Electrification Update to the December Transport Committee …. again
The other day I posted some videos from the last transport committee that covered off updates that were given by AT and Kiwirail on what is happening with Electrification and the EMU’s. After doing so I went to see if the presentation itself had been put onto the councils website as a week ago when I looked it hadn’t been but this time it was there and gives some more insight to what is happening. …
5 Comments What can New Zealand learn from public transport in Asia?
Last week I was invited to appear on the Asian Radio Show on RadioLIVE to discuss the topic of what New Zealand can learn from public transport in Asia. Having spent a large part of this year travelling across Asia by public transport I guess I can now consider myself something of an instant expert on the topic, or at least I’ve had plenty of experiences to curry an opinion on the topic. …
AMETI Panmure contract signed
There seems to have been a lot of progress on the Panmure section of the AMETI project in recent times, and that progress has continued with today’s announcement of a preferred contractor to construct the first section of this project:
Auckland Transport has awarded a contract for one of Auckland’s biggest transport construction jobs, a $180 million project to start dealing with traffic congestion in the eastern suburbs.…
Why is Council having to bail out NZTA?
Some rather concerning news has hit the headlines over the past day or two, about how Auckland Council is having to cover transport subsidies that NZTA would normally pay for – on the basis that NZTA will ‘pay the money back’ at some point in the next few years.…
Electrification Update to the December Transport Committee
A few weeks ago at the last transport committee there were presentations by both Kiwirail and Auckland Transport updating the committee on aspects of the electrification project. Much of it is probably already known by those that follow transport issues regularly but there is some new bits of information in here.…
Urban Sprawl: further thoughts
My post the other day on the Productivity Commission’s housing affordability report generated a number of really good comments – but also prompted me to have some further thoughts on the issue. But before I get onto that, the excellent Bob Dey Property Report makes some criticisms of the study too that are worth commenting on:
The difference of opinion between central & local government on whether Auckland should have an urban boundary is well known, but the commission’s calculations before reaching the conclusion that Auckland needs to make more land available – and preferably 20-year supply – are remarkably poor.…
Better value for money from rail
While it’s certainly essential for Auckland to have a well functioning rail system, as we’re a growing city with little ability to squeeze more out of our roads particularly easily, the ‘turning around’ of Auckland rail system over the past decade has undoubtedly been an expensive – but necessary – task.…
Housing affordability and sprawl
The good old ‘compact city’ versus ‘urban sprawl’ debate has been reignited – with a Productivity Commission report on Housing Affordability pointing the finger at land-use regulation as a major cause for reduced housing affordability over the past decade: particularly in Auckland.…
AWOL AirBus ticket machine at Auckland International Airport
Arrived back in Auckland tonight after spending the last few months working for TransLink in Brisbane.
I walked out of the terminal intending to catch the AirBus but – much to my amazement – could not find a ticket machine. I never carry cash and the ticket booth was closed at the time, so I had to get a shuttle home instead. …
Rail shutdown begins
With electrification works in full-flow, and major track realignment works necessary to construct the Parnell Station, disruptions to regular train services start tomorrow and will continue right through until the latter part of January. The closures are outlined below:
Rail line closures:
Saturday 17 December and Sunday 18 December – Waitakere to Britomart, Papakura to Britomart via Newmarket, Onehunga to Britomart, and Papakura to Otahuhu.…
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