Jam tomorrow

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1. Draco T Bastard 1

   25 March 2017 at 2:29 pm

   No need to go any further. Auckland’s problems are urgent now, a 30 year wait is not a solution.

   And it damn well shouldn’t be light rail. It needs to be able to carry freight as well.
   • Once etc 1.1

     25 March 2017 at 8:50 pm

     exactly.
     More short term thinking – even from those trendistas at TTB. Very very insular thinking that fails to take account of the fact that Auckland is not just [Auckland] airport, but an airport that serves a region and adjacent regions.
     So be it. But then don’t moan when things like the Port of Tauranga makes the Port of Auckland irrelevant, or when Hamilton becomes more attractive for airfreight some time in the future.
     Maybe that’s actually a sensible solution now I think about it.
     When I think [Auckland] (despite having lived there once upon a time), it just reminds me of the city of Cudda Shudda Wudda, and of course Rodney Hyde
   • ProRail Nz 1.2

     25 March 2017 at 10:16 pm

     Totally agree. The line is already at Onehunga. Anyone who has been to Sydney knows how effective heavy rail is.
     Ho are you going to get all those tourists and there bags onto a tram?
     • jcuknz 1.2.1

       26 March 2017 at 9:02 am

       I think you are totally mistaken when you talk about trams. Having traveled on ‘Light Rail’ in Denver and Portland I can assure you it is very unlike a tram which ran past my home in London and even the ones at Blackpool. It most likely will be wide gauge instead of narrow 3’6″ ‘Heavy Rail’ NZ adopted in the 19th century and stuck with now. Go to Ferrymead in CHCH and you will see old style trams carrying tourists … but Light Rail is far advanced with loading systems for the handicapped. As for OAB’s call for goods traffic , another ignorant writer who doesn’t know that rail is for bulk goods going longer distances than around town where electric trucks would be a better solution.

       But a better idea than buying and knocking down a swath of property across Auckland would be to look at Vancouver’s ‘Sky Train’ which as its name suggests carries its passengers above the surrounding buildings. Something like it was published awhile ago carrying a form of light rail above regular vehicles on the road below.
       • One Anonymous Bloke 1.2.1.1

         26 March 2017 at 1:06 pm

         OAB’s call for goods traffic, another ignorant writer…

         1. I suggest you learn to read people’s names.
         2. Who looks ignorant now?
         3. Go fuck yourself.
         • jcuknz 1.2.1.1.1

           26 March 2017 at 1:49 pm

           AH! The admirable politeness of OAB 🙂

           And Weka think of the double saving of less flying AND efficient transportation to the airport.

           Having used rail in Los Angeles and ‘sailed’ past clogged multi-lane highways. Tip … take the free ‘G’ bus airport to local rail station and travel cheaply to city centre…. pensioners $3 v. $30 taxi with SWMBO 🙂
           It is interesting in the ‘car-country’ that rail, light and regular, is expanding for passenger traffic and declining for freight.
           I doubt for narrow-gauge that an hour and a half Ak -WGTN is possible.
           Though living on SH88 it would be wonderful if trucks were banned from it ,
           currently I have a particularly annoying bit of road where the seal is shrinking and to date has been patched up four times by the contractor.
       • Draco T Bastard 1.2.1.2

         26 March 2017 at 5:19 pm

         As for OAB’s call for goods traffic , another ignorant writer who doesn’t know that rail is for bulk goods going longer distances than around town where electric trucks would be a better solution.

         No, electric trucks wouldn’t be the better solution for these reasons:

         1. We’re talking about goods between the airport and port. You’d run the rail between the two and then have distribution centres in strategic locations on the rail corridor.
         2. Multiple trucks going to and from the airport on roads uses more resources both in the trucks themselves and in maintenance.
         3. It would be possible to integrate it with the existing rail network so people would be able to switch trains at a couple of locations and go north/south.

         But a better idea than buying and knocking down a swath of property across Auckland would be to look at Vancouver’s ‘Sky Train’ which as its name suggests carries its passengers above the surrounding buildings.

