It’s another Friday and we’re inching closer to the end of the year. Here’s some of the stories that have caught our attention this week.

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Today’s header image is by Dave Walker, via Bluesky – Dave also has a Substack newsletter, Diagram Club.

This Week in Greater Auckland

Hot of the presses

Some fresh (good) news announced this morning – though it shouldn’t have taken this long to get to this point.

Driver safety screens to be installed on Auckland buses

Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed news from the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) that bus driver protection screens will be installed across Auckland’s bus fleet by 2026.

“The Government is committed to improving the safety of working environments for bus drivers, and Budget 2024 allocated $15 million of Crown funding over two years to do just that,” Mr Brown says.

“The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), who administers the funding on behalf of the Government, has now concluded assessments on the first round of nine bids from Public Transport Authorities (PTAs) for funding across Auckland, Greater Wellington, Nelson-Tasman, and Hawke’s Bay.

“Today, I am pleased to confirm that an agreement has been reached to approve a bid for funding to retrofit full length driver screens for 80 percent of Auckland Transport’s bus fleet by 2026, or approximately 1,100 buses.

“Bus drivers do an important job in our communities and the Government is committed to helping keep them safe as they go about their work. These hardworking New Zealanders often work with little to separate them from their passengers. Safety screens will provide protection and ensure our service continue to run smoothly and safely.

“In addition, NZTA is also considering funding to deliver driver toilet facilities and an on-board live CCTV trial for 30 buses, with results of this trial informing how Auckland Transport will roll out further CCTV cameras in future.

“I look forward to these initiatives being delivered as soon as possible, and other funding bids to be confirmed in due course once final agreements are made.”

An example of driver protection from overseas

Watercare capacity map

Last week Watercare revealed a map showing where there is capacity for growth throughout the region and where there are constraints. It’s notable that many of the areas with the capacity constraints are where some of the most development is currently allowed  – while some areas, like the central isthmus, have capacity for growth but more constraints on housing and development. Go figure.

Perhaps somewhat related, perhaps removing this red tape and allowing more housing in places like Epsom could be a focus of the new Ministry for Regulation’s new ‘Red Tape Tipline‘?

Needlessly Negative about AT

For some in the media, going after AT seems to be a bit of a sport, and they criticise the organisation even when it does something good. An article from Radio NZ a few days ago is a perfect example.

On Sunday AT launched the ability to pay for public transport directly with a credit/debit card. This is a good step as it makes it easier for more people to use PT and will eventually be part of the new national ticketing system.

AT has been very clear that the current implementation isn’t best for all trips though, as anyone needing a concession fares or looking to make use of the $50 a week fare cap will still need to use a HOP card. Those things will come once the new national system is implemented.

So it was weird to see Radio NZ so heavily highlighting that one minor issue:

Thomas Michael Daly, another frequent user, expressed disappointment: “I was excited about the convenience, but I wouldn’t get the discount. I rely on that… Yeah, kind of disappointed.”

Christina, a minimum wage worker, commented: “It’s accessible, but more expensive. It doesn’t make sense. You want to give the cheaper option, especially with the cost of living. I’m getting minimum wage.”

She will continue using her HOP card because it is cheaper.

University students Rosie and Honour expressed frustration at the inability to use their student concessions with the new system. Honour said: “It’s convenient, but the full fare is hard for some parents to afford.”

David, who uses a gold card, feels the new system is not ideal for older people: “I prefer the old card. The new contactless payment is good for those who are tech-savvy, but it’s not ideal for older people.”

If you’re someone who already has a concession loaded on to a HOP card, it’s not like this makes using PT harder or more expensive – you can just keep calm and carry on.

RNZ did however manage to find someone who the new options are ideal for:

Jakub Přikryl, 25, who recently arrived from the Czech Republic, believes the new system is a great idea because many people use mobile devices or cards daily.

“I arrived three days ago and didn’t know how to pay. I’d really appreciate being able to pay through mobile.

“It’s much easier because I don’t carry cash. I’ll definitely use it.”

I hope AT also plan to advertise this feature well at places like the Airport.

Parking

Complaining about parking prices and enforcement is a classic of this genre, and we’ve seen that this week too  – like this article complaining about AT fining people for ‘parking in their own driveway’… which leads with a picture of people doing exactly that and blocking the footpath.

Further, as this image helpfully shows, ‘your driveway’ doesn’t begin until inside your property boundary.

Perhaps the one thing that does stand out is that many people say they’ve being doing this for years without getting ticketed, so why now. Given the recent increases in parking fines set by the government, perhaps AT should do a quick communication campaign to remind people what is allowed and what isn’t.

