In purely coincidental timing just before an election, the National Party is handing out new roads in an Oprah-like fashion. You get a road, and you get a road and YOU get a road. How we’re going to get a couple of billion dollars of new roads out of a budget full of holes for the needy to fall through is an interesting question.

So we’d like to propose a (partial) solution to Wellington’s traffic problems that won’t cost any money. Let’s encourage more businesses to offer flexitime to their employees and actually mean it. Imagine if a quarter of all workers were removed from the roads between 8am-9am. There’d be less traffic. There’d be more room on public transport, making it a better option for those who take it. People with kids might have more time to walk them to school rather than dropping them off then racing to get to work. Some forms of public transport are cheaper in off-peak times too. That’s a little extra money in your pocket.  Walking or cycling is nicer to do when you’re not in peak time fumes.

And while we’re doing this, let’s make sure to emphasize that starting late and working late is just as virtuous as starting early and finishing early. Yes, it’s not an option for everyone. But it could be, and should be, for a lot more people than are currently working flexitime.

Won’t someone please think of the roads?