EQUITY IN AUCKLAND’S TRANSPORT SYSTEM SUMMARY REPORT Ministry of Transport Final Report: November 2020 BETTER TRANSPORT • BETTER PLACES • BETTER CHOICES Contents Document prepared by: Executive Summary 1 MRCagney (NZ) Introduction 4 Level 4 12 O’Connell Street Literature Review 5 Auckland 1010 New Zealand Case Studies Summary 27 Tel: +64 9 377 5590 Fax: +64 9 377 5591 Policy Recommendations 29 Email: [email protected] Website: www.mrcagney.com Appendix One - References 43 Appendix Two - Tables 48 Document control Report title Transport Equity in New Zealand Appendix Three - Case Studies 52 Job number NZ3060 File path O:\NZ_Root\5. National Clients\Ministry of Transport\NZ3060 Transport Equity in Auckland\2. Issued Appendix Four - Maps 60 Client Ministry of Transport Rev Date Revision details Author Approver Issue 1 19/06/2020 First Draft BB DG PM Issue 2 17/07/2020 Final Report BB FT PM Issue 3 27/11/2020 Final Report Version 2 BB FT PM Equity in Auckland’s transport system Summary Report BETTER TRANSPORT • BETTER PLACES • BETTER CHOICES EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report investigates equity in Auckland’s transport night, they are more reluctant to use public transport or to system. Equity is an important consideration because walk. At all times they choose routes more selectively than access to transport affects peoples’ lives in positive and men, based on how confident and safe they feel. negative ways. Understanding those impacts is important There is little local evidence on the transport needs and if transport policy and investment are to contribute to an experiences of the LGBTQI+ community. Transgender and overall improvement in wellbeing. non-binary people are more likely than other groups to Inequity in transport arises as a consequence of two report harassment and to feel vulnerable when walking main factors. First, a lack of transport choices means that and using public transport. However, avoiding those modes people have limited options to participate in everyday introduces costs, and this group is also more likely to have activities, known as ‘transport disadvantage’. Second, a lower income than other groups. Therefore, they are some people overcome a lack of choices by paying more prone to transport poverty. than they can afford for mobility, typically by buying Disabled people are also more likely than others to and operating a car. People who pay more than they experience transport poverty due to lower incomes on can reasonably afford for travel are defined as having average than other groups. Further, disabled people have ‘transport poverty’. specific needs for accessibility of transport, which reduces Both transport disadvantage and transport poverty are their choices. apparent all around the world. Some groups of people Older people have markedly different transport patterns are known to find it more difficult than others to access than other groups. They are most likely to travel for transport safely. Groups investigated for this report social and recreation reasons. The impacts of transport include Māori; low-income groups; women; the LGBTQI+ disadvantage and transport poverty are acute for older community; disabled people; older people; and ethnic people because they are vulnerable to social isolation, minority groups. given that many of them do not otherwise spend much International evidence suggests that while there is wide time in the company of other people. variation in peoples’ transport behaviour and experiences, There is a gap in understanding the needs and challenges there are disadvantaged people within each group. faced by ethnic minority groups in Auckland. There are Māori experience transport inequity because they have many diverse communities, with some having low incomes lower incomes on average than other Aucklanders and are and difficulty communicating in English, while others more likely to have a disability at younger ages than other have high incomes and do not necessarily lack transport ethnicities. Many Māori live and work in areas that are not choices. well served by public transport. However as a whole, Māori All of the evidence internationally about different groups is are underrepresented in Household Travel Survey data and replicated in Auckland, however, low-income populations there is a need for more specific information about what are the most uniformly disadvantaged of all of the groups their transport needs are. studied. People in other groups with a high income Women who work part-time, have caring responsibilities, have more capacity to overcome transport challenges, and have a larger role in managing households have whereas people on low incomes in Auckland face distinct complex trip patterns compared with people who disadvantages. They are more likely to live in places less work fulltime and travel in peak hours. Women are also well-served by high quality public transport, and they are more likely to consider personal security and the risk of more likely to work part-time or shifts that do not align harassment or attack when making their travel choices. At well with public transport timetables. Equity in Auckland’s transport system Page 1 Summary Report EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Low-income families in Auckland are more likely than accessible by public transport. The quality of walking and others to live in crowded households, placing a wider cycling infrastructure may not be equal around the city, variety of transport demands on families. All of those and many of the places people need to get to are not factors combine to reveal a high incidence of transport local regardless. Transport inequity affects many different poverty in Auckland. groups. Transport poverty is apparent for many people on While people on high incomes can overcome challenges low incomes, and it is exacerbated for low-income people related to transport choices, inequities remain for many who also identify as LGBTQI+, and/or who have a disability. groups. People in Auckland who have disabilities and would like to walk and use public transport often cannot do so easily, because transport infrastructure and services Responses are inaccessible to them. Women and LGBTQI+ people There is a range of policy responses that could reduce who would like to walk and use public transport are often transport poverty and transport disadvantage in Auckland. discouraged from doing so due to fear of harassment or While some recommendations are for the Ministry of attack. Although people on higher incomes can choose Transport, some involve organisations such as Waka Kotahi modes that feel more accessible or safer to them, the New Zealand Transport Agency (Waka Kotahi), Auckland inequity remains because their choices are restricted. Transport, and others outside of the transport sector. The prevalence of transport poverty and transport Some recommendations are not aimed at a specific disadvantage in Auckland was confirmed through four agency but are intended to be considered by government case studies involving interviews with staff of key non- in terms of which agency is best-placed to action them. government organisations. All interviews revealed that The recommendations are grouped into two sections. many people seeking advice or social support in Auckland Firstly, four recommendations are provided relating find it difficult and expensive to get around the city. to overarching issues and how the transport sector in They have challenges locally, for example if affordable Auckland considers and responds to inequity in transport. groceries and other shopping are not close to where they These recommendations are: live. Getting across Auckland for work or other reasons is particularly difficult. Many low-income people in Auckland 1. The Ministry of Transport to make equity a more central consider it essential to own a car, because they have no consideration in transport policy, with a greater number other way to do what they need to get done in their lives. of measurable outcome indicators, so that links can be Work and other activities are not close enough to walk made to desired outcomes for those people who suffer to; the cycling networks are not safe enough; and public transport inequity most acutely. transport is neither frequent nor direct for people who do 2. The Ministry of Transport to work with other ministries, not work in the central city and live close to train lines or particularly the Ministries of Social Development and rapid bus routes. Health, to create shared policy and accountability for Evidence from literature and case studies confirms that transport equity and its links with wellbeing. there is inequity in Auckland’s transport system. People 3. That equity is made an explicit component of other who travel to work in peak hours and whose home and transport strategy documents delivered by the Ministry workplace are well served by public transport have the of Transport and other sector partners. most choices. There are many people and families whose 4. The Ministries of Transport and Social Development to situations do not fit that model. They need to travel investigate financial services and support for people to outside of peak times when high-frequency services are access for their transport costs, to act as a safety net running, and the need to get to places that are not easily for people with no other choices. Equity in Auckland’s transport system Page 2 Summary Report EXECUTIVE SUMMARY These issues are central to real change in equity in To improve transport choices: To improve accessibility of transport infrastructure and services: Auckland’s transport system. Without high-level strategy 10. Investigate community transport nationally, including in that includes measurement and engagement with social Auckland. 19. Develop guidelines for infrastructure accessibility audits. service organisations, there will be no way of knowing The intervention considered to have the greatest potential whether other investment is having any impact on 11. Investigate the provision of support for access to low- to deliver ongoing change from inside the transport sector reducing inequity.