AT starting to address our concerns about CRL comms

We have been fairly critical of the attempts at communication that Auckland Transport have done to date on the CRL. The biggest problem being that there they have been underselling the project with vague comments about the benefits while also not doing anything to address some of the common misconceptions about the project. Some of it is understandable because the project team are likely focusing on more technical aspects related to the getting the designation sorted out however with a project that still has so much debate around it, I have suggested that more effort is needed so that people can actually understand the impacts it will have.

In recent weeks though we have started to see some of the communication coming out of AT dramatically improve. Both the video and written comms produced for the roll out of the new PT network were fantastic and set a new benchmark (if you haven’t watched the video it is below).

http://youtu.be/TSPArxouaIY

CRL pagePositively we are now starting to see some of the concerns that we raised about the CRL be addressed too. On their e added a diagram showing just how trains might run in the future which clearly shows that trains won’t run around a loop in circles but instead will pass through the city centre and out to another destination. This is much like some of the suggestions we have made before, although without the spur to Dominion Rd that we think is a good idea. It means you could have a one seat journey from the new development in Orakei to watch an event at Eden Park or to go shopping in Newmarket.

I suspect that over time the exact routing pattern could change but in my mind, the most important thing right now is to dispel the myth that trains are just going around in circles. Also interesting is that it shows an arrow carrying on from Onehunga, hopefully we will see more information about that project soon.

There have also been some updates to the benefits of the project including this bit which accompanies the image above.

The CRL completes a “missing link” in Auckland’s transport system, benefiting all of Auckland. The investment will help shape Auckland’s future by supporting the increasing population and driving economic growth.

By getting rid of the dead end at Britomart and joining the rail network through the city to the west it allows a train about every seven to 10 minutes from most Auckland stations.

An independent study, produced in collaboration with central government, shows the CRL, combined with bus improvements, is the only way of meeting transport demand for the city centre within the next 30 years.

Further in a separate page about the benefits of the project they say:

The City Rail Link has transport benefits for large parts of Auckland, including for road users.

Making public transport a better travel choice will ease pressure on roads for those who need to use them.

The benefits come from “joining up” the rail network, allowing trains to run both ways through Britomart, doubling the number of trains that can run. This will mean trains a lot more often at all Auckland stations.

With the CRL, rail can carry about 30,000 people an hour in peak. If the Britomart dead end isn’t removed the limit is 15,000 an hour. In comparison, a single motorway lane can carry 2400 people an hour.

• A train about every five to 10 minutes at peak for most Auckland stations;
• Makes future expansion of the rail network to the North Shore, via Wynyard Quarter, and the airport possible;
• More people on trains will free up roads for those who need them;
• The only transport option to keep speeds on city centre roads dropping to 7km/h by 2021;
• More road space for buses for parts of Auckland not served by rail, such as the North Shore. Without the CRL major bus routes will be at or over capacity in 2021;
• The number of people within 30 minutes train travel of a city centre rail station will double;
• Quicker travel and better access to more parts of the city centre with three new stations near Aotea Square, Karangahape Rd and Newton (near Symonds St/New North Rd intersection).

During the past decade, rail patronage has increased from 2.2 million trips a year to 9.5 million – a growth of 332 per cent. Further growth of the rail system, including increases to train frequency, is constrained by the dead end at Britomart which caps the whole network’s capacity.

This is much improved on what has been said before and covers many of the points we have previously raised. Further segments discuss the economic and urban regeneration benefits – which includes some unfortunately small before and after images of Britomart. The last segment though was quite interesting based on the debate that is emerging as a result of the City Centre Future Access Study. We have mentioned before that it appears both the Government and Ministry of Transport have shifted their positions on the project. From previously saying it wasn’t really needed, the debate now seems the debate is to do with when the project is needed. Auckland Transport say it is needed in 2021 while the Government and MOT are suggesting 2031. The page gives a bit of information about the two options.

2031

• Other options for transport access to/around the city centre are exhausted
• The transport problem will be sufficiently bad to justify the City Rail Link (based on standard transport analysis)
• “Standard” economic thinking is that major benefits are achieved through travel time reduction which requires congestion to worsen for it to be “economically” efficient to build CRL

2021

• Lead development and shape the city centre
• Intervene before problems get too bad.

All up it is good to see some changes being made to help better inform the public. Now we just need to get our elected officials to read it.

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