarket Viaduct.

Walkers will be able to access the bridge from 9am – 2pm, followed by  cyclists from 2:45pm – 3:30pm.  We will have 45 minutes to enjoy the 1.5km ride up and down the new viaduct.

In a media release from NZTA, Barbara Cuthbert from CAA says “Cyclists will love this ride in the sky, over the city, and its panoramic views. It has the added allure of being in easy cycling distance from the Newmarket train station. We are delighted the NZ Transport Agency has invited cyclists to help celebrate the project’s progress.”

The Newmarket Connection: Southbound switch is happening for 36 hours over the weekend of 4/5 September. There are major concerns about the disruption this will cause. NZTA’s advice is to switch the mode of transport or to keep it local.

A group on Facebook are calling for free public transport for the weekend to give Aucklanders the chance to “try out public transport for free to help encourage our city to get out of their cars and into more sustainable, less congestive forms of transportation”. Auckland Transport blog agrees. ARTA are preferring to encourage Aucklanders to take trains as an alternative with NZTA not convinced that free travel will ease congestion (Viaduct closure will hit bus services).  It is disappointing that ARTA, NZTA and the Auckland City Council weren’t willing to take this rare opportunity of a motorway closure to create a lasting impact on car use in Auckland.  A weekend of free travel can encourage a longer term switch to public transport.

Like  Unity Finesmith and thousands of others I plan to just carry on as normal and travel on my bicycle!

Auckland’s urban design makes us fat

“Build loose suburbs carved up by busy roads and without green spaces and you help to create a population of fat, lonely people plagued by criminals. Build dense, leafy settlements with mixed uses, protected from traffic, and you help to create safe, fit and friendly communities.”
George Monbiot

I love living in central Auckland and appreciate the beautiful nartural surroundings of the City but sadly the built environment is making us fat. Even in Zone 1 the design and lack of public transport encourages us to drive short distances and to feel unsafe cycling.

Why has so much bad urban planning been allowed to happen in Auckland? Why is our CBD cut off by motorways and many of our shopping streets welcoming only to cars?  I think the problem has been a lack of visionary leadership in Auckland, weak planning and developments driven by the desire to make a quick buck.

Barb Cuthbert, spokesperson of Cycle Action Auckland, sums up what we could be aiming for:

I see scope to make our one way street system less forbidding torrents of cars, and more alluring entry points to our city. Our city could be home to more distinctive businesses, walkable, colourful streets, connected with cycling and frequent public transport routes, lively markets, active places full of people, rather than voids full of cars.

I am hopeful that the new Auckland Council structure, with a requirement to put in place an overall spatial plan, will mean that Aucklanders who want the city to be liveable and supportive of a healthy lifestyle  will define the design of the city rather than property developers and car obsessed traffic planners.

Strong Local Boards crucial for an effective Auckland Council

Strong local boards are going to be crucial to the effective governance of the Auckland Super City. If the boards across the Auckland Region don’t work well with each other, the CCOs and the Auckland Council we are going to end up in a complete mess of parochial decision making.

The structure is intended to give the local boards and Auckland Council complimentary and non-hierarchical decision making functions. However much of the decision making will be delegated or allocated from the Council as the governing body. Through the select committee process, my community group Grey Lynn 2030, like many others, argued that the local boards should have powers and responsibilities prescribed in legislation so they could act as a counter balance to the powers of Auckland Council.

The lack of prescription could in fact end up being a good thing if the first mayor sets the framework for local boards that provides for real local decision making functions. Len Brown’s policy document on local democracy &  local boards gives a clear commitment on the extensive role he would like for the local boards.

Local boards should be involved in planning and policy related to their communities. They should develop long term community plans and annual plans, as well as contributing to regional policy-making and giving effect to regional plans. They should then develop local policy within the regional framework in areas like, for example, dog control, gambling and gaming machines, licensing of cafes, bars and liquor outlets, brothels, and the development of town centres.

Local boards should be responsible for local decisions on local roads, footpaths, pedestrian zones and bus stops, speed limits for local roads, public transport, crime prevention (where CCTV cameras should be sited, for example), community engagement, beautification schemes, building consents, local economic development, animal control, environmental protection, local parks, recreation and sports facilities, libraries and pools, community houses and advisory services, town centre promotion, galleries and museums, beaches, camping grounds, liquor licensing, and more. I also want local boards to be involved in resource management hearings for their areas. Read the full document here.

It is a big list of responsibilities, which are potentially far wider that we could have hoped for from the Super City legislation. We just have to make sure Len Brown is elected so that strong Local boards become a reality.

A voice for young people

The Auckland City Youth Council was set up in 1984 by Dame Catherine Tizard as a forum for young people following the Queen Street riots. I’m trying hard to remember back 26 years ago so that I can contribute to the history of the Youth Council that is currently being documented. I was one of the founding members who used to meet every Friday at the former Youth Resource Centre on Wellesley Street under the guidance of Ted Jones. We started off as a small group with big ideas about what we could do as a voice for young people.

It is great to see that the Youth Council has continued to grow and provide young people with an opportunity to develop leadership skills and learn more about their community. I strongly support mayoral candidate  Len Brown’s proposal to seek advice from a Regional Youth Council. The super city legislation doesn’t require the new Council to provide a forum for young people so it is vital to vote for a mayor and councillors who are committed to setting up a new Auckland Youth Council for the whole region.

