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Doing it in Auckland

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Ferney
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« Reply #75 on: May 06, 2011, 06:14:57 pm »

Its also time to remove subsidies from public transport....seeing that they say the numbers using it have increased so much.   
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« Reply #76 on: May 07, 2011, 12:54:35 am »


The cost of the subsidies for public transport would be only a fraction of the cost of providing additional lanes and roads for cars driven by all of those public transport users.

Just about every other Western country in the world can see that.

Some people in NZ would rather see total traffic chaos than sensible measures that are cheaper overall than the alternatives.
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« Reply #77 on: May 07, 2011, 10:30:22 am »

Ferney has a point about some of the subsidies. A lot of runs are now packed or at least full enough that the company will be more than covering costs.
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« Reply #78 on: June 20, 2011, 05:43:01 am »


http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/new-zealand/4994908/Love-motel-opens-in-Auckland
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« Reply #79 on: August 10, 2011, 02:23:47 pm »

 
getting the troops ready for the riots?

Police and Air Force training exercise in Auckland
August 10, 2011, 1:11 pm

Aucklanders should not be alarmed if they see black clad police and Royal New Zealand Air Force helicopters at work above the city – it’s simply an annual training exercise.

Some members of the police Special Tactics Group and up to four Royal New Zealand Air Force Iroquois and crew from Number 3 Squadron are honing their skills this week as part of regularly scheduled training.

Superintendent Barry Taylor, National Manager: Operations, Police National Headquarters, said the exercise will involve some close flying and fast roping of STG members from the Iroquois onto the rooftop of several facilities including a central city building.

“We work closely with the Royal New Zealand Air Force in a range of roles and appreciate their support,” he said. “It’s important that our people and the air crew are familiar with operating procedures so that we can both deploy quickly and safely when or if the need arises.”

This week’s exercise includes work in the Hauraki Gulf and on Thursday some activity over the harbour, Devonport and Auckland CBD area. People should not be concerned if they see the Iroquois flying over the city and armed police fast roping from them. This activity will take place between 2pm and 4pm and again from 6pm to 8pm.

“The timings are designed to minimise disruption or inconvenience to the public, including transport operations,” Superintendent Taylor said.

“There’s no intention to be flying late into the evening. We thank people, especially commercial operators who we are liaising with, for their cooperation.”

Ends

Media contact: Kaye Calder, Police Public Affairs: PNHQ. Tel: 04 460 2986 or
027 241 6305.
http://www.police.govt.nz/news/release/29032.html


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« Reply #80 on: September 01, 2011, 07:00:22 pm »


Fleet of new electric trains for Auckland confirmed

By HAYDEN DONNELL - The New Zealand Herald | 3:03PM - Thursday, September 01, 2011

A new deal between Government and council will see a fleet of new electric trains brought to Auckland. — Photo: Steven McNicholl.
A new deal between Government and council will see a fleet of new
electric trains brought to Auckland. — Photo: Steven McNicholl.


A $500 MILLION deal between Government and council is set to bring a fleet of new electric trains to Auckland.

Transport minister Steven Joyce and Auckland Mayor Len Brown this afternoon signed an agreement to buy 57 electric multiple units (EMUs), each with three carriages.

Loan repayments on the $500 million purchase would be jointly covered by Auckland Council and NZTA, a statement said.

Auckland had previously expected to pay the loan to buy the trains through a regional fuel tax.

The trains are due to arrive in Auckland from late 2013 and the electrification project would be complete early that year, Auckland Council said.

Mayor Len Brown said the agreement would deliver quiet, environmentally friendly electric trains to Auckland's rail network at no extra cost to ratepayers.

"This agreement will mean greater rail accessibility for Aucklanders in all parts of the city, and secures trains that are modern, better for the environment, fast and quiet."

Mr Brown said the trains were a prerequisite for the inner city rail loop he has championed since taking office last year.

"To be the world's most liveable city, we need a world class transport system. This brings us one big step closer."

Mr Joyce said the deal would deliver 50 per cent more electric trains than an initial plan to purchase 38 EMUs and 12 electric locomotives.

Government would also issue a $90 million grant to Auckland Transport to make sure it could buy the trains at a good price.

He said the all-electric fleet would mean significant long-term savings in operational costs.

"This package will give the Auckland region more independence and flexibility into how they run services while passengers can look forward to faster and more reliable electric trains."

