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Transport hassles — Auckland vs Wellington vs Christchurch

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« on: December 14, 2010, 02:16:12 pm »


The bitter taste of Auckland's traffic jams

By MATHEW DEARNALEY - The New Zealand Herald | 5:30AM - Tuesday, December 14, 2010

GRIDLOCK: Almost half of the surveyed Aucklanders said they had been stuck in a traffic jam for an hour or longer in the past three years. — Photo: Herald on Sunday.
GRIDLOCK: Almost half of the surveyed
Aucklanders said they had been stuck in a
traffic jam for an hour or longer in the past
three years. — Photo: Herald on Sunday.


ALMOST A THIRD of Auckland drivers believe traffic congestion is harming their health and performance at work or in class, according to an international survey out today.

A "commuter-pain index" commissioned by information technology giant IBM in 23 global cities found 80 per cent of Auckland drivers complaining of travel stress.

Of 402 Auckland drivers surveyed in October, compared with 500 others in Wellington and Christchurch, 74 per cent said they regularly travelled to work in single-occupancy cars and 30 per cent complained of negative health effects, particularly higher stress and anger levels.

Even more worrying for employers and educational institutions will be that 33 per cent of drivers believe congestion is harming their work or academic performance.

The survey put the average commute in Auckland at 26 minutes, and covering 17 kilometres at a speed of 39km/h.

Almost half of the surveyed Aucklanders said they had been stuck in a traffic jam for an hour or longer in the past three years — and 27 per cent had found congestion so bad they returned home.

The findings follow estimates that up to $1 billion is lost to Auckland's economy each year through congestion.

IBM managing consultant Suzi Shaw Lyons said yesterday that the cost of congestion appeared to range from 2 per cent to 4 per cent of the region's contribution to gross domestic product.

Business Council for Sustainable Development chief executive Peter Neilsen said that although one response might be that "this isn't as bad as other parts of the world", projected population and freight growth in Auckland meant congestion would only get worse in the absence of a co-ordinated plan to beat it.

Potential remedies that include organised car-pooling, spreading travel peaks over longer periods and charging motorists to use roads at times of greatest congestion would rely on technological advances to provide effective "real-time" traffic information.


Commuter Pain Index

IF Auckland drivers feel hard off, they should spare a thought for those in some of the world's most teeming metropolises.

On a "commuter-pain index" scale of 100, Auckland scored a relatively modest 28, compared with 99 each for Beijing and Mexico City, 97 for Johannesburg and 84 for Moscow.

London and Paris were each rated with a pain level of 36 on the index — which weighs up 10 factors including commuting time, start-stop traffic and high petrol prices.

But driving to work in Auckland is more of hassle than in Los Angeles, New York, Melbourne and Stockholm.

Wellington drew level with Melbourne, reflecting what Ms Shaw Lyons said was a greater reliance on a more developed public transport system, which left just 50 per cent of survey participants driving themselves to work or classes in single-occupancy cars.

That compared with 76 per cent of Christchurch drivers, who suffered a "pain" rating of 22.

Ms Shaw Lyons said about 70 per cent of people would be living in cities with 100,000 or more residents by 2030, "so the world is becoming more and more urbanised.

"As cities compete for the skills and innovation that take talented and skilled people to drive that, we're competing for a pool of about 30 million global migrants — people who go to where the job is but who will make their assessment on where they go based on the attractiveness of a city."

She said transport was the most important factor for most people, followed by public safety and Government services such as education.

"Those systems work with each other to drive a cycle of attracting people, creating new skills and innovation, enabling new economic opportunities and retaining the human capital required to keep the economic engine of a city growing."

Ms Shaw Lyons said Auckland had a particularly concentrated afternoon travel peak, with just 11 per cent of commuters staying at work until after 6pm — a very low figure by world standards.


http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10694149



Wellington commuters' easy ride

By KATIE CHAPMAN - The Dominion Post | 5:00AM - Tuesday, 14 December 2010

PUBLIC TRANSPORT USER: Tim Goodson regularly uses the bus to get into town from Hataitai, and finds it an easy way to travel. — ANDREW GORRIE/The Dominon Post.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT USER: Tim Goodson regularly uses the bus to get into town from Hataitai,
and finds it an easy way to travel. — ANDREW GORRIE/The Dominon Post.


WE MAY COMPLAIN about being stuck in traffic, but Wellingtonians experience less commuter pain than most cities worldwide, a new survey has found.

In an international survey ranking 23 cities, published today, Wellington has come out on par with Melbourne and Houston as second-best for the level of commuter stress, with 17 points out of 100, behind only Stockholm on 15 points.

Auckland was the worst New Zealand city, with 28 points, and Christchurch had 23. Overall, the worst cities were Beijing, Mexico City and Johannesburg.

The online survey by IBM polled more than 900 Kiwi drivers aged between 18 and 64, looking at how commuting affected people emotionally and physically, to measure "commuter pain" levels.

It was the first time New Zealand was included in the survey.

New Zealand cities came out well for average commuting times, but Auckland and Christchurch compared badly when it came to reliance on cars.

Wellington, however, was "in line with European cities" when it came to acceptance of other modes of transport.

The survey found just 50 per cent of people in Wellington were dependent on their cars for daily commutes, compared with 74 per cent in Auckland and 76 per cent in Christchurch.

But, despite comparing well internationally, 78 per cent of Wellington drivers still said they found their commute stressful, with stop-start traffic the biggest bugbear. Aggressive or rude drivers, low speed and unreliable journey times were named as other frustrations.

Improved public transport was named as the best means of improving stress. IBM's associate partner of global business services for public sector New Zealand, Kate Hewitt, said the high use of public transport in Wellington had helped it do well in the survey because there was better infrastructure in place than in other centres.

But there was room for improvement, she said. "The risk always is that cities become complacent."

Reliability was a big cause of frustrations, which made real-time information and adoption of new technologies important to encourage people to move away from cars as a main mode of transport.

New Zealand also had a Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, work mentality, which made peak-hour traffic worse. In Europe, many people would spend at least one day working from home, and would start and finish later, reducing the peak-hour traffic, she said.

Greater Wellington regional council chairwoman Fran Wilde said it was gratifying that Wellington did well, but it could not afford to rest on its laurels.

Projections have shown congestion is likely to stay at the current level in the next 30 years — even with a $2 billion investment in the roading network.

