Hot on the heals of their work on Auckland transport issues, there’s more exciting work coming out of Generation Zero:
Youth organisation Generation Zero has launched a “fresh, forward-looking” vision for Wellington’s transport future, linking in with local government elections and debate on the Public Transport Spine Study.
Called “Fast Forward Wellington”, the vision centres on an affordable light rail network, a comprehensive separated cycleway network, a region-wide car sharing scheme. The plan was developed in collaboration with independent transport experts.
Generation Zero spokesperson Paul Young said, “Fast Forward Wellington is a holistic plan to cut congestion, carbon pollution and cost.
Car travel per capita in Wellington has fallen nearly 10 per cent since 2005 and young people in particular want good choices about how they move.
The current motorway-centric transport plan is outdated and expensive. We’re deeply concerned it will be bad news for our economy, the climate and the special character of Wellington which makes it a place young talent wants to live.
We’re putting this vision out there for a better and cheaper way of moving beyond the traffic jam.
Generation Zero has been interviewing local council candidates over the last two weeks to see where they stand on Fast Forward Wellington, and immediate steps to investigate light rail from the Railway Station to Kilbirnie via Constable Street, increase cycleway funding and look into a region-wide car sharing scheme using electric vehicles.
The results will be released next Wednesday as scorecards and promoted through Generation Zero’s website.
The group will also be encouraging people to make submissions on the Public Transport Spine Study Consultation by launching a submission guide and quick-submit form early next week.
Paul Young has written in more detail about the project over at Generation Zero’s blog. You can also follow the project on Facebook. We’ll take a look at their scorecards and keep up with this project in the coming weeks.
It’s great seeing young people tackling problems and providing ideas and solutions, challenging the usual suspects and status quo.
WCC Watch 