Botany Bus Station

Still on the topic of AT, last week they celebrated new slightly upgraded bus stops at Botany Town Centre, claiming this is happening three years ahead of plan.

A new bus station at Botany Town Centre is set to provide immediate benefits for the community and will serve as a crucial link for the Eastern Busway when it opens in 2027.

Transport Minister and MP for Pakūranga, Simeon Brown cut the ribbon for the bus station today to mark its official opening on Sunday 17 November – three years ahead of schedule.

…..

“We’ve re-built the footpaths, improved the curbs, upgraded the bus shelters and enhanced the road infrastructure, making sure the station is ready for frequent buses that will carry 18,000 passengers along the Eastern Busway each day between Botany and Panmure Train Station.”

The station will enable buses to use the existing route via Tī Rākau Drive and Te Irirangi Drive to connect with the Eastern Busway in Burswood. It will serve as an interim link when the Eastern Busway opens in 2027 until funding is confirmed for Stage 4 of the project.

As noted at the end of the announcement, this was meant to be a proper bus station. However, AT has never even released consultation images of what is planned for Botany and instead has just done a quick improvement to some existing bus stops at Botany Town Centre. Calling this a new busway station delivered three years early is quite a stretch.

I also note that it was raining last Friday, and these shelters – the same type planned for the new train stations in Drury that we criticised recently – can barely hold the ~30 people at the ribbon-cutting event. How will they shelter the expected number of bus passengers?

Our road obsession visualised

We know the government’s roads obsession runs deep, but Oli Lewis from Business Desk noticed that in the Treasury’s Quarterly Investment Report, Waka Kotahi is looking to spend $120 billion over the coming decade, dwarfing other government agencies by a considerable mile.

The cost of that road obsession

The cost of that road obsession means even small, successful, and highly popular programmes all around the country are being cut. Like this example from Whanganui:

Whanganui’s “deluxe” Let’s Go cycle programme will be stripped back following a major funding shortfall.

Currently in its seventh year, Let’s Go works to integrate cycling into schools and provides training and activities for people of all ages. Funding of $1.9 million – split 62/38 between NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) and Whanganui District Council – was requested for the programme for 2024 to 2027.

However, NZTA is only providing $218,860. The council’s share brings the total to $353,000 for the next three years. Let’s Go Funding for 2021 to 2024 was $1.1m.

…..

“There has been huge buy-in across the community, from new entrants to 85-year-olds,” he said. “At the moment, there are even schools locally taking kids for activities or events, like going to the [Sarjeant] art gallery, on bikes.”

There had been “a huge drop-off” at some schools in the number of parents transporting children in cars.

Bridge in Enfield, UK named after ‘legendary’ cat Barney

An ‘aawwww’ example of the connections we build in walkable spaces. Here’s hoping to a bronze Barney statue for the locals to keep petting!

A listed footbridge in north London is to be named after a cat called Barney, following a campaign by residents.

Locals, who said they looked forward to petting Barney as they passed by, described how he used to spend his days on the bridge over the New River in Enfield until his death three years ago.

“Riverside icon” Barney was known for standing his ground when dogs came along, with some dog-walkers saying they would go a different way to avoid a confrontation.

Enfield Council said: “It is clear from the reaction to Barney’s death there is genuine enthusiasm from local residents to create a memorial for him.”

Picture: Gentleman’s Row, River View and Holly Walk Residents’ Association

Good reads

Launch of a new book by Coby Lefkowitz on how to make our cities better!

What makes speed limits a culture-war battlefield?

Will Hayward writes in the Guardian about the wide success of, and the manufactured battle over, the 20mph (30km/h) speed limits in Wales.

However, a year on from the scheme’s introduction we can see pretty strong evidence that the 20mph limit is very effective in saving lives and preventing injuries. We now have the road collision data for the first three quarters since the policy was introduced and the figures are pretty clear. Compared with the same period the year before, the number of people killed on the affected roads is down 35%, serious injuries are down 14.2% and slight injuries 31%.

…

So why all the outrage? Well, it turns out that much of it was manufactured. In January of this year I did a little digging through four of the main Facebook groups opposing the change to 20mph in Wales. I found that in each case one of the admins was a Tory councillor from Sunderland who has, and this is hilarious, campaigned to have 20mph limits in parts ofhis home town.

…

The experience in Wales is a lesson for the wider UK and beyond. Evidence-based policy does work, but you have to own it, explain it and stay the course. It costs political capital, and politicians need to be brave. In a world where facts and evidence matter less and less, it is all the more vital that we stand by that evidence to take our nation forward (at an appropriate speed).

