Onehunga – the next Helensville?
It has been disappointing to see the Helensville train service cut, seemingly largely because only one train each way per day was provided, and also because the train took too long and ran at a pretty unhelpful hour of the day.…
14 Comments The Parking Subsidy
I have hinted in a few posts recently about how the transport system is distorted by the provision of “free” parking, particularly at workplaces and shopping centres – and even more distorted by council rules known as “Minimum Parking Requirements“. I have posted on this matter before, but I think that this is such a tremendously significant issue that I really do need to fully explore the subsidies towards car users that minimum parking requirements provide.…
Electric Cars – not the solution?
An interesting article in the NZ Herald today on electric vehicles:
Sorry, EVs won’t save the planet says study
A British study has labelled as a “myth” the idea that a wholesale switch to electric cars (EVs) would automatically reduce CO2 emissions and dependence on oil.…
RLTS Submission
Well I have made a start on my submission on the 2010-2040 Regional Land Transport Strategy. Submissions are open on this very important transport strategy until December 18th. Making a submission is pretty easy, and you can either use the template and “hints” provided or come up with your own suggestions.…
Curitiba’s BRT – a model for Auckland?
Curitiba is a city in Brazil that has interested planners and transportation experts for many years now, because it has created an exceptionally effective public transport system and avoided many of the chronic congestion problems faced in other developing world cities around the world.…
Sneak Peek at Electrification
Courtesy of Andrew, from the Silverstream blog, we have a sneak peek at what electrification will look like. For a start, here we are looking towards Glen Eden Station: Next up we’re looking towards Swanson Station: And Middlemore Station on the southern line: And finally, Papakura Station:It seems like quite a nice and simple design is being used for the ‘poles’, and we’re not getting the somewhat dominant full overhead supports that can look pretty ugly indeed.…
Regional Public Transport Plan
There’s an interesting bit of information in the September 2009 ARTA monthly business report that hints at yet another transport strategy/plan that will be released shortly. It reads:
The draft Regional Public Transport Plan (RPTP) is being finalised and will be released for public consultation in November.…
Rethinking Streets in Paris
Here’s another great video by the Streetfilms project, on streets in Paris. The video explores traffic calming amenities Paris has installed. For example, in several areas of Paris curbs have been removed and bikes, pedestrians, buses and taxis coexist at low speeds.…
Do we need some stick with that carrot?
I went to an interesting discussion last night on Auckland’s public transport, what’s wrong with it and how we can make it better. The discussion was headed by transport planner Julie-Anne Genter, who is very knowledgeable in the field of transport planning, particularly in the area of looking at what the hidden subsidies are of various different transport options and what we need to do in order to rebalance our transport options and, in the end, save ourselves a whole heap of money.…
Public Transport Statistics
A very kind reader has sent me a bunch of statistics on public transport in Auckland, as well as other cities throughout New Zealand and Australia. They make for interesting, if rather sobering, reading. For a start, let’s have a look at per-capita annual public transport boardings between 1999 and 2009 across a bunch of Australian and New Zealand cities: The results here look pretty disappointing for Auckland – which only increases from 39 trips per year per person to 41 trips per year per person.…
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