Powering ahead with greener transport options

Photo by Paul Krueger

Being at the centre of a transportation hub means asking what Station205 can do to reduce emissions. Providing facilities for electric vehicles is a great start.

More and more people are turning to electric vehicles, both bikes and cars, and Auckland’s infrastructure is evolving in kind. For our tenants, accessibility for staff and customers is fundamental, so we’re putting things in place to make sure they are catered for.

Planning an electric future

According to the Ministry of Transport’s climate change programme, ’Transport accounts for 21% of New Zealand’s annual greenhouse gas emissions and is the fastest growing source of emissions. Between 1990 and 2018, road transport emissions increased by 100%, while emissions across the whole economy increased by 24%.’

The Transport Emissions Action Plan, which will underpin the transport section in the government’s Emissions Reduction Plan for the 2022–25 emissions budget, is expected to be finalised this month. But we already know the commitment to reducing emissions is focused on electric vehicles. Freebates on imported e-vehicles, along with extra tariffs on imported petrol cars later in 2021, will start incentivising the consumer shift to electric.

Places to recharge

Unfortunately, none of Auckland’s 46 vehicle charging stations are in Penrose, so right now we are looking at the Connected Kerb charging stations for Station205. We have begun the process of putting in wiring for these in at least two spots on the premises.

Making the journey more attractive

The cycleways coming into Penrose could use some improvement – the one on Rockfield Rd stops halfway along – but having cycled from Ponsonby into work at Station205, Andrew Nixon know it can be an enjoyable journey.

One of the ways to make cycling more attractive is to provide an ‘end of journey’ facility, where you can shower and change. We are putting these amenities into our latest warehouse renovation, while the Bates and AHI Carrier buildings already have showers. Going forward, we will add showers to any further refurbishments or new builds we do.

People with electric bikes need somewhere to store and charge them. Lockydock is a great system which does both, and we are considering adding it to the premises.