Tolling

It’s interesting to see that the NZTA board has recommended that the “Tauranga Eastern Link” road of National significance be “sped up” by having a toll applied. Here’s the press release in full: The NZ Transport Agency Board has recommended that tolling be progressed as a funding option for the Tauranga Eastern Link project.…
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More on the SH16 widening

A few months ago I analysed the proposed widening to State Highway 16 in Auckland, from a rather critical aspects – as in my opinion it is a rather pointless task spending $860 million to widen a motorway when, over the course of just a few years, I think it’s quite likely the motorway will end up just as congested as it is now – due to the effects of “induced demand“.…
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Additional trains for Xmas Shopping

ARTA seem to finally be getting the message that public transport might be useful for more than just workers in the CBD going about their commuting (last Sunday’s experience notwithstanding), with their announcement that there are going to be extra trains running on the Eastern Line to provide good access to Sylvia Park shopping mall – during its extended opening hours.…
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Destroying Public Space

Not to focus too much on Wellington as this is an Auckland Transport Blog, however decisions made around the country give an insight into what we can expect in Auckland. Here is what’s in store for Wellington Central, as part of the Wellington Airport to Levin road of National significance announcement: Yup, that’s the good old Basin Reserve cricket ground (heritage listed by the way), with a flyover right next to it.…
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Transmission Gully to go ahead

Whilst I realise Transmission Gully is in Wellington, and not Auckland, I think the decision today to proceed with the Transmission Gully Motorway project – even though its cost-benefit ratio is around 0.3-0.5 – has some pretty big implications for wider transport decisions throughout the country.…
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The Public Transport Management Act

When I look back at this year, from a transport perspective, I guess overall the feeling is that “things were turning into a mess, but largely they’ve been sorted out”. Electrification’s still happening, integrated ticketing’s still happening, there’s an investigation into the CBD Rail Tunnel underway, funding for Project DART is continuing, and so forth.…
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Rudman on Infratil

An interesting article by Brian Rudman on the Snapper/Thales integrated ticketing fiasco in today’s Herald: After the big spin, Infratil’s a loser I hadn’t thought of veteran Auckland public relations man Cedric Allan as the Grand Old Duke of York. Not until he took on his latest campaign to try to persuade Aucklanders that Infratil’s Snapper smartcard had won the battle to bring integrated public transport ticketing to the region.…
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