The largest transit system in the world began with but a single line, something to keep in mind when thinking about Auckland’s PT future:
Note: The videos have not been uploaded very well and you may need to jump forward and back a bit
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Interesting – this video certainly acknowledged that London’s urban form followed its transport network once the Tube got out into the then countryside…
I think because we talk a lot about building rail in Auckland through existing neighbourhoods and the positive density effects it will have we often forget about the sprawling effect rail can have through greenfields…
Their railway lines served much the same purpose as our motorways in allowing for urban expansion. However, in London that was done generally at pretty high densities through terraced housing, and the people became rail dependent rather than auto-dependent. Which is much more sustainable.
I remember reading somewhere that London’s transport CO2 emissions are similar to Auckland’s, even though London has around 6 times the population of Auckland.
That is the big selling point, any outward development is essentially sprawl and people have to get around but rail leads to so many more desirable outcomes…
The essential point that things start with a small single step is so often overlooked by those in Transport, being, as they are, engineers trained to see things as a complete package.
I have consistently said often that there will be a high speed rail service between Auckland, Whangarei and Hamilton. Say it often enough and people start to believe in the possibility of such a service, which is more achievable than thinking about a high speed service between Auckland and Wellington.
We should force all transportation people to build, in public view, a bookcase or something similar. Start with one piece of wood and eventually you have a bookcase. This will enforce the message that yes, you do have to start somewhere.
I agree Christopher. That’s why I like Mike Lee’s idea of getting trams to link Britomart with the Tank Farm area. Once you have it started somewhere it’ll be relatively straightforwards to extend it…