"And the Government has been able to deliver this result without motorists having to pay an additional 10 cents per litre regional fuel tax."

Auckland Council transport chairman Mike Lee said New Zealand's favourable exchange rate would allow more electric trains than originally budgeted without any more cost to ratepayers.

Labour transport spokesman Shane Jones criticised Government for investing the electric fleet without backing an inner city rail loop.

"After almost three years totally preoccupied with building roads, Steven Joyce has had a pre-election epiphany and realised trains have a role to play in our lives as well," he said.

"But what is the point when the network is almost at capacity, and only the rail link can solve that?"


http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10748778
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« Reply #81 on: September 15, 2011, 07:05:32 am »


http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201138/SCCZEN_A_130911NZHRGRFLAG08_460x230.JPG

I sorta get the feeling that I saw this pic a few days ago, in a story blaming vandals for the damage?

Council's World Cup bunting torn apart by wind
By Nicholas Jones
5:30 AM Thursday Sep 15, 2011 

The Auckland Council faces a bill of thousands of dollars to replace soggy and ripped Rugby World Cup bunting, which fell apart in the wind and rain.

Other councils used a bunting supplier chosen by cup organiser Rugby New Zealand 2011 but the Auckland Council chose its own, Lineset Design & Print, which used a PVC-coated, cardboard-like material.

The council-controlled organisation Auckland 2011 sold and supplied bunting to business associations for its adopt-a-second-team programme.

Heather Bell of the Browns Bay Business Association, which adopted South Africa, said some of the soggy remains of their bunting were strewn throughout local parks and streets.

"They look dreadful. They're just all coming apart."

Auckland 2011 spokesman Simon Roche said he was aware of the problem and had made replacing the bunting a priority.

"We are currently working with a supplier to make this happen as soon as possible."

Mrs Bell said she expected the bunting to be replaced for free given that the Browns Bay Business Association spent $3000 buying it and putting it up.

Lineset chief executive John Jepson said he was disappointed and sorry the bunting had not stood up to the weather the way his company had been assured it would.

He said the bunting was the sole item in the company's range that it sourced from China.

By Nicholas Jones

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10751887



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« Reply #82 on: September 22, 2011, 01:31:47 pm »

Came across this and thought it was interesting. I haven't figured out when it was written but I suspect that what the writer is refering to when he talks about Hobson St wharf  and Main wharf are Prince's Wharf and possibly Queen's Wharf (which has been shortened). Refering to Calliope dock as being big enough for all know naval vessels really gives the game away as does the spaces in the names of several islands.

http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc02Cycl-t1-body1-d1-d15-d1a.html
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« Reply #83 on: September 29, 2011, 04:26:42 pm »


High Court turns down Chow brothers bid

By PAUL MCBETH - The Dominion Post | 3:27PM - Thursday, 29 September 2011



WELLINGTON property developer and brothel owner Chow Group failed in its bid to throw out a building dispute adjudication over an unpaid $837,000 bill.

In the High Court at Auckland, Judge Geoffrey Venning turned down an application from Michael and John Chow's main investment vehicle to have a May decision overturned, even though adjudicator John Walton made an error of law, according to the August 19 judgment published on the Ministry of Justice's website yesterday.

The Chows were trying to get the ruling changed after refusing to make what would have been the fifth progress payment to engineering firm Clearwater Construction for work on Auckland's Palace Hotel. The building was torn down by order of the Auckland Council in November when it began to collapse during work to erect a high-rise brothel opposite SkyCity Casino.

Judge Venning said Walton erred by not giving Chow Group the opportunity to comment on Clearwater's submissions.

"The effect of the breach of natural justice was to deny Chow Group the opportunity to make further legal submission in response to Clearwater's replay submissions," Judge Venning said. "I do not consider it can be said the Chow Group has been prejudiced or that the breach requires this court to grant relief."

The judge turned down the Wellington brothel owner's other applications. Chow Group tried to claim Clearwater wasn't entitled to lodge a payment claim as it hadn't lodged a bond, and that Chow Group could avoid liability having said it was trying to claim insurance for the building's collapse.

"The source of payment, whether it was to be the insurer or Chow Group was immaterial to Clearwater," Judge Venning said.

In August, the Chows won the right for an urgent hearing to review the adjudication in a bid to head of liquidation proceedings filed by Clearwater in the High Court in Wellington.

