A transport crisis of major proportions remains the Auckland City's horizon and road travel speeds during peak hours are continuing to fall below that of horse-drawn carriages. Perhaps Auckland could learn from Wellington's innovative attitude of plans to ban the use private vehicles within the cities CBD and promoting walking and cycling as complementary modes of transportation to get around.
Within the next 10-20 years, Wellington aims to inhibit CBD access for private vehicles and develop a public transport route that features electric buses, or even light rail systems. This aims to not only establish a more pedestrian friendly city that encompasses pedestrian friendly entertainment and shopping corridors, but is also likely to encourage the use of alternative means of accessing the CBD, thus discouraging private vehicle use.
While, it is true that not everyone can use bicycles, the problem is that growing levels of auto mobility in Auckland City have provided more for private vehicle than walking and cycling. Auckland’s CBD must be designed in a manner that de-markets travel via private vehicle, while actively promoting alternative transportation modes. Comfort and specialised environments are factors that can encourage more walking and bicycles use within Auckland’s CBD, and the exclusion of private motor vehicles in an effective means of achieving this. When Auckland’s growing population is taken into consideration, it is clear that more roads and catering for more vehicles is simply not a logical option.
 |
| Inner Auckland City Traffic - Kamal, A. (2008) Traffic on Queen Street to Move at Snails Pace, http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0802/S00169.htm, (Accessed: 28/04/2011). |
This idea is also prominent in several parts of Hong Kong such as Discovery Bay, where streets are laced with pedestrian bridges, a vast array of public transport and cobblestone roads. However, this policy of vehicle exclusion does not include buses, taxis, and delivery vehicles, as well as bicycles and motorcycles. Internal travel encompasses the use of the 24 hour shuttle bus services and even private golf carts, which are restricted to 500 vehicles within the city. Commuters travel to destinations outside the city via ferry or external bus services which connect transit systems in areas throughout Hong Kong.
 |
| Discovery Bay, Hong Kong - China Hong Kong Travel Guide. (2010) Discovery Bay HK, http://www.china-hongkong-travelguide.com/discovery-bay.html, (Accessed 28/04/2011). |
No comments:
Post a Comment