The century-long maintenance cost of roads, and the communities who pay for them

An omen for our locally defunded footpaths and the lock-in cost of roads, from the UK’s longest running pothole dispute.

The people in question are her neighbours on Whitebarns Lane in the sleepy village of Furneux Pelham, where the average house is more than £1m and looks like something out of House & Garden. Unlike the mansions that hem it in, the 1950s cul-de-sac where Wright has lived for 27 years is part social housing. It is also the subject of the UK’s longest-running pothole dispute, with the county council refusing to resurface the stretch of Whitebarns Lane that links its 30-odd homes to village amenities including a primary school, church and bus stop, and residents refusing to resign themselves to a life of punctured tyres and falling in the mud.

…

With potholes thought to be at a five-year high, and local authorities facing an estimated £16.3bn road maintenance backlog, Wright’s brand of anti-pothole rebellion is spreading across the country.

…

For its part, the Hertfordshire county council maintains that Whitebarns Lane “is, and always has been, a private road over which a public footpath runs” – meaning it is not its responsibility to resurface it. In a statement to the Guardian, it noted that the district council built the social housing in the first place, and that it is now managed by an external housing association. While it “can’t justify spending public money” on repairing Whitebarns Lane, the county council added, it would continue to maintain the lane as a public footpath.

…

It has been reported that Hertfordshire county council is facing a cumulative deficit of £56m by 2026, representing 5% of its net budget. According to the councillor Adam Hug, a transport spokesperson for the Local Government Association (LGA), it’s not alone in having “to prioritise road repairs according to local circumstances including pressure from other council services, inflation and a £16.3bn local roads repair backlog”. Research conducted by the LGA in 2023 found that the reduction in funding to repair local roads in the UK outstripped almost every other OECD country.

Some great posts across the socials this week…

Also, we’re on Bluesky now. Come on over – the air is clear and the horizons are enticing!

If you've fantasized about blowing up your local expressway blocking access to the waterfront, here's what it looks like (Rio de Janeiro)

— Urban Upgrade Global (@urbanupgradeglobal.bsky.social) 2024-11-14T15:52:28.235Z

As someone who works on language revitalisation, one of the things we care a lot about is the restoration of old place names. For this reason, I wanna share this map of Auckland compiled in 1938.The map has a bit of a backstory, so indulge me for a moment.

— Caleb Moses (@mathematiguy.bsky.social) 2024-11-14T19:39:22.089Z

Today in relatable science: Gulls making a mysterious daily trip that turned out to be to a potato chip factory

— Brooke Jarvis (@brookejarvis.bsky.social) 2024-11-15T20:15:15.323Z

Latest Diagram Club newsletter posted this morning. Lots of Household Problems, and this drawing: 'Congestion'. diagramclub.substack.com

— Dave Walker (@davewalker.bsky.social) 2024-11-18T10:18:15.753Z

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39 comments

  3. Re parking: AT have cameras on some cars ,that pick up all manner of parked car infringements,including WOF,rego and poor, or overtime parking.
    Presuming the process has very little human involvement, cue the outrage ,when new parking
    revenue is released.
    Simeon is good at keeping in the spotlight,re Botany bus shelter,but one of his pet projects,110 kph ,has some serious flaws. The modifications done/being down on Waikato Expressway, result in the roadway retaining water even in light rain. Felt very uncomfortable at 90 kph,heavy vehicle,elevated driving position.
    Lane markings disappear,general visibility compromised. I guess the next spend on this ,will be overhead gantries,with revised speed limits(80 kph),when it’s raining.

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  4. I’m one of those people who reports cars parked on the footpath when I simply cannot walk past and have to go onto the street to continue my walk. I take photo, send all the details and then I get update from AT: no action taken or something like that. I have a neighour who parks just on the footpath. There is his house, then fence, then lawn (that he could also fit his car into, but obviously shouldn’t) then footpath and then street with PLENTY of parking. He would on occasion use the lawn (that would sink a bit under the car weight) but generally parks his long car on the whole footpath. The whole car length is on actual footpath (I’m not talking about driveway). I reported him many times. Same response from AT: no action taken or needed or something like that. So he just leaves the car there for the whole day. It actually pains me when I see older people (i’m near retirement village or nursing home of some sort) navigate around it and how much time it takes for such an old person to perform a simple (for us) manouver. I could understand if you don’t have parking available but if the whole street has a free parking what in the world is your reason to park on the footpath. Just can’t wrap my head around it. Anyway some time ago I just stopped reporting anything to AT cause it’s clearly a waste of time. It reinforces my belief that AT cannot cope with any aspect of their work. Not PT, not cycleways, not parking, nothing. Rant over. Thank you.

