Taranaki Automobile Association Council’s Submission to the South

District Council’s 2012-2022 Long Term Plan

As an organisation the Automobile Association is concerned with peoples’ access to mobility and AA policy states that:

- Restricting peoples’ ability to travel freely could have serious social and economic consequences

- Improved public transport services are an essential component in the planning of roading systems

- Private transport cannot be considered in isolation,but must be developed in conjunction with an efficient public transport service The Taranaki AA Council believe the current public transport services offered in South Taranaki are inadequate and that the introduction of a daily to New Plymouth service and daily Southlink services are vital, if the needs of the transport disadvantaged in South Taranaki are to be met.

The average NZ Deprivation score for South Taranaki was 6.7 in 2006 compared to 5.2 for the rest of the Taranaki region. A higher proportion of people in South Taranaki (27%) were living in communities with a deprivation index of 9 or 10 compared with the rest of Taranaki (10%). The most deprived areas (NZ score 10 and 9) in South Taranaki include , Waitotara, Patea, Waverley, Opunake and Manaia. Accessability is a very serious problem for many low socio-economic groups in these communities.

An example of the impact this has on people’s mobility ( a prime area of concern for us as the AA) is the fact that in 2006, 21% of the population of Patea had no access to a motor vehicle.

The problem has been well documented for some time with the 2006/07 National Land Transport Plan identifying access and mobility as a growing issue for the smaller isolated rural communities in Taranaki and the problem is likely to have worsened since then given the economic conditions in recent years.

Discussions with social services reveal a huge need for improved access to health and vocational services based in Hawera as many of their clients are isolated in the smaller communities of South Taranaki.

Actual examples of case studies which illustrate the problem include:

- a Patea school leaver with an intellectual diability who is unable to access the Lifeskills programme in Hawera

- a high functioning young man from Hawera on the Autism Spectrum who is unable to access WITT as he needs to live with family

- a transitioning high school leaver from Hawera with Asperger Syndrome unable to access an automotive course. Transport is provided by the course providers for students from New Plymouth

- a solo father of three from Manaia unable to look for work outside the township – a WINZ requirement

- Lifeskills Hawera clients only able to attend a Lifeskills New Plymouth programme, based in Spotswood, on a limited basis due to a limited number of van seats Social workers report many cases of families whose budgets are severely compromised by their attempts to run a motor vehicle to overcome the restrictions imposed by their isolation.

Inquiries within the community as to how people currently cope without public transport reveal a range of informal strategies such as asking friends for rides, hitch hiking, using a trust van from Manaia , a bus to Hawera High School from Patea fully funded by parents and the use of “Stand By” in Patea.

Conclusion

A daily Patea to New Plymouth service and daily Southlink services are seen by the Taranaki AA Council as being of the highest priority in meeting the needs of the transport disadvantaged in South Taranaki. This would be a major step in achieving the South Taranaki District Council’s stated aims of developing a “Together South Taranaki “as outlined in the council’s own community and social development goals.

The Council would welcome the opportunity to present and speak to this submission.

Signed for and on behalf of the Taranaki AA Council