Mayor calls on Waipā to direct transport change

A call for change and a powerful shift in the way residents use public and private transport is being supported by Waipā Mayor Jim Mylchreest and other councillors, as shown at a recent workshop on the forward-thinking draft Transport Strategy.

“Waipā is booming right now. Traffic congestion is a symptom of our growing-pains, and the draft Transport Strategy which is currently out for consultation, proposes bold solutions to provide and plan for population growth.”

“We need people to be progressive as we embark on a journey to create a more connected district, this strategy sets out a proposal for the way we can approach that,” said Mylchreest.

Deputy Mayor Liz Stolwyk echoed Mylchreest’s comments in Wednesday’s draft Transport Strategy public workshop, calling for the community to share their views on what changes they want to see over the next 30 years.

“We have national commitments to reduce carbon emissions, how is Waipā going to support that? I encourage people to think innovatively. What does the future hold for driverless cars and how will that impact on our towns,” said Stolwyk.

The draft Transport Strategy proposes reducing carbon emissions and reliance on private vehicles, offering more transport options for non-drivers and increasing opportunities for cycling and walking, all of which align with national transport objectives. Central government is setting a strong policy framework for reducing emissions and addressing climate change impacts.

Transport policy and community placemaking expert Robert Brodnax, also spoke at the workshop. He confirmed the baseline data underpinning the strategy was best practice and used by Statistics NZ to make similar projections. Across the Waikato region, Councils and Waka Kotahi use the same data set to model travel patterns for their future planning. The draft Transport Strategy includes actions to address Waipā transport challenges including investigating critical roading networks used for cars, buses and freight to help manage capacity and safety into the future.

Mylchreest said it was important to note that projections in the strategy would be continuously updated as new data became available, and used in future network assessments

One example of this is the recent introduction of Bluetooth sensors which anonymously track vehicle movements around Cambridge to assess traffic patterns which will feed into the investigation.

Mylchreest added that the strategy contains big-picture thinking for the whole district and is not designed to be a detailed action plan for specific towns, streets or bridges.

“I want the community to know we are ready and waiting for their feedback. As with any consultation process, we don’t have a fixed view until the people of our district have spoken. I urge residents to make their mark on this important thirty-year strategic vision by telling us what they want to see.”

Feedback on the draft transport strategy closes at 5pm, Tuesday 22 March 2022, with residents encouraged to have their say at www.waipadc.govt.nz/haveyoursay. Feedback can be made via an online survey, hard copy form, via email, post or in person at a Council office