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    1. Our society doesn’t care much for pedestrians. I was once told off by (what turned out to be) a plain-clothes policeman for telling him to move his car off the footpath. He even admitted he wasn’t on any urgent call, and that I should have just stepped around!

      To be fair to him, when I explained why – blocking the footpath is NOT something that everyone can respond to flexibly, think of people in wheelchairs or similar – he was more understanding. But the fact that even the police casually ignore such a basic rule brought it home to me how car-centric we think here.

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    2. I took a look at the NZ Road Code and it states:

      “When you drive across a footpath, such as going in and out of a driveway or supermarket carpark, you must give way to people using the footpath.”

      I interpret that to mean that pedestrians have right of way over cars if the pedestrian is walking past a driveway at the same moment that a car is entering or exiting. I would also infer that blocking a footpath with a car is, if not exactly a crime, then at least not permitted.

      Does the Road Code carry any force in law?

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      1. This is the law :-
        Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004
        4.4 Giving way when entering or exiting driveway
        (1) A driver entering or exiting a driveway must give way to a road user on a footpath, cycle path, or shared path (as described by clause 11.1A(1)).
        6.14 Parking on footpaths or cycle paths
        (1) A driver or person in charge of a vehicle must not stop, stand, or park the vehicle on a footpath or on a cycle path.

        Nothing ambiguous there.

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        1. Thanks for the clarification. The law seems very clear-cut then.

          Anecdotal evidence suggests that parking on footpaths is commonplace which implies that the authorities generally can’t be bothered to do much about it.

          I wonder how swiftly the police would appear if I decided to sit down in a traffic lane just because it suited my convenience?

    3. I also report cars parked on the footpath, pity AT does nothing about cars parked on berms.

      The Local Board recently released the results of consultation on some roading changes. One change that was not consulted on was to chop up a large grassed traffic island to provide more parking. Currently a person uses the space for their business, parking trailers with cabins on them.

      Local Board said they got feedback from locals that more parking was needed so decided to change the outcome, outside of the consultation. Would be far cheaper to get the person to move their business onto private property, than spend more money making carparks that aren’t needed. No wonder people get angry with the Council and Local Boards. You participate in the consultation and they just change the outcome on a whim.

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    4. Kia ora MattZ.

      I wholeheartedly agree and applaud your “rant”.

      Like you, I always report vehicles parked on footpaths and am dismayed at how pedestrians are treated like third-class citizens.

      A suggestion regarding your entitled neighbour.

      Speak with the nearby retirement homes and ask that they address a letter to the resident about his illegal parking and its impacts on the community and the dangers it presents. I am sure the families of the rest home residents would also be rather unhappy about the situation.

      Do you have a local community Facebook / Neighbourly page where you could anonymously post photos and innocently ask “Does anyone know who this arsehole is? Does he want to kill my nana?” – Shame can do wonders in curbing anti-social behaviour.

      If its a work vehicle with signage or logos – go straight to the companies Facebook or other social media channels, anonymously post the photo and ask if this is the sort of driving you expect from your employees?

      I would recommend you don’t engage with them directly, I have been on the receiving end of physical violence for simply telling people they are parked illegally. Thats why I strongly recommend online anonymity for that sort of thing.

      Or you could be more direct, but I DO NOT recommend that:

      https://yplac.co.uk/shop/

      I now refer to NZ motorists as “Martyrists”, Christ! The endless griping and complaining. They sound like junkies complaining about how they can’t find a vein or a fix and its always someone elses fault.

      Reply

  6. The entitlement of some people with regards to parking on footpaths and public spaces! “your own driveway” would by definition be on your land, not council owned land, and the council could not fine you for parking on your own land.
    Honestly AT need to do more on this, parking on footpaths is just as bad as parking in disabled parking spots etc.

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  7. “…NZTA is also considering funding to deliver driver toilet facilities and an on-board live CCTV trial…”

    I wouldn’t want to be the NZTA staff member responsible for monitoring THAT video feed

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    1. This is one of the kind of things for which AI could actually be quite useful (watching mind-numbing amounts of data in near real time for dangers or crimes) – once we iron out the technical issues and risk of bias.

      Of course the big problem with that will be that it depends on what we define as a crime. The Brave New World might make bus drivers a lot safer from violence, but also could be used to instantly punish even small political protests or “deviance” that the state doesn’t like. Orwell’s 1984 will have nothing on what will be possible with AI-controlled surveillance…

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      1. I just think it’s amazing that they can fit a toilet inside the safety screen area, plus have video in the toilet. Modern technology, eh

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    1. Although when asking about this at council meeting yesterday they did say their reporting pages worked better than snapsendsolve. So the system easiest for the public is not necessarily the one that gets action.