Work had to be done to continue improving the public transport and roading networks, and finishing the rail improvements was a big part of that, she said.

Real-time information, which will be introduced for buses in Wellington from about March, would make a big difference for commuters. "Real-time will be phenomenal in that respect, it will actually be able to tell people when their next vehicle is coming — not when it's due."

Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown said she was delighted with the survey results but Wellingtonians could do even better by using more public transport, cycling and walking, as well as through the introduction of a light rail system.

"The top places [in the survey] all have light rail systems so if we're going to have more people living here we still need to think about modern trams, improvements such as [walking, running and cycling tracks], the Great Harbour Way and the Thorndon Quay [cycling] clearway."


______________________________________

The pain of the daily commute – what the survey found ...

Commuters who were dependent on a car for travel:

 • Wellington — 50 per cent

 • Auckland — 74 per cent

 • Christchurch — 76 per cent

Commuters who worked from home occasionally:

 • Wellington — 20 per cent

 • Auckland — 31 per cent

 • Christchurch — 27 per cent

Commuters who believed traffic had negatively affected their health:

 • Wellington — 13 per cent

 • Auckland — 30 per cent

 • Christchurch — 18 per cent

The average commute time:

 • Wellington — 25 minutes, travelling 17km at 41km/h

 • Auckland — 26 minutes, travelling 17km at 39km/h

 • Christchurch — 22 minutes, travelling 14km at 40km/h

Commuters who experienced travel stress:

 • Wellington — 78 per cent

 • Auckland — 80 per cent

 • Christchurch — 62 per cent

Commuters who had been stuck in traffic for an hour or more in the past year:

 • Wellington — 40 per cent

 • Auckland — 47 per cent

 • Christchurch — 10 per cent


http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/4454411/Wellington-commuters-easy-ride



Residents share their commuting stories

The Dominion Post | 7:47AM - Tuesday, 14 December 2010

PUBLIC TRANSPORT USER: Haidee Green, 33, lives and works in Wellington but regularly uses the train to visit family up the coast. — ANDREW GORRIE/The Dominon Post.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT USER: Haidee Green, 33, lives and works in Wellington but regularly uses the train
to visit family up the coast. — ANDREW GORRIE/The Dominon Post.


THREE WELLINGTON RESIDENTS share their communting experiences.

BUS

Tim Goodson, 48, regularly uses the bus to get into town from Hataitai, and finds it an easy way to travel.

A business contractor, he occasionally uses his car, but prefers the bus, which he finds convenient and "totally stress-free".

Wellingtonians are used to using public transport. "It's part and parcel of who we are."

Changes such as real-time information on how the buses were running would help improve the service, as would better bus shelters.

TRAIN

Haidee Green, 33, lives and works in Wellington as a dental nurse, but regularly uses the train to visit family up the coast. She finds it an easy way to travel longer distances when she needs to — usually once a week.

"It's pretty effective, I don't have to wait long."

But track maintenance as part of the rail network upgrade makes it frustrating at times.

A big problem is lack of communication, particularly when trains have to be replaced by buses, she says.

CAR

Bernie Higgins, 67, hates being stuck in traffic, so he tries to avoid rush-hour wherever possible.

Mr Higgins, an actuary, prefers to start work late and leave later so his journey to and from Whitby is smoother.

"Why would I need to sit in traffic when there's another option?"

But he still has to drive into Wellington at peak time at least twice a week, a journey he finds incredibly frustrating.

The worst part is drivers — "angry people" — who tailgate other cars.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/4454918/Residents-share-their-commuting-stories



Christchurch commuters feel the pain

By SAM SACHDEVA and DAVID WILLIAMS - The Press | 5:00AM - Tuesday, 14 December 2010

CHRISTCHURCH COMMUTERS are unhappy with increasing traffic, but have no interest in public transport, a new survey shows.

Residents in 23 cities around the world were asked about their commuting habits, including 937 people in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

The average, 22-minute Christchurch commute is one of the shortest trips of any international city, the IBM Commuter Pain Survey shows.

Most Christchurch motorists (76 per cent) travel alone, compared with 74 per cent in Auckland, and 50 per cent in Wellington.

The city's motorists were more concerned with increasing traffic than those in Wellington and Auckland, with 49 per cent saying traffic had got worse in the past three years.

However, Christchurch residents had the least interest in public transport of the three New Zealand cities, with only 27 per cent interested in improved public transport systems, compared with 51 per cent of Auckland drivers.

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said he was not surprised by the survey results.

"The private car is king in the city," he said.

Parker said the September 04 earthquake and recent problems with the city's buses had deterred people from using public transport, while a "hiatus" in rising energy costs had kept driving costs down.

Parker believed interest in public transport would rise as petrol prices and traffic congestion increased.

Light rail or tram-trains would provide alternatives to buses and could help "convert" commuters, Parker said.

"In order for public transport to work, it has to generate its own appeal and stand as an attractive alternative ... and looking at the modes which we use is one way of doing that."

Rail transport would help connect outlying areas with the central city and "revitalise" the city in a way that buses did not, he said. Parker planned to discuss the matter with councillors next year.

SURVEY

Beijing and Mexico City residents face the most stressful commute, with a "commuter pain" rating of 99/100, while Stockholm workers have the most relaxing journey, with a rating of 15.

Christchurch is 17th equal with a rating of 23, less stressful than Auckland (rating 28), but more stressful than Wellington (rating 17).

76 per cent of Christchurch commuters drive to work alone, while 7 per cent cycle, 5 per cent car pool, 4 per cent walk, and 4 per cent use the bus.

The average Christchurch commute is 22 minutes.

Call to fund ‘active’ travel

The Government needs to encourage walking and cycling to fight health problems, Canterbury transport leaders say.

The regional transport committee, which includes the mayors of the Ashburton, Waimakariri, Waimate and Hurunui districts, wants Transport Minister Steven Joyce to spend more on "active" transport.

A draft letter, signed by Environment Canterbury (ECan) commissioner Rex Williams, said a "significant barrier" to walking and cycling was the Government's policy statement on land transport.

The policy statement would be reviewed next year.

"The committee strongly believes that increased levels of funding in active transport would, at relatively low cost, deliver significant improvements to public health, reducing health costs to government and the community and improving workforce productivity."

