Auckland Transport have released a new video with quite a neat visual style talking about many of the projects they’re working on to make public transport and active modes better.

One aspect I quite like is that they talk about the capacity limitations of the traffic lanes as a reason why we need to invest in alternatives that can carry more people. Yes you may want to drive but when everyone else does too it just doesn’t work.

Good work AT, this is definitely one of your better efforts.

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19 comments

  1. Great video, very clear facts and messaging, and well presented.

    So yep one of the better videos from AT so far.

    As it says at the end – 31,000 new Aucklanders are coming every year from now on – whether we’re ready or not.

    AT (and Auckland Council) – you need your transport systems to be ready.

    So AT – are you ready? Are you up to mark here?

    Or are you simply going to do the same old, same old, “cars first” solutions and then wonder why we’re getting March Madness on the PT each and every month?

  2. This is a great video! The capacity of vehicle lanes depends on how many people are in each vehicle as well as how many buses are using the vehicle lanes. I see Uber have launched formal ridesharing in Christchurch this morning.

  3. It does show cars parked in a street with a tram in it – I think Dominion Road. I think we expect no parking there once there are trams?
    But yes, impressive indeed.

  4. Speaking of ferries to Hobsonville and bigger boats – March madness is affecting the Hobsonville ferries too. I counted only 5 spare seats on the 8am ferry on Tuesday morning. It won’t be long before we’ll literally need a bigger boat.

  5. Great video. 🙂 But can the promise be kept?

    I know it’s been said before, but if the usage in March was adequately serviced, then usage in April / May / June / etc… might not be much different.

    I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard; “I tried to use public transport, but I waited ages for a bus that wasn’t full….. so I gave up and used my car.”

    I’d be very wealthy. I don’t want to be wealthy that way.

  6. Absolutely excellent video. Great long term vision. I think that AT still should have a team that looks and has the power to implement the “quick-fixes” too, as there is so many of them, that if we’re only looking at the long-term solutions, these wouldn’t happen. I already shared it with someone I spoke this morning about adding extra motorway lanes won’t fix our problem. Excellent once again.

  7. I get the idea that AT’s PR department gets what is needed in Auckland and knows what we want to hear, but the rest of AT is still the same old cars first 1960’s think thank. When will AT actually do what it claims needs to be done.

    1. There’s ‘people who get it’ all through our institutions, and even some awakening among those who don’t. But this is a time of fast change and some are wedded to the prejudices and certainties they formed in a different age, and are resistant to new information and thinking, at all levels and roles. So they will have to be moved on for Auckland to move on.

  8. What a great piece from AT. Very clear, flows well. Sells PT and active modes well and explains the limits of the motorways. Excellent work!

  9. Can anyone explain how the frequency to Swanson post-CRL can be maintained at 10 minutes when the map of the proposed running pattern shows Swanson trains all running to Onehunga – which is limited to 30m frequencies due to the single track section.

    I understood the plan was to double-track the Onehunga line, but that the double tracking was quietly dropped at the same time Newton station was dropped.

  10. The extra trains turn back at Newmarket. I’ve heard some suggestions that they can squeeze three trains an hour out of Onehunga with a little work, so it might be every second one goes the whole way.

    Don’t think Onehunga double tracking was every part of the plan exactly, it was never included in the cost.

    1. Hmm that seems to add more complexity and reduce the legibility of the running pattern. Would be so much better to have a simple pattern, eg Manukau to Onehunga via CRL and Swanson to Papakura via CRL. Two routes, both every 10 minutes all day; 5 minutes at peak. Clear, predictable, elegant.

      1. Well of course taking the full frequency to Onehunga would be ideal, and two main lines running through every ten minutes is the goal. But there is potentially hundreds of millions of double tracking works to make that happen, so for now some have to turn short.

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