Transport emissions make up a large proportion of New Zealand's carbon emissions and are a clear target for change. This means reducing reliance on private cars, especially those that use fossil fuels, and shifting to sustainable modes including public transport, cycling and walking.
Partly to address this, New Zealand’s public/affordable housing and urban development agency Kāinga Ora is building more medium and high density public housing developments, aiming to improve well-being through supporting walkability and active transport. This also means fewer carparks. However, these new developments are seeing increased parking disputes and frontline staff report public housing tenants need cars for shift work, children’s sport and transporting large families. Existing research shows low-income groups use cars less and more efficiently than the general population, and often suffer ‘forced car ownership’. Among other reasons, this is due to public transport service focusing on peak hour commuting to the CBD rather than journeys to other places at other times. Until this is rectified, public housing tenants are likely to need cars more than the general population.
This talk briefly presents findings from a tenant survey and interviews on transport experience and attitudes. It then covers challenges and first steps towards supporting well-being and rangatiratanga alongside emissions reduction, with reflection on how research and evaluation can support or lead to change in policy and practice.