ECan commissioner Tom Lambie said a safer environment for cyclists would encourage more people not to use cars.

In the latest government policy statement, which sets out transport funding for the next three years: $4.59 billion will be spent on state highways; $770 million on public transport services and infrastructure; and $55m on walking and cycling facilities.

Canterbury councils had sought $18.5m over the next 10 years for walking and cycling facilities, but got $2.8m.

Joyce said yesterday the Government supported active modes of transport and agreed they could bring health benefits.

Active transport would be considered alongside other transport priority areas for the next policy statement, Joyce said.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/4454570/Chch-commuters-feel-the-pain
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« Reply #1 on: December 14, 2010, 03:49:11 pm »

I had a rather bitter laugh at the suggestion to ease commuter pain in Auckland at the end of the article in the Herald this morning.

It suggested carpooling.

Now I am not a regular commuter and I rarely travel in rush hour but if I am going somewhere other than the central city I drive.

I did have a couple of journeys home from Hockey games this winter that took over an hour for what is normally a 15 minute drive.

I had 7 passengers on both occasions - my van only has 8 seats.
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« Reply #2 on: February 16, 2011, 02:17:21 pm »


Commuter moves 250 metres in one hour

By NICHOLAS JONES - The New Zealand Herald | 5:30AM - Wednesday, February 16, 2011

LEFT: Queen Street on a normal day. RIGHT: Custom Street traffic yesterday. — Photos: Paul Estcourt and Sarah Ivey.
LEFT: Queen Street on a normal day. RIGHT: Custom Street traffic yesterday.
 — Photos: Paul Estcourt and Sarah Ivey.


PARTS OF roadworks-ridden central Auckland have become so gridlocked this week that one woman says she travelled just 250 metres in one hour.

Cristin Boyd was picked up by her partner outside the downtown carpark on Customs Street West at 5.05pm on Monday. After an hour in heavy traffic they had only managed to reach the Queen Street traffic lights, about 250 metres away, she said.

"I think the traffic usually moves fairly well, it's kind of okay. But when it's jammed like that, that's just too much, it's ridiculous," the 31-year-old insurance consultant said.

Congestion on Customs Street has worsened as Auckland Transport and Vector power company contractors carry out roadworks on neighbouring Quay Street.

Ms Boyd moved to New Zealand 1½ years ago and said if roadworks were carried out on a major thoroughfare in her native Dublin, the council would establish an operation called a "free flow".

"It's really normal to see traffic cops letting traffic through and the council do literally control traffic lights to make sure there's a free flow."

Ms Boyd, who lives in Mount Eden, was so shocked by the traffic she wrote an email of complaint to Auckland Transport.

She felt for people who had no choice but to travel through the congested area and said people in her office had complained of having to leave early to get to and from work.

Road contracting spokesman Mike Isle said he was surprised by Ms Boyd's experience as monitoring systems indicated traffic had only increased by around 10 per cent on Customs Street compared to the same time last year.

He said he was unaware of any incidents on Monday and traffic data showed flows were normal.

"Other people may have that experience, but it's certainly not been our experience. As one of our monitoring efforts we have people actually drive through Customs St at various times of the day to determine what the travelling times are."

Auckland Transport had a central monitoring service that looked at all the major intersections in the central business district, and often adjusted traffic lights to reduce congestion, he said.

"And that has been employed with Quay Street and adjacent intersections."

Last night at 5pm, the Herald found the traffic on Customs St West to be heavy but moving relatively constantly.

One bus had to wait for six traffic light cycles to travel roughly 150m between the downtown carpark and the Lower Albert Street intersection, but cleared the next 100m to the Queen Street intersection more easily.

Quay Street is being rebuilt with pavement which Auckland Transport claims will have a 25-year design life because Vector has taken the opportunity to lay new electricity cables and ducts for its own use and telecommunications.

In December last year, Heart of the City chief executive Alex Swney warned that disruption caused by roadworks two years ago on Quay Street, which normally carried close to 30,000 vehicles a day, had been "a nightmare".

However, yesterday he said his office had not received many complaints about the roadworks which indicated the upgrades were being well managed.

"We're future-proofing the city by doing this," he said. "Getting it started between the Christmas period and New Year was the right thing to do. But there is no right time to do these things, and we have to just take this one on the chin."

The roadworks are expected to be completed by mid to late March, which Auckland Council transport committee chairman Mike Lee said was unacceptable.

"I just find it unbelievable that two years later ... they've done it again. And I'm amazed that they're allowed to get away with not only blocking up the road again, but doing it so slowly," he said.

"In any other major international city they would have to get this job done working as quickly as possible, working 24/7."


http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10706551
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« Reply #3 on: May 26, 2011, 04:13:01 pm »

Tunnel a 'milestone' in traffic bottleneck battle
12:00 PM Thursday May 26, 2011
 
Traffic heading north out of Auckland and over the harbour bridge will have a new route on Monday in what the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) says is a significant milestone in the biggest road construction in the country.

New lanes will take traffic over the top of the northern exit of a new tunnel being built to take northbound traffic.

NZTA's state highways manager for Northland and Auckland, Tommy Parker, said the on-ramp had been an important part of the tunnel project that has posed both engineering and traffic management challenges at New Zealand's busiest motorway interchange.

He said the Victoria Park Tunnel project was the largest road construction project under way in the country and the first of the Government's seven roads of national significance.

It would remove the last significant traffic bottleneck on Auckland's central motorway network.

The tunnel under Victoria Park would take three northbound lanes and south bound traffic only would use the Victoria Park overbridge.

The tunnel was due to open to two lanes of traffic in early November and the entire project would be completed next March.

- NZPA
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10728167
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« Reply #4 on: May 31, 2011, 08:08:53 pm »


Auckland rail loop benefits don't stack up — report

By TRACY WATKINS - Stuff.co.nz | 2:01PM - Tuesday, 31 May 2011

TUNNEL: Auckland's proposed CBD loop underground rail link from Britomart to Mount Eden rail stations.
TUNNEL: Auckland's proposed CBD loop underground rail link from Britomart to Mount Eden rail stations.

A GOVERNMENT-ORDERED review of Auckland's proposed CBD rail link has found that the benefits fall between $1- and $3-billion short of those claimed.