Chow Group escaped prosecution when a city council report found there wasn't sufficient evidence to find the specific cause of the building's failure.

Until the Chows either pay Clearwater or get adjudicator John Walton's order overturned, it can't sell or transfer the Palace Hotel site.

In June they unsuccessfully tried to get the High Court to change Walton's order. Judge Rodney Hansen said the case was arguable, but didn't go into enough depth and couldn't be accepted.

In the June hearing, the Chows also tried to block Clearwater from pursuing legal proceedings by unsuccessfully claiming the engineering company was insolvent.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/business/5706068/High-Court-turns-down-Chow-brothers-bid
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« Reply #84 on: October 06, 2011, 04:54:11 pm »


Auckland's $500m electric trains signed off

By MATHEW DEARNALEY - The New Zealand Herald | 4:47PM - Thursday, October 06, 2011

Auckland's Britomart train station during morning rush hour. — Photo: Doug Sherring.
Auckland's Britomart train station during morning rush hour.
 — Photo: Doug Sherring.


AUCKLAND's first generation of electric trains are set to be running in three years under a $500 million deal signed this afternoon with Spanish supplier CAF.

The region's transport authority has selected the company, which has been making trains for more than 100 years and has supplied a dozen world capitals, over four other bidders.

The deal will include $400m for 57 three-car trains between September 2013 and the end of 2014. It will also include 10 years of maintenance cover at a cost of about $100m.

CAF, which stands for Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, has already set up a New Zealand subsidiary company which will provide an unquantified number of jobs locally at a maintenance depot to be built at Wiri by Auckland Transport.

That will add another $100m to the project.

Transport Minister Steven Joyce, whose Government will cover more than half the cost of the new trains, said they would be "light years apart" from the old diesel units they will replace.

Speaking at the Britomart underground station over the noise of departing trains puffing diesel smoke into the air, he said the newcomers would be quiet, comfortable, environmentally friendly and even attractive.

They would support the regional and national economy by keeping the country's largest city moving.

Auckland Mayor Len Brown said the new trains would have double the acceleration of the existing fleet and he was looking forward to shaving 10 minutes off his rail trips from Manukau to Britomart.

They would be the vehicle for increasing annual rail patronage from 10 million to more than 17 million passenger trips by 2016.

CAF general manager Jesus Esnaola said that even with his company's large global reach, he was proud of the Auckland deal which represented its first foray in Oceania.

"As part of our commitment with New Zealand, we are announcing publicly today that we already created our new subsidiary, called CAF NZ Ltd, that will take care of the new fleet maintenance."

Auckland Transport chairman Mark Ford said he could vouch in advance for the quality of the new trains as they would be based on rolling stock used in London's Heathrow Express, which he had ridden in great comfort.

"The difference between them and the current trains will be dramatic."


http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10757025



Transport hassles — Auckland vs Wellington vs Christchurch
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« Reply #85 on: October 17, 2011, 05:19:49 pm »



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« Reply #86 on: October 17, 2011, 06:48:17 pm »

A photo of the Auckland town hall from the other side of Queen St near the Queen's Head by the looks of it on a typical Auckland day (overcast high cloud).

Is there anything else that you are trying to point out?
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« Reply #87 on: October 17, 2011, 06:57:46 pm »


Ummmmm....in the distance you can see the Airport Bus I was waiting to catch in order to escape JAFAville (a few weeks ago). The bus took forever to get from where it is in the photograph to the bus stop I was waiting at....a Wairarapa bus would have been half-way from Masterton to Featherston in the same time.


Oh....and I presume that is typical JAFA weather? 
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« Reply #88 on: October 18, 2011, 09:27:40 am »


Report reveals car yard's dodgy deals
STEVE HOPKINS
Last updated 16:12 17/10/2011

Dodgy dealings at a luxury Auckland car yard have emerged in an Employment Relations Authority case involving a sales manager earning almost $250,000 a year in commissions.

John Hawker complained to the ERA that he had been constructively dismissed on March 23 this year from Team McMillan Ltd, where he had been a business manager since October 2008.

Hawker sought ''remedies of reinstatement'' to his previous position, reimbursement of lost earnings and $20,000 compensation.

In an ERA decision released today, it was revealed Hawker tried to secure finance from the car yard's preferred finance company, BMW Financial Services, using manipulated figures.

Hawker's boss, Ian Gibson, said the car yard first became aware of ''a number of issues'' that BMW Financial Services had with Hawker in September 2010.

