Timaru District Council is the first of 46 councils, from across Aotearoa, to deliver a project from the Government’s Transport Choices programme.
A new MyWay* parklet is opening on Stafford Street, Timaru today.
The nationwide $350m Transport Choices programme is giving communities a wider range of sustainable transport options, designed to help cut the country’s carbon emissions.
The MyWay on Stafford Street parklet introduces new, relocatable seating and stopping bays for MyWay vans. MyWay is an on-demand transport service, and an alternative to the city’s previous scheduled, timetabled bus service.
The dedicated stopping bay means that MyWay by Metro vehicles can now access Stafford Street, on Timaru’s busy shopping precinct. Previously, customers were picked up and dropped off from nearby side streets.
The first new parklet is located outside Farmers. It will provide a more attractive amenity for MyWay riders to sit and wait comfortably for their ride to arrive.
Timaru Mayor Nigel Bowen takes a seat in the new Stafford St MyWay parklet today.
Timaru does it MyWay.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Manager Urban Mobility Kathryn King says MyWay is a new and fresh way of helping people get to their destinations more safely and efficiently.
“Giving people better, more affordable transport choices helps make our towns and cities more people-friendly places to live, work and visit.”
Kathryn King says Waka Kotahi has allocated close to $270,000 to the Timaru District Council for the project.
“This new parklet will be a convenient and safe space to hop on and off Timaru’s on-demand transport service, providing better connections for the community into the heart of the city. It also shows that things don’t always have to be large-scale to have a big impact in our day-to-day lives.
“This is the first of over 90 Transport Choices projects that Waka Kotahi will be working on with 46 councils over the next 18 months. It’s all about helping people make more sustainable transport choices, cut carbon emissions, and help address climate change,” she says.
Waka Kotahi is eager to continue work with local councils to make small, quick, and visible changes to community streets and public transport systems.
“We want to work together with councils to build a transport system that's sustainable for the next generation. The opening of this parklet represents Timaru District Council’s commitment to expanding the community’s transport infrastructure and contribute to lowering New Zealand’s emissions.”
Timaru District Council Mayor, Nigel Bowen, says he is excited to see the new parklet ready to be used and funding provided to help develop stronger transport options for his city.
“This funding means we can do things we might not have been able to do before. We can provide more environmentally friendly transport choices for our people and make things more accessible for people who find it trickier to get around in traditional ways. We’re excited to trial this new parklet and get cracking into the other projects that are being funded through Transport Choices,” he says.
The parklet will be trialled for four months, March to June, to gather feedback from users, residents, and businesses. After that, the permanent location will be decided.
The Transport Choices programme is part of the Government’s Climate Emergency Response Fund, with funding allocated to target four key areas:
• progressing strategic bike networks
• creating walkable neighbourhoods
• creating safe, green, and healthy school travel
• making public transport more reliable and easier to use.
Councils were asked to express their interest to participate in the Transport Choices package in August 2022. The expressions of interest were then assessed by an expert advisory group within Waka Kotahi and recommendations were put forward to Ministers for approval in October 2022. Waka Kotahi is now working with the councils in a two-stage process. The first stage is to further refine and scope their project proposals, and then construction will begin in the second stage.
A full list of councils, proposed projects and their descriptions can be found on the Waka Kotahi website:
The CERF programme includes transport initiatives that will enable people across New Zealand to help contribute to Aotearoa New Zealand’s climate response – it will provide increased transport options, improved health, social and equitable outcomes, and deliver a healthier future for us all.
The transport sector has a significant role to play in delivering the Emissions Reduction Plan that calls for a 41 percent reduction in emissions from the transport sector by 2035 (from 2019 levels).
Budget 2022 also provided $1.2 billion to Waka Kotahi to reduce emissions through the Climate Emergency Response Fund.
The three areas of focus for transport in the Emissions Reduction Plan are:
