Car and truck drivers produce roughly 13m tonnes of emissions on the roads each year, about one-sixth of the country’s total footprint. Buses, trains and ferries are a more efficient way of getting from A to B. Particularly if powered by electricity, public transport produces far fewer emissions than the equivalent journey by petrol or diesel car.
As a bonus, public transport creates less traffic and air pollution.
The Climate Change Commission has encouraged the Government to invest in making buses, trains and ferries more reliable and accessible, to encourage people to leave their cars at home.
The Government allocated money to make public transport cheaper for young people and Community Services Card-holders.
The Government also intends to change a law before the election so that councils have the option to run bus, train and ferry services themselves. The current law required councils to put these out to private companies in a competitive process.
