The Effects of Transport in Auckland

The Effects of Transportation In Auckland This essay will argue that the citizens in Auckland are currently forced to work, play and live in conditions that are detrimental to their health. Years of neglect, under-investment and under-development in Auckland’s transportation systems has led to a situation where people can not rely on readily available and reliable public transport to go about their daily lives.Commuters wanting to get to work on time, parents’ wishing to get their children to school for morning resister[1] and even young adults wishing to avoid entering the movie theatre just in time to see the Titanic sinking, are forced to take to their cars in order to get to their destination on time. The lack of adequate public transport in Auckland had driven people to their cars.

Currently there are 620,000 vehicles in the Auckland region and 459,000 of them carry people to and from work each day (No relief from air pollution until serious car reduction, 2000). This has had the effect of increasing vehicle pollution to an astonishing level.Carbon monoxide levels in Auckland are higher than they are in London and living in a city like Auckland cuts about a year off the average life expectancy[2]. With this is mind, this paper will argue that Auckland needs to, in the words of Associate Transport Minister Judith Tizard, ‘Choke the Smoke’[3]. In order for people to ‘Choke the Smoke’ and therefore switch their mentality from using their cars to becoming public transport users, Auckland needs to invest heavily in transforming its public transport infrastructure to one that is deserving of the capital city of one of the worlds top 30 richest countries[4].If this change does not occur, the health of its population will continue to suffer.

Health Effects There is a high correlation between vehicle emissions and adverse health effects. Judith Tizard states that transport pollution in New Zealand (NZ) has been a threat to public health since the 1960’s causing as many as 500 premature deaths per year; 250 of these deaths in the Auckland Region (Kiwis encouraged to ‘Choke the Smoke’, 2006). The Auckland Regional Council has indicated in recently published research that an increasing number of people re admitted to hospital each year because of health related problems stemming from air pollution (Health effects of air pollution, 2006). The pollutants found in vehicle emissions[5] can cause a range of health problems from: Respiratory symptoms (coughing, wheezing, reduced lung function), bronchitis, high blood pressure, and asthma’ to ‘chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, heart attacks, arteriosclerosis, strokes and premature death (Health effects of air pollution, 2006). Those with pre-existing asthma and heart disease, pregnant women, elderly and also young children are the sections of society most significantly at risk.

Auckland Regional Public Health Service clinical director Julia Peters told the New Zealand Herald in April 2009 that ‘research showed that children aged 18 months and younger were especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution because their lungs are still developing’ (Fisher & Shepheard, 2009, p. 10). Children also spend a lot of time outside, particularly in the summer when transport pollution is at its highest. Evidence indicates that they inhale 50% more air (by weight) than adults (Health effects of air pollution, 2006).The New Zealand Herald has published a number of articles in recent years about air pollution and its effects on the citizens of Auckland.

One such article, entitled ‘Child Pollution Fright’ by David Fisher and Nicola Shepeard was intended to provoke alarm concerning pollution among its readership. The article talks about newly created ‘buffer zones’ for childcare centres in Auckland. The zones were created by the Auckland Regional Public Health Service and regard the distances between childcare centres and areas susceptible to large amounts of transport pollution (buffer zones).Under these new zones, new childcare centres can not be built within ‘300m of an industrial zone, 150m of a motorway or truck route, 100m of a petrol station and 60m of a main district road’.

The article also states that ‘Existing centres may come under pressure to move if they fall within the zones’ (Fisher & Shepheard, 2009, p. 10). Legislations, Political structures and Treaty of Waitangi Under the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) the Auckland Regional Council is responsible for maintaining the air quality of its region and keeping it at a safe and healthy standard (Motor vehicle exhaust emissions testing, 1997).Evidence shows that Auckland is breaching the National Environmental air quality standards set by the Ministry for the Environment.

The Auckland regional council is highly aware of the problem in air quality due to transport and has decided that PM10 particles from vehicle emissions alone need to be reduced by 58% by 2013 to meet the National Environmental Standards for air quality (Air quality standards and targets, 2006). The Auckland Regional Council is also required to prepare a Regional Land Transport Strategy (RLTS) under the Land Transport Act 1993, section 29F.In this strategy the council must ‘indentify the future land transport needs of the region and then determine the most desirable means of responding to such needs in a safe, cost effective and environmentally safe manner’ (Motor vehicle exhaust emissions testing, 1997). The Auckland Regional council constructed their last RLTS in 2005. The Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry for Environment are all responsible for informing and advising the minister in their particular areas of focus. These government structures all contribute to the conservation of NZ.

In relation to the treaty of Waitangi, NZ transport pollution issues cause a breach in the word of the treaty. In mutual agreement the Maori and the English agreed to protect their land (Maori Hui, Consultation Meeting Reports, May 2002). Debate is underway attempting to address the political involvement in this issue. For example, the allocation of funds has been keenly debated. How much money is being spent on upgrading Auckland’s roads and motorways compared with the amount being spent on public transport? Dr.

Russel Norman of the Green Party questioned the Ministry of Transport in a parliament conference in March 2009.He asked, Does the Minister agree with former Minister of Transport the Hon Maurice Williamson, who said “. . .

it’s also important to realise that throwing dollars at the problem of roads is not the answer. Experience in the United Kingdom, the United States and … Auckland shows us this. Building more and more roads in congested areas on many occasions results in more congestion more traffic jams, more time and money wasted and more pollution. ” If he does not agree with Mr Williamson, where is the evidence he has to show that Mr Williamson was wrong? [6]This statement implies that building new roads and motorways in Auckland is only going to increase pollution and traffic, creating an increasing amount of inconvenience.

However, the majority of the public seem to enjoy the freedom of their vehicles but there is very little evidence to show that they have been educated on the effects that their vehicles are having on the environment and health of NZ. In 2005 it was stated in the New Zealand Herald that the government spent $420 million encouraging the public to use other forms of transport however public transport use was expected only to increase by 0. % over the year (Big rise forecast in Auckland car pollution, 2005). This proves that even by spending money on other forms of transport, if the public are not educated on the issue things are not going to change. However, little is being done to improve and introduce new forms of public transport compared with the amount of time and money being spent to improve and create new roads and highways. This is incredibly damaging to Auckland’s air quality.

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