In a blow to new Auckland Mayor Len Brown, Transport Minister Stephen Joyce said the case for funding and building the rail link had not yet been made and the mix of options for meeting transport needs in the Auckland CBD had not been sufficiently explored.

He released a review conducted by the Ministry of Transport and Treasury in conjunction with the NZ Transport Agency.

The review found that more work needed to be done to determine the full transport needs of central Auckland before proceeding with a project like the CBD rail link.

"We needed to have a much more coherent plan that shows we will get the benefits from it," Joyce said.

"The review shows that a lot of the benefits are much less on the face of it than what was presented in the business case. There's a lot of work to be done on looking at all the options for improving transport in the Auckland CBD."

The review suggested that in the meantime, it made strategic sense for Auckland Council to move to protect the route.

Joyce said the Government would not cover these costs.

The Auckland Council hit back saying it would go ahead with the rail link, despite the setback.

Brown released his own independent review that recommended the Auckland Council take urgent action to protect the route of the Auckland City Rail Link.

This would be funded in the 2011/2012 Annual Plan.

"The need for the tunnel is now urgent," Brown said.

"Within two years most of the useable train paths in and out of Britomart will be in use, providing virtually no room to add future services at a time when public transport patronage is going through the roof."

Brown declined to comment to Stuff until a press conference at 3pm today.

Meanwhile, the Green Party has accused the Transport Ministry of bias.

"It's obvious that the Government's bias towards new motorways and against passenger rail is at work in their review," Green Party Transport spokesperson Gareth Hughes said.

"Aucklanders have been flocking to trains with growth well over 10 per cent a year, and as oil prices have hit record highs, traffic volumes on state highways are down."

Labour's transport spokesman Shane Jones the review was a blow for Auckland and a blow for the city's vision of a modern public transport system.

It also looked suspiciously like a "hatchet job" on Mayor Brown.

There could be no other explanation for the cost benefit estimates ending up so far apart.

"There's always niggle over numbers but these numbers and this Clayton's review is simply a hatchet job."

The review found:


  • That the estimated construction costs for the CBD Rail Link are largely sound — at a total of $2.4 billion;

  • That the transport benefits of the project are estimated at $387 million rather than the $1.319 billion assessed in the business case;

  • That the project would have only a modest impact on traffic volumes and likely remove up to 1400 cars (2000 people) of the estimated 29,000 cars (41,000 people) travelling into the CBD during the morning peak in 2041;

  • That the wider economic benefits of the project as estimated in the business case ($3.3 billion) were very significantly over-stated and were in fact more like $305 million — which was still high relative to the transport benefits when compared with similar large international transport projects;

  • That the re-calculated BCR consistent with the NZTA Economic Evaluation Manual used for roading projects was 0.3; with the additional wider economic benefits taking it to 0.4;

It also suggested steps that could be taken by the Auckland Council to improve the future case for the development of a CBD rail link.

These included:


  • Finalisation and implementation of the Auckland spatial plan and City Centre Masterplan to establish achievable growth projections for the CBD and to quantify where the growth projected for the CBD will occur;

  • Development of a robust multi-modal plan for future transport into the CBD, which includes a thorough analysis of all the alternatives;

  • Begin implementation of large-scale residential developments along the rail corridors to capitalise on the current upgrade and electrification;

  • Implement additional park and ride sites and bus feeder services to drive further increases in public transport demand;

Joyce said the review did not consider a last-minute alternative submitted by Auckland Council and Auckland Transport because of insufficient time.

• Download and read the report from HERE.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5079102/Auckland-rail-loop-benefits-don-t-stack-up-report
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« Reply #5 on: June 08, 2011, 05:33:16 pm »



Taniwha in the way of Auckland rail loop
MICHAEL FIELD
Last updated 11:02 08/06/2011

Auckland's dream train project, the $2.6 billion city loop, might have another problem to face - Horotiu the taniwha.
While the government says the project is un-economic, Mayor Len Brown has staked his political future on a tunnel under the central city linking Britomart station to Mt Eden.

But, says Maori Statutory Board member Glenn Wilcox, no one has asked the local Ngati Whatua about it at all.

And they are supposed to as the iwi was here first, he said.

"What's being done about the taniwha Horotiu who lives just outside here, and that tunnel will be going right through his rohe (area)," Wilcox told the Auckland City Council's transport committee.

He said today he is surprised that the council officials did not have answers, because they were not considering the Maori in planning the city.

"I love PDFs from the council, and I and just put the word Maori, tangata whenua or iwi into the search box and normally they do not come up with anything," he says.

"It concerns me that they do not see Maori as a component of the city, and that is where I come from."

Politically taniwha are not to be treated lightly.

In 2002 Transit New Zealand moved part of State Highway 1 after Ngati Naho of Meremere claimed it was cutting through the domain of one eyed taniwha Karu Tahi. In the same year, a Northland iwi unsuccessfully claimed a prison should not be built at Ngawha because of a taniwha.

Mr Wilcox said Horotiu's realm ran from Myer's Park to the sea, under the Town Hall and Queen Street.

Ngati Whatua acknowledged him by naming the creek that once existed there, Waihorotiu. With Pakeha settlement it became a sewer known as Ligar Canal.

"There are always ways to placate taniwha," Wilcox said.

"The Maori world has its own yin and yang, and taniwha had their own yin and yang.

"As kaitiaki or guardians they protect people, but they also get up and bite you if they do not like what you are doing."

Wilcox agreed that raising the taniwha issue was something of a shot across the bows of the super council and reminding them that the Maori Statutory Board existed and had issues.

"It is so easy to become a quasi San Diego or Brisbane and our whole culture is based on that kind of things. Kids are listening more to more rap than they are listening to Maori songs.``

Auckland kept comparing itself with other cities, he said.

"We are all comparing ourselves with Queensland or Perth; like the little brother who wants to ape the big brother." Even in Australia they were now thinking about the indigenous cultures.

"You cannot just replant Europe and Australia in New Zealand and have no regard with what came before."

While a taniwha was once considered a dragon or monster, veteran Maori studies academic Ranginui Walker has written that these days taniwha are a manifestation of a coping mechanism.

At the time of the Meremere decision, he said taniwha were peppered all over the landscape, noting that Maori use them to explain events, such as a string of fatal accidents on SH1 near Meremere.

"You have to placate local demons, deities, taniwha . . . don't tempt fate. Who knows the number of deaths along the Meremere straight caused by taniwha?" said Walker.

