We need to step up on road safety, not cut targets
Last year was terrible on Aotearoa’s roads, with 379 people tragically and unnecessarily losing their lives, the highest number in a calendar year since 2009. Last year’s toll also represents a grim and ongoing reversal: a massive 50% higher than the 253 lives lost in 2013, which was a historic low after a decade of steady reduction in road deaths.…
51 Comments 2023 – The Year Ahead
Welcome to 2023. After wrapping up 2022 before Christmas, here’s a look at some of the things we can expect to see and will be watching for this year. Public Transport
Public Transport Disruption
Disruption to our PT network dominated much of last year, first with the driver shortages then with news of the planned rail network shutdowns, the first of which is now underway. …
2022 – A Year in Review
With the year quickly drawing to a close it’s time for a quick wrap up the most important things that happened and WOW, what a year it’s been.
Thank you to everyone who has visited the blog and supported us in making Auckland greater.…
Eastern Busway Government Funding Top Up
On Saturday the government announced they were putting an extra $200 million into funding the next stage of the Eastern Busway from Pakuranga to Botany.
“Auckland’s eastern suburbs have one of the highest levels of journey to work trips by car and lowest use of public transport in Auckland.…
Flashback Saturday: Why AWHC is the stupidest transport project ever
Most weekends we dig into the archive. Because AWHC is back in the news, we have brought out a post first published almost exactly a decade ago in December 2012.
In the fallout from the release of the City Centre Future Access Study last Thursday and the government’s rather bizarre response to it, for some reason there seems to have been renewed discussion about the Additional Waitemata Harbour Crossing (AWHC) project.…
Who pays when roads and parking are “free” to use?
This guest post by George Weeks originally appeared on The Spinoff and is reposted with kind permission.
It might seem like a good deal, but toll-free roading results in congestion and free parking leads to frustrated circling. Drivers end up paying with their precious time – and the social cost is huge. …
New Harbour Crossing Survey
The government yesterday announced a consultation on the options for a new harbour crossing.
Aucklanders are being asked to have their say on one of the most significant city-shaping projects for Tāmaki Makaurau in coming decades, the Waitematā Harbour crossing, Transport Minister Michael Wood has announced.…
A few more ideas to plug the council’s revenue gap
Yesterday I covered the that the council has revealed it has a $270 million operational cost gap that it needs to fill, largely caused by higher than expected inflation and interest costs. A lot of public discussion has already begun on how to address that and it seems to be focusing on things like selling the council’s airport shares or leasing out port operations.…
Wayne Brown’s expectations of AT
Last week, Auckland’s new Mayor, Wayne Brown, started a new trend by publishing a letter a day on various priorities of his, with mobile phone blackspots on Sunday, Three Waters on Monday and the Port on Tuesday.
On Wednesday his focus turned to Auckland Transport, from whom he demanded a “complete change in approach“:
“You appear to have been focussed on changing how Aucklanders live, using transport policy and services as a tool,” he wrote.…
Midtown Streets Regeneration starting soon
With the City Rail Link tunnelling now complete the major civil works at the Te Waihorotiu station will soon be completed and some of the focus can shift to the above-ground works.
Earlier this week Auckland Council and Auckland Transport confirmed that early next year, work will start on the planned improvements to Victoria and Wellesley Streets, which are “a pivotal part of the city centre’s midtown regeneration programme“.…
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