This included Hawker's ''poor execution'' of documentation and not providing adequate information about the ''creditworthiness'' of customers.

In a letter of complaint the lender said Hawker's ''repeated omissions, inaccuracies, misunderstandings and failures to follow process over time, have led to a pervasive doubt about the integrity of the information provided''.

Gibson said a disciplinary process was began with Hawker in November 2010 but no action was taken ''to see if it was possible'' for Hawker to rebuild his relationship with the company.

The finance company later took issue with two deals Hawker was involved in.

One related to the purchase of a BMW X5 using finance.

In the paperwork Hawker said the client had paid $20,000 deposit when they had only paid $8000 and been given a $12,000 discount. The deal was approved on ''the basis of these false representations'', the ERA decision read.

The second deal related to the purchase of a Range Rover and the trade-in of a BMW X5. In his paperwork Hawker overstated the price of the two vehicles.

He said Team McMillan Ltd was buying the X5 for $25,900 when in fact they were paying $18,000, that the Range Rover was $79,000 when in fact it was $72,000 and that the customer had paid a $10,000 deposit when they had paid just over $5000.

Gibson said both deals were ''outside the norm'' and Hawker should have sought his approval.

In a letter Gibson wrote that Hawker had ''deliberately misrepresented'' the first deal to BMW Financial Services, who wouldn't have approved it otherwise, and that he ''personally benefited'' from it.

Of the Range Rover deal, Gibson wrote that Hawker had told BMW Financial Services that he inflated the prices so the customer would benefit through ''Fringe Benefit Tax''.

Hawker was suspended on March 21 and then later given the option of resigning or being fired.

He resigned, but in April lodged a personal grievance case.

Hawker told the ERA that the deals were ''necessarily complex'' in order for them to ''occur'' for the benefit of the customer and his employer.

He said neither deal ''caused any loss to any party nor did they create any gain'', and that he was ''under considerable pressure from management'' to find a way for deals to proceed and used ''creative means'' to achieve this.

In it's findings the ERA wrote: ''While it appears to be accepted in the industry that concluding creative deals is part of the cut and thrust of doing business, and there is some scope for a certain amount of ingenuity, I conclude that the actions of Mr Hawker in relation to the two deals in issue were considerably outside the accepted parameters of what was acceptable to TML, and also possibly the legal framework that the industry is required to comply with.''

The ERA ruled Hawker's dismissal was fair and ordered the parties resolve costs between them.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/small-business/5800087/Report-reveals-car-yards-dodgy-deals


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« Reply #89 on: October 18, 2011, 12:00:16 pm »


Ummmmm....in the distance you can see the Airport Bus I was waiting to catch in order to escape JAFAville (a few weeks ago). The bus took forever to get from where it is in the photograph to the bus stop I was waiting at....a Wairarapa bus would have been half-way from Masterton to Featherston in the same time.


Oh....and I presume that is typical JAFA weather? 


Yup, that is typical Jafa weather.

As for the bus - I guess Masterton doesn't have traffic lights.

Does Masterton have an airport?
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« Reply #90 on: October 18, 2011, 12:16:41 pm »


Ummmmm....in the distance you can see the Airport Bus I was waiting to catch in order to escape JAFAville (a few weeks ago). The bus took forever to get from where it is in the photograph to the bus stop I was waiting at....a Wairarapa bus would have been half-way from Masterton to Featherston in the same time.


Oh....and I presume that is typical JAFA weather? 


Yup, that is typical Jafa weather.

As for the bus - I guess Masterton doesn't have traffic lights.

Does Masterton have an airport?


We don't have traffic lights....we have roundabouts instead. They keep the traffic flowing much better.

In fact the only time we ever see traffic lights in Wairarapa is occasionaly at roadworks sites.

And....considering I flew from Auckland to Masterton on an Air NZ flight after that bus eventually got me through the slow-moving Auckland traffic to the airport, then I guess Masterton must have an airport, eh?  Wink

Actually....one of the hangers at the airport at Masterton contains the largest airworthy collection of WWI fighter-planes in the world. In fact, it is more than twice the combined size of the next two biggest collections (one in New Jersey in the USA and the other one in the UK).

And another hanger has a number of airworthy WWII fighter planes resident.

Much more interesting than the mere boring airliners they have at Auckland International Airport, eh?  Grin

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« Reply #91 on: October 18, 2011, 12:19:42 pm »


Eat your hearts out, JAFAs....