"They are sacred and familiar friends."

- Stuff

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/5114496/Taniwha-in-the-way-of-Auckland-rail-loop










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« Reply #6 on: July 10, 2011, 02:24:54 am »


Just how much of a ripoff is public transport?

By GARETH KIERNAN - The Dominion Post | 3:33PM - Saturday, 09 July 2011

FUNDING RULES: Government Policy dictates that public transport passengers shouild meet 50 per cent of the cost of the service. — Photo: The Dominion Post.
FUNDING RULES: Government Policy dictates that public
transport passengers shouild meet 50 per cent of the
cost of the service. — Photo: The Dominion Post.


IF YOU'VE ever sat on a train inexplicably stopped 500 metres from Wellington Railway Station, you have probably pondered the merits of public transport. Why not drive instead?

And how much extra would you be willing to pay if the public transport was reliable?

Greater Wellington Regional Council's decision to increase train fares by an average of 5 per cent from September has been panned by passengers — it means that train fares will have increased by about 40 per cent since 2005.

A common response is that the repeated fare hikes might be justifiable if the service had improved 40 per cent over the past six years. But that sort of improvement doesn't line up with the experience of passengers, and recent Treasury papers suggest there is another eight years of upgrade work before Wellington's rail network will be reliable.

Part of Greater Wellington's reasoning for increasing fares is that government policy dictates that public transport passengers should meet 50 per cent of the cost of the services.

Figures published last year by the NZ Transport Agency show the nationwide "farebox recovery ratio" is about 46 per cent.

In other words, the true cost of your $3.70 train ride from Petone to Wellington is probably closer to $8. The remainder of the fare is subsidised equally through property rates and central government funding.

The council's subsidy in the Wellington region last year amounted to about $85 per person, or almost $225 per household. Public transport is subsidised for two main reasons: to provide cost-effective transport for people who have limited access to a car; and to reduce road congestion, particularly at peak times.

However, the cost of transporting each passenger at peak time is probably much lower than the cost of providing off-peak services because the buses and trains are much fuller at peak time.

So the implied subsidy for peak-time travel is probably much smaller than for off-peak journeys, with peak-time commuters effectively topping up the running costs for services at off-peak times.

Given that Wellington has the most well-patronised public transport services in the country, it is surprising that ratepayer subsidies are also the highest in the country.

The fare revenue generated by the 25 per cent of the region's workforce that commute using public transport should make peak services highly profitable and help defray the costs of off-peak services.

Yet the average Wellington ratepayer pays 67 per cent more in subsidies than their Auckland counterparts and almost five times the amount faced by Waikato ratepayers.

In my view, $1 per household per workday is a small price to pay to reduce the number of cars on Wellington's roads at peak time by 20 per cent.

At first glance, $1 per day also seems reasonable to provide a socially responsible public transport system.

But I'm less convinced that Wellington ratepayers should pay considerably more than people in any other town or city, given that the Wellington system should be one of the most economically viable in the country.

Why are Wellington ratepayers being charged much more than anyone else? Is the 50 per cent farebox recovery ratio appropriate across all regions or should it be lower in regions where public transport is used less?

Is Wellington's off-peak public transport gold-plated and providing more "social assistance" than necessary? Is the combination of both rail and bus services cost-effective given the population size? Does a lack of competition in service provision mean that ratepayers are being ripped off?

The model for public transport provision is difficult. Rail services are at the mercy of a single provider. Wellington's bus services are monopolised by two companies, with little competition in tendering for service provision.

There are very few incentives for adequate service provision and the council has limited power to introduce them; even if incentives were in place, repeated penalties would risk forcing one of the few transport companies out of business, thereby causing considerable disruption.

NZTA's farebox recovery ratio target of 50 per cent is reportedly unpopular, but given the level of public transport usage at peak times in Wellington, I'd suggest that it should probably be higher.

That doesn't necessarily mean fares need to rise, but it may mean that off-peak services need closer scrutiny with a view to cutting back on ones that are losing money.

Questions also need to be asked about whether the current market-driven model is the most appropriate for providing public transport. Service levels may be better than they were before deregulation in 1989, but is public transport really better value for money as a result of private sector provision?


http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/5261232/Just-how-much-of-a-ripoff-is-public-transport
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« Reply #7 on: August 26, 2011, 04:11:26 pm »


Oh dear....poor JAFAs. Their traffic gridlock is SO bad, that they need real-time displays (which refresh every 20 seconds) to tell them how much longer they will be stuck in traffic gridlock before reaching their intended destination. How sad a life is that?   Shocked

Meanwhile, where I live, I can head up town in four minutes (on foot), or walk to work in ten minutes, so I KNOW the instant I step outside my door how long the journey is going to take without wizz-bang JAFA displays!   Grin





Airport commuters get real-time updates

By JESSICA TASMAN-JONES - Auckland Now! | 12:29PM - Friday, 26 August 2011

AIRPORT COMMUTERS now have real-time information detailing how long they can expect to sit in traffic for.

Today six real-time travel information signs between the central city and Auckland Airport were switched on.

The boards, which refresh every 20 seconds, tell drivers how many minutes they can expect to travel before reaching their destination.

Auckland Transport worked closely with the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) to secure the technology.

The NZTA already has real-time travel boards on parts of Auckland's motorway network.

NZTA's existing electronic signage at Hobson Street, Symonds Street and Queenstown Road, which detail estimated travel times to motorway off-ramps destinations, now include travel times to the airport as well.

Auckland Transport chief executive David Warburton says the additional signs will create a safer and more efficient road network.

"The technology will be of particular benefit to commuters, taxi drivers and tourists, particularly during the Rugby World Cup, when extra demands will be placed on the road network and there will a marked increase in traffic between Auckland's airport and city centre," he says.

Meanwhile, Auckland Transport is currently installing a new electronic system for carparking in Takapuna, Waiheke Island, and Jellicoe Street in Wynyard Quarter.

Once fully implemented, motorists will key their car's registration into the new machines when they arrive and when they leave allowing the system will calculate their parking fare.

Auckland Transport anticipates the new system will eventually result in a paperless carparking system.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/5513033/Airport-commuters-get-real-time-updates



BTW....do you wanna hear of something amazing?

I went searching for a photo to illustrate the above article. I opened a Google search page and typed in “Auckland gridlock” and clicked Google Search, then when the results page opened, I clicked on Images. Low and behold, the best Auckland traffic gridlock photo result came from this very thread at Xtra News Community 2 (the photo in the first message). Another image result also came from this same thread too!

I guess this means that Xtra News Community 2 must have a BIG footprint with search engines like Google....Cool

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« Reply #8 on: August 26, 2011, 05:01:22 pm »

Gee you're a sad git TJ.   Grin

If I lived 4 minutes walk from the shops I could walk there in 4 minutes too.   


 

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« Reply #9 on: August 26, 2011, 07:14:24 pm »

Well, we don't know one minute to the next how long it's going to take to get anywhere.  As soon as there is a break in the traffic, everyone seems to know you found a road that's working and all jump on it too. 

And the graders for the snow took off a lot of the repair work (especially where the roads were rippled badly) so it's like driving over judder bars most of the time.

So ya all can stop bitching for 5 minutes and take your hats off to us down here that get through a day without killing someone.

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« Reply #10 on: August 26, 2011, 08:03:36 pm »

They only have those in rippled roads in Chch?

I thought they were endemic up here in north Jaffaville. Mind you they have finally smooth out and taken away the orange cones from a lot of road recently. RWC side effect?

BTW if you want to check the suspention in your car gently try the north bound clippon lanes of the Harbour bridge. The tar seal may be unpatched and smooth but the deck isn't.

Quote
Meanwhile, where I live, I can head up town in four minutes (on foot), or walk to work in ten minutes, so I KNOW the instant I step outside my door how long the journey is going to take without wizz-bang JAFA displays!   
Guess what - I can walk to my local shops in under 3 minutes. If you consider 3 real estate agents, a chocolate factory, an accountant, a pharmacy, more than a handful of takeaways, a hairdresser, video shop, bottle shop, 4 dairies, 2 op shops, a bakery, a cafe and a postoffice a shopping area that is.

In Auckland our shops aren't all in one spot.
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« Reply #11 on: August 26, 2011, 08:17:54 pm »

Come 4:30pm the line outside RNZAF Base Woodbourne in Blenheim is insane! Sometimes I have to wait 3 minutes just to get across the intersection!
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« Reply #12 on: August 26, 2011, 10:42:28 pm »

Come 4:30pm the line outside RNZAF Base Woodbourne in Blenheim is insane! Sometimes I have to wait 3 minutes just to get across the intersection!


Considering you have posted in the past that you live just across the road from the base, wouldn't it be quicker to simply walk across the road instead of queueing up in your car to drive across the road?
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« Reply #13 on: August 27, 2011, 12:03:50 am »

Come 4:30pm the line outside RNZAF Base Woodbourne in Blenheim is insane! Sometimes I have to wait 3 minutes just to get across the intersection!


Considering you have posted in the past that you live just across the road from the base, wouldn't it be quicker to simply walk across the road instead of queueing up in your car to drive across the road?


He never mentioned being in a car. Wink
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« Reply #14 on: August 27, 2011, 08:24:17 am »

Come 4:30pm the line outside RNZAF Base Woodbourne in Blenheim is insane! Sometimes I have to wait 3 minutes just to get across the intersection!


Considering you have posted in the past that you live just across the road from the base, wouldn't it be quicker to simply walk across the road instead of queueing up in your car to drive across the road?


It would be if I didn't have to drive to daycare first to pick up my daughter
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« Reply #15 on: November 14, 2011, 12:39:02 pm »

Business lobby wants transport tolls for all
By Mathew Dearnaley 5:30 AM Friday Nov 11, 2011

Auckland business leaders want tolls for all transport users - and not just car drivers - to contribute to big road and rail projects.

The Auckland Business Forum says a $2 toll for all trips on the regional's strategic transport network would raise more than $700 million a year, to cover repayments on loans to fill a $10 billion funding deficit.

It says in a submission on the 30-year Auckland Plan that non-road public transport services, meaning rail and possibly ferries, could carry a toll portion in ticket prices.

That would reinforce fairness by spreading the cost of a "ring-fenced" group of high-priority network improvement projects across all transport users, says forum chairman and Auckland Regional Chamber of Commerce chief executive Michael Barnett.

The forum, a federation of eight groups including the chamber, the Northern Employers and Manufacturers' Association, the airport and port companies, the Automobile Association, and the National Road Carriers' Association, has highlighted three main projects.

Its top priority is an east-west highway corridor from Pakuranga to Onehunga likely to cost about $2.5 billion, followed by the $2.4 billion central rail tunnel proposal, both of which it wants completed by 2020.

Included in the corridor project would be a reconfiguration of the $1.5 billion "Ameti" package of roading and busway improvements between Pakuranga and Glen Innes, which is on Auckland Transport's books but not due for completion until 2033.

The forum says a "ladder" road corridor linking Mt Wellington and Onehunga is also long overdue to cater for more daily freight traffic than on any other state highway except Auckland Harbour Bridge.

Next on its list is a new Waitemata Harbour crossing, which it wants completed by 2030 and which Transport Agency consultants estimate will cost $3.9 billion if built as a bridge or $5.3 billion as motorway tunnels.

It says a possible $6 toll to use both a new bridge and the existing one, as suggested by the consultants, would be unfair on daily commuters from the North Shore and a more modest network-wide charge would be fairer.

A central rail tunnel would also make road trips easier for longer periods of the working day - especially for freight. But the Government says a convincing business case has yet to be made for the tunnel.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10765234


Editorial: Tolls on rail and ferries likely to backfire
5:30 AM Monday Nov 14, 2011


There is a surface allure to the Auckland Business Forum's view that all transport users, not just motorists, should contribute to the city's big road and rail projects. If nothing else, it seems fair to spread the burden.

Accordingly, the forum says, the price of tickets for rail and possibly ferry trips should include a $2 toll to complement that being paid by car drivers. These tolls would raise more than $700 million annually to cover repayments on loans to fill a $10 billion funding deficit.

The idea is included in the forum's submission on the 30-year Auckland Plan as a means of financing a "ring-fenced' group of high-priority network improvement projects. At the top of its priority list is the east-west highway corridor from Pakuranga to Onehunga, which is likely to cost about $2.5 billion, followed by the $2.4 billion inner-city rail tunnel plan, both of which the forum wants completed by 2020.

Factors other than fairness could be used to justify its funding suggestion. Many Aucklanders use both their cars and public transport during the course of a week. All modes of transport stand to benefit if the rail loop, in particular, is successful.

Indeed, if it is the catalyst for a significant easing of traffic congestion, some people now using public transport could start using their cars more frequently. If all Aucklanders stand to benefit, is it not reasonable for them all to contribute by way of tolls?

Unfortunately, however, the Business Forum's case has a serious flaw. The major thrust of transport spending in recent years has been to get people out of cars and on to trains, buses and ferries, thereby lessening congestion on the roads. To attract and retain patronage, public transport has not only to be fast, frequent, convenient and comfortable. It has to be affordable.

The danger of making a $2 toll part of ticket prices is that this will cease to be the case. If so, many public transport-users would return to their cars, creating greater road gridlock. The forum's prescription has the potential to be a spectacular own-goal.

Perhaps a more notable part of its submission is the high priority that it accords the rail loop. The road corridor from Pakuranga to Onehunga is, understandably from its perspective, top of its list. It caters for more daily freight traffic than any other state highway except the Auckland Harbour Bridge. But the forum's promotion, as a second priority, of the rail loop suggests that, unlike Transport Minister Steven Joyce, it is convinced of its cost-benefit merits.

This view could, of course, also hinge on the fact that forum members stand to be major beneficiaries of a project that advocates say will boost business and employment in a revived city centre. They also note that the rail tunnel would make road trips easier for longer periods of the working day.

However, in terms of getting such work under way, the forum's core approach of linking its proposed funding with big projects - including motorway tunnels for the next Waitemata Harbour crossing - is not particularly helpful. It is more likely to muddy the waters than provide clarity, thereby slowing progress. There is more appeal in Mayor Len Brown's proposal to concentrate initially on the rail loop, and to hold a referendum on the road tolls and congestion charges that he sees as the best means of paying for it.

Aucklanders will have to be convinced to pay for this in some shape or form. That will occur only if they recognise it is in their best interest. Many motorists will have an instinctive aversion to tolls or a congestion fee and see it as a punitive way to fund a rail project. But they would surely be even more annoyed if a broader-based toll served only to make the city's roads more congested over the next few years.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10765787

How the hell did these Auckland Business Forum idiots get to be positions of responsiblity?

On a more positive note....

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 #16 on: December 02, 2011, 11:53:26 am »


MPs take a stand on Auckland transport

Auckland Now! | 5:00AM - Friday, 02 December 2011

A SECOND harbour crossing. An inner-city rail link. The Puhoi-Wellsford highway. Proponents of initiatives that would cost billions of dollars say the work is crucial to keep Auckland moving, and make the city one of the world's best to live in.

But where do some of Auckland's new MPs stand on transport? Jessica Tasman-Jones asks them.


______________________________________

Phil Twyford — Labour, Te Atatu

LABOUR MP: Phil Twyford.
LABOUR MP: Phil Twyford.

Supports the city rail link and a tunnel for the second harbour crossing, but doesn't support the Puhoi-Wellsford Highway in its current form.

Labour supports smoothing out bottlenecks and improving accident black spots along the route at a cost of $300 million — much cheaper than the current $1.7 billion price tag.

Twyford says savings achieved would go towards the city rail link and says it's fair for the government to contribute half of the $2.4b rail cost because "Aucklanders pay taxes too".

He says Labour supports a harbour tunnel future-proofed for rail.

Another project he supports is a bus way from his west Auckland electorate into the city. He says on a bad day a trip from Westgate to the city takes up to an hour but this could be reduced to 20 minutes with better public transport.

He says Labour doesn't have any set views on congestion and network charges but they should be considered.


______________________________________

Maggie Barry — National, North Shore

NATIONAL MP: Maggie Barry.
NATIONAL MP: Maggie Barry.

Wants to see the city rail link go ahead but "only if the business case ultimately stacks up".

She says the government is already making a $1.6b investment in Auckland commuter rail, and thinks the costs and benefits of second harbour crossing options need further assessment.

"I prefer a tunnel rather than a second bridge which would be very difficult to get consents for — but again it all comes back to the dollars working."

Barry describes the Puhoi-Wellsford Highway as an "umbilical cord" for the future of the north. She says it will save time for freight carriers and improve dangerous stretches of road.

The continued development of the Western Ring Route is a further piece of Auckland infrastructure she supports.


______________________________________

Andrew Williams — New Zealand First, list

NZ FIRST MP: Andrew Williams
NZ FIRST MP: Andrew Williams

The former North Shore mayor says the capabilities of 57 new electric trains, due to arrive in Auckland in 2013 will be redundant without the city rail link.

He criticises Britomart's "one-way-in, one-way-out" configuration and says a loop would unlock the Auckland rail network, and that the government should contribute to the cost.

"I certainly think it has to be a combined ratepayer, taxpayer contribution. We keep talking about Auckland being the powerhouse of the nation and wanting it to be a full international city, we can't do that if the government doesn't get on board with the funding of that rail network."

Williams says a second harbour crossing needs to happen in the next 10 years and he supports a tunnel.

He says the Puhoi-Wellsford Highway has to be completed "eventually" but problem areas should be prioritised in the short-term.

He'd also like to see the completion of a ferry terminal at Takapuna and one at Brown's Bay, one out at Hobsonville, "and properly utilising the ferries so we could move a lot more people around the region".


______________________________________

Denise Roche — Greens, list

GREENS MP: Denise Roche
GREENS MP: Denise Roche

The Waiheke resident "absolutely" supports the city rail link because it "takes a phenomenal amount of time [to get around the city] due to congestion".

She is opposed to tolling because Aucklanders pay enough through rates, ACC and taxes but says congestion charges could be used to incentivise people to use public transport once Auckland has that infrastructure in place.

She supports a tunnel for a second harbour crossing which would include rail to the North Shore and she says some work does need to be done on the Puhoi-Wellsford Highway but not at the billion dollar cost being proposed.

She says she'd like to see Auckland become more cyclist and pedestrian-friendly.

"At the moment it really is a city of cars."


______________________________________

John Banks — ACT, Epsom

ACT MP: John Banks
ACT MP: John Banks

Says the city rail link is inevitable but a more robust business case is needed.

