Politicians will have the chance to push their transport policies at the Road Transport Forum’s Election 2017 Transport Summit in two week’s time.
The summit, which is to be held in the Amokura Gallery at Te Papa on Tuesday 22 August, will look at the appropriate role of government in transport.
“With big-spending promises on road and rail infrastructure having been one of the major talking points of the 2017 election campaign so far, there is no better time to examine the role of government in transport policy,” says Road Transport Forum chief executive Ken Shirley.
“All major parties have promised billions of dollars’ worth of road and rail projects, predominantly in Auckland, which shows a commendable cross-party commitment to addressing the city’s infrastructure deficit.
“However, election campaigns are notorious for delivering bad ill-thought-out policy designed more for effect at the ballot box than practical application,” says Shirley.
The summit is a great chance to test each party’s policies and put them under the expert scrutiny of the broader transport sector, Shirley says.
Annabel Young, executive director of the New Zealand Shipping Federation, says multi-modal transport relies on road, rail, air and maritime working together.
“We are an island nation and issues relating to ports and availability of ships and air links are critical to keeping us working and fed,” she says.
Three one-hour sessions will examine the interrelated issues of resilience and vulnerability, technology and innovation, and sustainability in our transport system.
Delegates will then get the chance to discuss and analyse what they have heard from the politicians in a final session to wrap up the day.
Tickets for the Election 2017 Transport Summit are $115 and available attransportsummit.org.nz.