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« Reply #92 on: October 18, 2011, 12:42:30 pm »

WW1.  Thats a bit old hat.  ....and we've got Ardmore just down the road. 

Its the 21st century up here.

  

 
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« Reply #93 on: October 18, 2011, 12:52:07 pm »


Aviation enthusiasts come from all over the world to see the huge WWI collection at Masterton's Hood Aerodrome.

Whereas, what is at Ardmore is no different from what is at a large number of airports across the USA and in many other countries.

The top classic aviation photographer in the world (Philip Makanna) travels from the USA to Masterton every year to take lots of air-to-air photographs for his world-famous Ghosts calendars. He will no doubt be at the WWI November airshow too.

And I guarantee heaps of JAFAs will travel to Masterton for that weekend too! 



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« Reply #94 on: October 18, 2011, 01:03:35 pm »

Awww.  Make sure you are good hosts to all those friendly Aucklanders that visit for your airshow.   
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« Reply #95 on: October 18, 2011, 01:40:21 pm »

Awww.  Make sure you are good hosts to all those friendly Aucklanders that visit for your airshow.   


Phil Makanna and Peter Jackson will be very friendly to the visiting Aucklanders as they part them from their money....Grin

Both will no doubt be in The Vintage Aviator marquee at the airshow; Phil will be selling his Ghosts WWI and WWII 2012 Calendars, and Peter will be selling his superb Wingnut Wings WWI Fighter-Plane Kitset Models. And all of the WWI fighter-planes which live at Hood Aerodrome are Peter Jackson's toys.

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« Reply #96 on: November 14, 2011, 11:26:59 am »


Labour backs Auckland rail plan

APNZ | 12:41PM - Sunday, October 30, 2011

Labour has announced its support for an Auckland city rail loop. — File photo: Greg Bowker.
Labour has announced its support for an Auckland city rail loop.
 — File photo: Greg Bowker.


LABOUR would scrap the so-called "holiday highway" to fund the Auckland city rail link.

Announcing the party's transport policy today, Labour leader Phil Goff said it would cancel the $1.69 billion Puhoi to Wellsford highway and dedicate $1.2b from the Land Transport Fund to the city rail link.

That funding would cover half the $2.4b cost of the rail link, with the other half to be funded by Auckland Council.

Mr Goff said the city rail link was the next step in building a modern Auckland public transport system.

"This investment will get Auckland moving," he said.

"Aucklanders are fed up with sitting in endless traffic jams. Building the rail link turns Britomart into a through-station so trains don't have to stop there and will double the number of trains coming into the city from south and west Auckland, take cars off the road and encourage investment to transform the city centre."

Mr Goff said Aucklanders were overwhelmingly and vocally in favour of the rail link proposal.

"Unlike National, Labour is listening. Today we are committing to central government's half of the bargain."

Mr Goff said the "gold-plated" Puhoi to Wellsford highway was fiscally irresponsible in tough times.

Labour favoured a $320 million alternative that included a Warkworth bypass and improvements to the existing road to fix crash black spots and traffic bottlenecks.

The combined cost of the alternative and the rail link would be less than what National had budgeted for the highway.

Labour's Auckland Central candidate, Jacinda Ardern, said it was time to "unchoke the heart of Auckland".

"It's not about spending more, it's about priorities and this Government has got it all wrong."

Labour's other transport initiatives would include:


  • Funding to promote an increase in coastal shipping, with the goal of 30 per cent of inter-regional freight being carried by sea by 2040;

  • A re-evaluation of the roads of national significance programme;

  • Engagement with the working group on establishing a Hamilton to Auckland commuter rail link.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10762688
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« Reply #97 on: November 14, 2011, 11:27:51 am »


Greens back Auckland rail link

By ISSAC DAVISON - The New Zealand Herald | 12:40PM - Monday, November 14, 2011

Green Party Leader Russel Norman (far left) and Green MP Gareth Hughes on the bus during the Green Party Auckland Transport Plan Launch. — Photo: Sarah Ivey.
Green Party Leader Russel Norman (far left) and Green MP Gareth Hughes on the
bus during the Green Party Auckland Transport Plan Launch. — Photo: Sarah Ivey.


THE GREEN PARTY would push the Government to fund 60 percent of Auckland's proposed CBD rail link, and redirect money earmarked for motorways into public transport.

