Christchurch City Council and Environment Canterbury look to be heading for another showdown over the regional transport strategy. The city council’s taking the blowtorch to a range of key transport infrastructure projects identified as part of the regional transport plan agreed to with the regional council to try to cut rates rises.The council’s proposal includes more than halving funding for public transport and slashing by almost half allocations for walking and cycling facilities, and for new and upgraded local road infrastructure. In total 67 projects scheduled for completion over the next three years have been cancelled or deferred.

Bus exchange deferred. Specifically the council wants to cut its $368.746m 2009-12 funding for regional transport 30%, or $111.67m, to $257.076m. This includes a 53% drop in public transport funding from $129.265m to $61.217m, a 45% reduction in roading funding from $84.135m to $46.129m, and cutting walking and cycling programmes by 40%, from $17.178m to $10.283m. The biggest victim of the cost cutting exercise is the $100m bus interchange which is now unlikely to be completed before 2013/14, not 2012, despite the existing facility being at full capacity.

Commitment to sustainability questioned. Environment Canterbury deputy chairwoman, Jo Kane, is angry at the city council’s actions saying it is sidestepping its regional transport responsibilities and in particular its commitment to boosting the use of sustainable transport options. “It sends the wrong message, that cars are more important than sustainable methods of transport.”

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