New challenges abound for transport operators in New Zealand. Recent legislation requires Transit to contribute to a sustainable land transport system and exercise social and environmental responsibility. New transport policy emphasises ensuring environmental sustainability and protecting public health. While sound environmental management is not new to Transit, the emerging sustainability regime calls for a robust, timely response. Failure to respond proactively will see Transit caught between different interpretations and expectations. The paper will explore Transit’s response to the changing regime from an environmental and social perspective. Throughout 2004 Transit has been developing a comprehensive Environmental Plan to address these issues, with the aim of improving outcomes on the ground. Early integration of environmental and community issues underpin the Plan, which can best be described as a process of elevating these issues to the forefront of our business. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E212706.
Abstract