Making a submission on the Mt Vic flyover takes 15 seconds. The deadline's tomorrow

I just made a submission to the Wellington City Council (my first!) about the proposed massive roading and construction projects that are planned around Mt Victoria, through the tunnel and at the start of Haitaitai. If you're interested or concerned about this issue (and pressed for time), I'd encourage you to submit using the Green Party submission form, which takes about 15 seconds to complete (and then tell people about it).

You can also customise it or make your own independent submission. Here's mine:




I am opposed to the two proposed alterations to the Cobham Drive to Buckle Street transport network.


The basis for my opposition is my assessment that the pattern of private transport usage will not continue to increase (as it has in previous decades). Several international authorities have reported that the price of oil will soon rise, due to the demand for it exceeding the capacity to provide it:

* The International Energy Agency's 2010 World Energy Outlook [1] noted that conventional crude oil production peaked in 2006.


* A report from the US military's Joint Forces Command [2], warned that surplus oil production capacity could disappear by 2012 and there could be serious shortages by 2015 (with significant economic impacts).


As these reports project an operating environment of increasing petrol costs, I conclude that the demand for widened roads will decrease over the next 10 years.


I would prefer this roading and infrastructure funding to be invested in increasing the availability of sustainable public transport (to match an increasing demand).

 
Footnotes:
[1] 2010 World Energy Outlook Executive Summary:  http://www.worldenergyoutlook.org/docs/weo2010/WEO2010_ES_English.pdf
[2] Joint Operating Environment 2010 Report:
http://www.peakoil.net/files/JOE2010.pdf