[!ai]
Envisions a city where active or public transport is the first choice, requiring comprehensive public transport, safe cycling/walking spaces, and sensible urban design. His priorities include reinstituting Mosgiel and Port Chalmers passenger rail routes to reduce private vehicle streams, emphasizing ORC-DCC collaboration for a shared vision, while supporting George Street-style developments that reclaim spaces from cars for green spaces.
Kia ora Devonia
Thanks for the chance to take part in this.
Let’s aim for a city where people’s first choice for getting around is active or public transport. That means much more comprehensive public transport services, safe spaces for walking and cycling, and sensible urban design so amenities can be reached easily from where people live or those transport routes will take them.
DCC and ORC will have to work together on this as they have different responsibilities, so a shared vision is an essential starting point. It is currently a difficult environment for local government, with central government pushing against safety improvements (think lower urban speed limits) and declining to fund expanded urban bus services. Those government policies may change in the future (the sooner the better!) so let’s be in a place to act in Dunedin when there is a more supportive central government.
ORC’s specific role is around providing better public transport, and that includes rail. The biggest streams of private vehicles come into the city from the south, so reinstituting the Mosgiel passenger train route is a priority. Port Chalmers after that. The more freight that is carried by rail also reduces the number of trucks on the roads.
A lot of the infrastructure is the responsibility of the DCC, not the ORC. But the two councils need to work together to plan for improvements and to make sure the different parts of the system match up. So priority #1 is a shared vision.
I hope the DCC will prioritise much better connected cycleways in the city, and completing the cycle route to Mosgiel.
Reducing the number of cars on the roads will make life better for everybody - safer and more pleasant for walkers and cyclists; easier to get around for those who still need to use their cars.
The George St development showed what huge improvements can be made by reducing vehicle through traffic. There is plenty of scope for people to reclaim more spaces from cars and creating more green spaces in the city. These changes must go hand in hand with better public transport and safer cycle networks, so people can get around without needing to get in a car.
Kā mihi nui
Alan Somerville