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Councils will have to provide better parking management and public transport options when on-site parking requirements for developers are abolished next year, Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says.
Ms Genter, who spoke at a public discussion in Queenstown on Tuesday night about the change, told the Otago Daily Times existing parking requirements ensured private cars were the dominant transport option.
"Getting rid of the parking requirements was necessary, but it’s not sufficient to make sure that you are providing an alternative."
The Government’s national policy statement on urban development means territorial authorities must remove minimum car parking requirements for all residential, commercial and visitor accommodation developments by next February.
Ms Genter, the former associate minister for transport, said councils needed to take a smarter approach to parking management rather than just requiring huge amounts of off-street car parking to be provided.
Public transport had to be more frequent and reliable, and active transport made a more viable option.
Asked about the impact of new accommodation developments in smaller centres with limited or no public transport, such as Glenorchy in the Queenstown Lakes district, she said councils would have to ensure the provider catered for the travel demands it was creating, but have more than just single-occupant vehicles as a solution for how to get there.
"If they decide not to provide a travel management plan, then you can make it clear they will be expected to contribute to getting people to that village."
That could be through conditions on the development’s consent, or targeted rates.
Such communities had the opportunity to push for scheduled public transport services.
She also wanted the NZ Transport Agency to spend more on public transport services and bus priority measures.