Anyone with information about the Auckland City Youth Council over the last 26 years including photos and details of former members can contact Zaria Sleith, Youth Programme Assistant, Auckland City Council, ph 354 2078 Email: Zaria.Sleith@aucklandcity.govt.nz.

Online Community Management at Wordcamp

Since joining the Steering Committee of Grey Lynn 2030 18 months ago I have been impressively up-skilled.  I put in a lot of voluntary hours into Grey Lynn 2030 but have been rewarded many times over through learning and networking opportunities, contact with inspiring people and a range of new skills. In particular I have been serving my apprenticeship in online community management.  Suzanne Kendrick and Jason Kemp have been wonderful trainers in the dynamics of social media and how it can be used as an effective tool to further the aims of a community group.

Jason is the technical guru behind the Grey Lynn 2030 website (currently organising Wordcamp) and Suzanne, Grey Lynn 2030 steering committee member (“internet original”), was the driving force to get the website established and working effectively to build a large supporter base. In a short time I’ve gone from a deluded critic of Facebook, twitter and blogging to fully embrace these tools. The conversion came for me once I understood that social media isn’t just about communicating mindless information with close friends but is another means of broadcasting through which it is possible to build an online community that translates into real results. Grey Lynn 2030 is now connected to over 1200 people on Facebook and Twitter with many more linked through our website. We have these “friends” because they are interested in what we communicate, want to support us in pursuit of our vision of a sustainable community and like to know that they can join in and take action too.

I am still very much a novice and have lots to learn about the online world so I feel very privileged that I have been asked to speak at Wordcamp with Suzanne about Grey Lynn 2030’s online community management. WordCamp New Zealand is a 2 day conference focusing on and around the WordPress platform. It is a global event that was held 49 times last year everywhere from California to China. I’m looking forward to being part of this exciting event (definitely not just for IT geeks!) and sharing the online story of  Grey Lynn 2030.

Cycle Style Auckland: the video

Earlier in the year Melanie Turner from the Road Safety Team at Auckland City Council called me about funding they had available for a cycle event. Was I interested in applying for the funds?  It was the perfect opportunity to build on the idea for a “Cycle Chic Fashion Show” (I had worked on a proposal with Jasmine Cargill and Stephanie Fill last year as a fundraising idea for the NZ Youth Delegation) combined with a bigger version of a Try my Bike event that Frocks on Bikes hosted with North Shore City Council in March as part of Bikewise month.

From the initial funding provided by Auckland City Council and with additional support from North Shore Council, Frocks on Bikes and Cycle Action Auckland were able to host the inaugural Cycle Style Auckland held on 1 July 2010. A cycle-centric evening of gorgeous bicycles, fabulous fashion and an opportunity to try out a huge range of stylish bikes.

The video has really captured what an awesome evening it was and gives credit to the large number of supporters and sponsors (watch the video here). Myself and co-organiser Jenny Marshall (aka Unity Finesmith of Auckland Cycle Chic) were also really fortunate that so many talented and willing volunteers came together to make it happen. There is big demand to make Cycle Style Auckland an annual event.

Making it count – Vote Local Auckland switches on young people to democracy

Local government elections have traditionally failed to spark voter interest which has been reflected in the low voter turnout. Only 39.7% of eligible voters returned their postal ballots in the Auckland City Council elections in 2007 (down from 48.4% in 2004). It was a worse turn out in Waitakere with only 33% and 35.2% on the North Shore.  Across New Zealand there are no sitting mayors who have been elected by a majority of voters.

I’m really hoping that young people will make a big difference in the first Auckland Council elections by voting.   There is much at stake in these elections, the first for the new ‘Supercity’. Who is elected will determine whether we have a city that values people and their communities while recognising that there are limits on what ratepayers can afford, and ensures that rates are spent on items that are important to, and support, Auckland’s diverse communities.

350 Aotearoa and the ReGeneration network are co-hosting a series of workshops around New Zealand to explore ways that young people can get involved in local politics and make a real difference in these important elections.

Vote Local Auckland is happening this Saturday 17th July

9am – 3pm
PHAB Building, Auburn Street, Takapuna
$5 on the door which includes lunch
To register for this event, please contact Amanda on 021-045-7573 or email:
votelocalauckland@gmail.com
Please register by Friday 16th July

The event on Facebook here

Sheds are a great place to party

Shed 1, (ex Team NZ shed)  was the perfect place for Cycle Style Auckland last week. In organising the event, we were concerned that it might be too cold and lacking in facilities but on a clear winter’s night, crammed with 400 plus people and hundreds of bikes the shed was inviting and hot with excitement created by this unique event. It was also special to be so close to the Harbour when so often we are cut off from Auckland’s best feature. We look forward to working again with Keith William’s the event manager and hosting another event at the Sheds.

So as a big fan of organising events in Sheds I am really relieved to hear that Shed 10 on Queens Wharf is going to be saved (Joel Cayford writes a good blog about the events leading up to the ARC decision). Well done Mike Lee for recognising the historical value of the sheds before it was too late.