Greens co-leader Russel Norman and transport spokesman Gareth Hughes released the party's transport policy this morning (Monday) while giving media and supporters a bus tour of the proposed CBD rail link.

Mr Hughes said the party backed the Auckland Council's vision for improved public transport and would look to push ahead with construction of a rail link in the next term.

The proposed $2.4 billion project would create a 3.5 km underground rail loop with stations in Newton, Aotea Square and Karangahape Road.

Mr Hughes said the rail network would be financed by redirecting money which had already been allocated to the National Party's "Roads of National Significance".

It would end the transport bottleneck at Britomart — which caused havoc at the opening night of Rugby World Cup — and provide the basis for an efficient, compact city. A council feasibility study predicated that the rail link would triple the CBD area's capacity for employees and residents.

Dr Norman said better bus and train services were good for all road users and crucial to strengthening Auckland's economy.

"The Green Party's affordable, costed plan will deliver a 21st century transport network, safer neighbourhoods, and cleaner air while saving everyone money."

The Greens also promised that they would invest more than $500 million in bus-related projects in Auckland and make it safer to walk and cycle, with $30 million allocated to walking and cycling projects.


http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10765940
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« Reply #98 on: November 14, 2011, 12:39:41 pm »

Thousands opt for Victoria tunnel
Last updated 10:45 14/11/2011

An estimated 10,000 vehicles travelled through the Victoria Park tunnel in the first four hours after it opened this morning.

Two northbound lanes in the tunnel opened just before 5am today - just hours after the final touches to the road were added.

Roads around the tunnel were closed over the weekend to allow for final work to be carried out.

An NZTA spokesman said about 10,000 vehicles had travelled through the tunnel by 9am.

The overall traffic volume was about normal for a Monday morning, he said.

Five hundred square metres of motorway was reconstructed over the weekend by crews working around the clock, with final lane markings and traffic barrier movements carried out early this morning.

A police northern communications spokeswoman said traffic appeared to have flowed smoothly through the tunnel this morning, with no calls about crashes or other incidents.

The $340 million tunnel project is opening three months ahead of schedule and is set to be used by 60,000 cars a day.

It is expected to reduce congestion and travel times for those travelling north on State Highway 1. The previous route was the Victoria Park flyover.

The third lane of the tunnel will open to northbound traffic next March. The Victoria Park flyover will open in a new southbound-only layout in early January next year.

Transport Minister Stephen Joyce said today's opening was a major milestone for the Auckland transport network.

He said the new configuration would "greatly ease congestion for the 150,000-plus vehicles that use this route each day through central Auckland".

He said travel times would eventually be reduced by around 20 minutes.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/5960169/Thousands-opt-for-Victoria-tunnel

I went through it about 1pm this afternoon Cool The traffic was flowing more freely than the flyover usually does but it was still heavy enough for the on ramp traffic lights to be working to limit the cars entering the Northern Motorway from the Northwesten. Roll Eyes
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« Reply #99 on: December 11, 2011, 11:15:41 pm »




Coast Clash: When the developers move in
By Ben Chapman-Smith 11:10 AM Sunday Dec 11, 2011 

Locals are up in arms at the threat to Te Arai beach from developers. Photo / Herald on SundayApart from the sound of Reg Whale's boots treading through the sand, Te Arai Beach's dunes are quiet. The beach is deserted. The Northland farmer stops every few minutes, crouching down to check each of his pest traps hidden in the tussock. He retrieves a snared ferret, hardening in the mid-morning sun. Another trap has landed a hedgehog. The rest of the traps are empty, which means Whale's daily rounds are paying off.

This stretch of coastline, between Pakiri and Mangawhai, just 110km north of Auckland, is home to the New Zealand fairy tern which roosts
and breeds in Te Arai's dunes. With around 40 remaining in the country, the bird is struggling to survive.

Thanks to the efforts of volunteers like Whale, wild cats, rats and hedgehogs are no longer a major threat to the fairy tern's existence.
But now they claim a new threat looms.

Millionaire South Island developer John Darby wants to build 46 homes on a 616ha block of land that runs almost the entire length of the beach. This proposal, the latest in a battle which has been ongoing since 2005, took opponents of the beach development by surprise.

They thought they'd seen the last of Darby after fighting off his first
plan, six years ago, for a golf course, lodge, spa, shops and 1400 houses.




http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10772480


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