The ACT Greens have lashed out at the Government’s efforts to boost the numbers of Canberrans walking, cycling or taking the bus to work, saying its target is outdated and will achieve only minor cuts to transport emissions.
The Greens’ criticism comes as the Government prepares to release a major new draft policy on sustainable transport today.
Emissions from cars, buses and other vehicles accounts for about 23 per cent of the ACT’s greenhouse gases.
Greens transport spokeswoman Amanda Bresnan said the Government’s sustainable transport target, which seeks to have 30 per cent of Canberrans using sustainable transport to get to work by 2026, would only cut transport emissions by 14 per cent.
Ms Bresnan said that was not high enough to achieve the Government’s overall target of a 40 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, which was set last year.
Ms Bresnan said the 30 per cent sustainable transport target was outdated and exactly the same as that set seven years ago in the Government’s 2004 sustainable transport action plan.
”There doesn’t seem to be an impetus for that real drive to make this happen in the ACT, and that’s the real concern for us with this target,” Ms Bresnan said.
But Environment and Sustainable Development Minister Simon Corbell defended the sustainable transport target, and pointed to $1billion of investment made in the transport system over the past 10 years, and another $120 million in 2011-12.
”These targets represent a substantial shift in the way we travel in Canberra, and will require sustainable investments and policy commitments to be achieved,” Mr Corbell said. The Government was committed to improving public transport patronage.
The Government will release the draft Transport for Canberra policy today, and is still finalising the Weathering the Change Action Plan 2.
The Greens have also accused the Government of trying to hide the 30 per cent sustainable transport target inside the announcement of its sustainable energy policy in late September.