"I want to see planning, modelling and funding options around cost benefit analysis before I would sign up to say let's get cracking.

"I can say, however, the inner city rail loop will happen. When, I can't tell you."

He says a tunnel is "likely" for the second harbour crossing and says it is a medium-term project for the next 20-25 years.

He supports the Puhoi-Wellsford Highway but says the most critical roading project for Auckland is State Highway 20 between Mount Roskill and Waterview.

He knows there's "not much cash and a lot of work to be done".

"I clearly understand that the Auckland Council is biting off more than it can chew and runs a very serious risk of a credit downgrade."


______________________________________

http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/6070043/MPs-take-a-stand-on-Auckland-transport
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« Reply #17 on: December 02, 2011, 12:18:47 pm »

As much as I really hate to be agreeing with Andrew Williams - in this instance he is right. Nice to see that the others are saying much the same, even Maggie Barry isn't entirely towing the party line although she is when it comes to the Puhoi-Wellsford highway.

However I reckon that us Shorites will be reduced to using vehicular ferries (again) before the present government will do anything about an additional harbour crossing.
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« Reply #18 on: December 29, 2011, 08:48:50 am »

Heavy traffic build-up on Auckland motorway
5:11 PM Wednesday Dec 28, 2011  Email
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The closure of two Auckland Harbor Bridge lanes is causing a large backlog of north-bound traffic on the city's southern motorway.

Traffic heading north is almost gridlocked for about 10 kilometres, from the Ellerslie exit, all the way up to the bridge.

The bridge's two clip-on lanes have been closed by the NZ Transport Agency since Boxing Day for routine resurfacing work.

The closure will last until Sunday 8 January 2012. As well as the two bridge lanes, the Curran Street on-ramp and the Stafford Road off-ramp will also be closed.


- APNZ
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10775653
We have travelled south over the bridge several times in the last week. We have been returning home via the Northwestern and Upper Harbour motorways instead of the shorter more direct route over the Harbour bridge.
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« Reply #19 on: December 29, 2011, 09:39:10 am »


One good thing about SH3 through the Manawatu Gorge being closed has been a drop-off in holiday traffic on SH2, which is just down the end of my one-block street, and which I have to cross to get into the main shopping street in Masterton (the residents of my street have been petitioning Masterton District Council for several years to put in a pedestrian crossing across SH2 at the end of our street, but the buggers won't budge).

Over recent years, I have noticed a massive build-up of traffic on SH2 during holiday periods as Wellingtonians heading north try to avoid the logjam of SH1 through Kapiti, with many of them then using SH3 to cut back to the western side of the dividing ranges and regain SH1 or other highways to continue their journey north, after leapfrogging the worst of that Kapiti conjestion.

However, with SH3 through the Manawatu Gorge being out of action, and reported major conjestion problems on the Pahiatua Track and Saddle Road, that huge build-up of holiday traffic has not occured this Xmas holiday season, apart from the usual increase in traffic between Wellington and Hawke's Bay/Gisborne-East Coast. I guess SH1 through Kapiti must be really clogged up instead.

So it has been considerably easier to cross Chapel Street (SH2) to get into town, to the supermarket, etc.
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« Reply #20 on: April 22, 2012, 10:01:04 pm »


The last day of Wellington's original light-rail system back in May 1964....



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« Reply #21 on: April 23, 2012, 12:28:28 am »

somewhere amongst my bits and bobs from yonder years is the ticket i got for travelling on the last Tram along with a coloured Postcard given out ...

my mates dad drove the last tram [ i think one of many that day ] both ways  ....

mate and i travelled both ways and in the clip we can be seen dressed in our " sunday best " .....

the land that the Tram Barns were is owned by the local Maori Tenths Trust and was gifted to Wellington City Council to be used for social housing where 283 bedsit one bedroom and two bedroom flats were build over two sites in 6 buildings ....

many of the bedsits were originally used by Fletchers staff in Wellington during the 70s building boom and when that finished they were rented to " retirees "

today the whole complex is under the WCC housing upgrade programme where the configuration of the apartments is changing turning them into one two and 3 bedroom accommodation .....

1 block of 32 bedsits is being demolished as it was the 1st built and is uneconomic to upgrade so the land is becoming open play space ....




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« Reply #22 on: April 26, 2012, 05:09:09 pm »


Don't you love the way Wellingtonians can chuck a huge spanner in Aucklanders' works? 



Auckland train services shut down

The New Zealand Herald | 5:05PM - Thursday, April 26, 2012

File photo: Chris Skelton.

A POWER OUTAGE has shut down all train services across the Auckland region.

Passengers at Britomart Transport Centre are being advised to take buses after a major power fault.

Trains in between stations are now being pulled up into platforms, allowing passengers to disembark.

Limited services on the Eastern line have just started running.

Veolia Transport says it is trying to source as many rail bus services and taxis for customers on the network as it can.

The fault at KiwiRail's National Train Control in Wellington, which controls Auckland signals and radio control, occurred about 4pm, and it is not know how long train services will be affected.

Britomart was packed with frustrated commuters at about 4:30pm.

A Britomart worker said rush hour traffic meant it would take "a long time" to replace trains with rail buses.

Passengers were being warned to expect severe delays.

Rail tickets are accepted on the following Buses: NZ Bus, Metro link, Waka Pacific, Howick & Eastern and Go West.


http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10801630
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« Reply #23 on: April 26, 2012, 06:43:09 pm »

Auckland train services suspended
JESSICA TASMAN-JONES Last updated 17:29 26/04/2012

LATEST: Auckland Transport says signalling has been restored on the city's rail network and limited train services have resumed, after a major power outage at a Kiwirail hub in Wellington.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6812656/Auckland-train-services-suspended

Did Mickey Mouse immigrate and design the Auckland rail control system?

How the heck does a power cut in WELLINGTON cause trains at the other end of the island to grind to a halt

Haven't they heard of back up power supplies or UPS?
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« Reply #24 on: April 30, 2012, 07:56:07 pm »

How the heck does a power cut in WELLINGTON cause trains at the other end of the island to grind to a halt

Haven't they heard of back up power supplies or UPS?


I guess they could always be creative and try to blame Telecom....

After all, Telecom provide the connection between the Train Control Centre at Wellington Railway Station and the rest of the country, including Auckland.
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If you aren't living life on the edge, you're taking up too much space! 

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