National Party environmental policy 2006
Cycling has relevance to a number of environmental issues:
- Climate change: no emissions in use; fewer emissions than cars in their production.
- Clean air: no emissions.
- Noise: no noise.
- Traffic congestion: more cyclces on the road mean fewer cars on the road, and therefore less congestion.
- Urban planning: Planning for cycleways makes it easier to reduce car use.
- Waste dispoal: bikes are less costly to dispose of, in both physical space, and in their recycling.
- Recreation: recreational cyclists seek access to "the great outdoors".
Below are excerpts from National Party policy most relevant to cycling issues. Their proposals are much wider than what is presented here.
Climate change
There is no mention of cycling or public transport, but they will address motor-vehicle issues:
- "Blend biodiesel into fuel;
- establish incentives for more fuel-efficient vehicles;"
Clean Air
They do not see cycling or public transport as contributors to clean air.
They propose:
- More sophisticated emissions testing equipment, and associated
standards."
"the national environmental standard for air quality should
be supported ...
Urban growth
They propose developers should meet the full costs of their new developments, and that metropolitan urban limits be removed. Building cycleways within and to subdivisions could be seen as part of the full cost, though they do not mention it.
Urban growth: Managing traffic impacts
This is the only place in their environmental policy, that National mentions cycles and recognises the benefits of reducing the "demand for motorised transport".
"Good urban planning can help to reduce demand for motorised transport, by improving the environment for walking and cycling, by encouraging practices like ‘walking school buses’ and by encouraging nodes of medium density living where living, working and shopping opportunities are close together.
"Beyond that, the issue is how best to align transport infrastructure with the growth in demand for mobility. The solution in part is to invest in both roading and public transport.
"In part, it is also to put the right incentives in place in future to ensure that the transport choices which people and businesses make are priced to realistically reflect their true costs."
They propose:
- "A balanced approach to resolving traffic congestion is required that includes new roading infrastructure and investment in improving public transport systems."
Noise
National propose regulations to control noisy vehicles.
Investment in the future
National propose significant government investment for the future, but there is no explicit intention towards cycling or public transport.
A Sustainability Investment Fund (SIF): $1 billion over the next decade
"The Fund would be used primarily to help achieve national environmental objectives in the fields of restoring rivers, lakes and streams, curbing soil erosion, advancing nature conservation and achieving healthy air."
Links to the National Party's policy
Their website for the policy is http://www.bluegreens.org.nz
The Bluegreens are the National Party’s advisory group on environmental issues.
You can download the full discussion document in PDF format (880KB).