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      1. Used to use this, but could wait a week before a response from the authorities. Excellent for reporting car parking violations (not)
        Is it any better now?

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        1. Yeah not sure it worked for my Chorus one I did on it, if so took months/years I have to check actually. Good idea but not sure is handed on well.

      1. Or if it is a problem on a Road, the Auckland Transport Website has a readily accessible, Report a Problem, menu option.
        I have used it several times, and have been generally impressed with the timely follow up, and then action, especially when external contractors were involved.
        The only notable failure was some years ago.
        When one division of AT, Bus Service Management, needed to interface with another, Major Roading upgrades, which meant bus drivers for a time were instructed not to stop at the the nice new bus stop, complete with shelter, but instead 150 metres up the road where the new roading layout had made absolutely no provision for bus stopping. But this is where their computer said the bus stop was at.
        It took several attempts to get this rectified generating several nonsensical replies, even with supplied photos.
        It was resolved after a more responsive call centre operator was persuaded to use Google Street View that exposed the nonsensical earlier replies.

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        1. I’ve had pretty good responses from both the Council and AT forms. Currently have an issue though on the Penrose bridge path having a broken concrete “tile” – big leg and bike breaking/fall off potential I had to learn to dodge and duck under the tree at the same time (no not riding the road, nearly died couple of times doing that). It’s bouncing back and forth between AT and NZTA over confusion originally by the reply to me thinking it would be NZTA. Pretty sure it would be AT as it’s a footpath not the structure or motorway. Haven’t looked again lately but must be about 2 months now. Oh AT sent to NZTA and I waited waited nothing so did the NZTA report problem form directly myself..then the back forth.

  9. Was disappointing to hear AT staff on a train giving out misinformation about the new payment options. They said you get charged the cash fare for using a credit card, which is wrong. Hopefully most people start using their credit cards anyway and realise it works perfectly fine.

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    1. One thing I noticed testing in Apple Pay, was I got charged a default adult fare for tagging on then off again (different tag post, not sure that should matter) at a train station. I may have stuffed up tagging 3 times, but pretty sure only beeping and the display confirmed the two times.
      Also noting I needed to put in the phones passcode even though I set it as a transit card (maybe first time it requires it? or AT being conservative).
      Actually it declined but because I didn’t have enough in the account I presume lol. So I see they have a checking facility I didn’t expect you put in your card number and it shows the transaction history (no locations though) etc and you can query transactions etc.
      https://at.govt.nz/bus-train-ferry/contactless-payments/contactless-payment-history
      I had also did different leg of the journey with a real debit card.
      Using the real card number showed up both the real Debit Card & linked Apple Pay devices/transactions.

      Reply

      2. Also to add that in the Apple Wallet transaction detail it does show a location though, not sure which it will pick if tagged off actually somewhere else I’m guessing the end of the journey will be used.

        One more thing: didn’t realise there is a daily cap:
        Contactless customers are eligible for the daily fare cap: Ride all you want on AT buses, trains and inner-harbour ferries and pay no more than $20 per day. The fare cap will be applied automatically. Inner-harbour ferry services include Devonport, Bayswater, Birkenhead and Te Onewa Northcote Point.

        For access to our 7-day fare cap of $50, you will need to pay with your AT HOP card.

        Reply

  10. If you don’t like the balance of Infrastructure investment then Te Waihanga New Zealand Infrastructure Commission is currently consulting.

    See the document here:

    https://tewaihanga.govt.nz/national-infrastructure-plan/discussion-document

    Submission deadline is 10 December 2024

    It should be made clear that when the Infrastructure Commission talk about investment what they’re really saying is “Roads, More Roads, and other minor things of lesser importance we spend a lot less money on… like hospitals and housing for people in need, and sustainable transportation..”

    When so many roads do not have a positive return on investment this is not ‘investment’ – it’s burning money.

    Reply

  11. I’m sure there must be a unit standard in BCITO training for Tradies covering “how to park on the footpath” given how universally they do so.

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  13. I get really annoyed when vehicles are blocking footpaths especially when walking our two dogs however in this photo I really don’t see it too much of an issue. There appears room for pedestrians to pass.

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        1. Why should we have to though? Maybe a group of people walking together, kids in hand, prams, mobility devices. Yes, sure, there are worse examples though. Little kids on bikes might *happen* to scratch past the car paint.

  14. The whole point of the water and waste water constraints is to discover them in the areas where there will be development so they can shake down the developers for cash and assets. This is how our Council Controlled Organisations work.

    Reply

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