         The SkyTrain is an option but I think that Auckland is more suited to a subway. The SkyTrain would have to knock some buildings down and building heights near them would have to kept down when the city needs to be built up.
2. weka 2

   25 March 2017 at 2:41 pm

   We also need to stop flying so much, has that been factored in? Is the investment worth it if in 30 years there is a lot less need for transport to the airport?
   • Draco T Bastard 2.1

     25 March 2017 at 2:57 pm

     I suspect that having rail out to the airport would still be a good investment.
     • weka 2.1.1

       25 March 2017 at 3:04 pm

       I don’t know the area so don’t know if it can be used for other things eventually.
       • Sacha 2.1.1.1

         25 March 2017 at 3:23 pm

         The original plan was a full rail line from Onehunga via Mangere to the airport (and its expanding local businesses) and on to Manukau. But our current clown government and their NZTA stooges decided they really really prefer moar roads everywhere regardless of fitness for purpose or cost-benefit ratios.

         So it’s buses from the airport along one of the busiest start-stop roads in Auckland funnelling into a city centre with not enough roadspace for them. Meanwhile they insist on a new motorway for trucks along the Onehunga foreshore nearby, the projected cost of which has already tripled to $1.8b. Yet spending about the same on airport rail that fully interconnects with the regional network and frees up CBD roadspace is ‘too much’.

         Without even considering climate change, this govt have been destructive arseholes on transport their whole time in office.
         • Ad 2.1.1.1.1

           25 March 2017 at 5:40 pm

           Buses to airport = zero public $$

           Rail to airport = capex billions of $$, op ex millions $$ per year

           And including all that new concrete and steel, would rail really be better for the environment than using the existing motorway?

           How many houses for poor people could a good government build with that $$ instead?
           • Draco T Bastard 2.1.1.1.1.1

             25 March 2017 at 8:01 pm

             And including all that new concrete and steel, would rail really be better for the environment than using the existing motorway?

             Yes. It will use less of those than the more roads any other plan will produce.

             How many houses for poor people could a good government build with that $$ instead?

             And where would they build them?
             And how much would the transport cost?
             And how much more will continuing with highly inefficient to the airport cost?

             It’s is far more complicated than you make out.
           • Sacha 2.1.1.1.1.2

             25 March 2017 at 9:42 pm

             The alternative involves building an extra busway along some of the route, not just taking existing roadspace (which will provoke howls of outrage, never popular with local politicians).

             Electric trains are sure better environmentally than diesel buses, which we would need to buy more of, so not zero capex.

             There is simply no space at the CBD end of the line to fit more buses – as the Central City Future Access Study showed several years ago now.

             I highly recommend reading transportblog.co.nz for historic background and analysis on this and other transport policy topics.
             • jcuknz …

               26 March 2017 at 9:09 am

               I think from memory of 1996 visit that while the Sky Train goes above ground across the suburbs it is underground in the central city area.
               • lloyd …

                 27 March 2017 at 12:03 am

                 jcuknz unfortunately the light rail route gets the nod because it is the cheapest capital cost. Why is it cheapest? Because it will run on the existing roads through most of its route. It will not be a skytrain. It will not be fast because it will be stuck in traffic and will stop every block or two all along the route.
                 Light rail to the airport will be fine and will cut down on fossil fuel use, but a world class service requires a dedicated route with only two or three stops to the city centre. Such a rail connection will be fast enough to make a car journey to the airport from central Auckland a slow alternative. Light rail to the airport will always be the slow mode.
                 Rail as an extension of the Onehunga line or as a branch from Papatoetoe will be built by a country that is not run by Cylons.
   • Red Hand 2.2

     25 March 2017 at 6:06 pm

     How on earth can a 30 year prediction be believable ? If predictions for the 20th Century are anything to go by. Admittedly predictive accuracy has probably improved, but 30 years ?

     http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=89969
   • Foreign waka 2.3

     26 March 2017 at 10:05 am

     If a train can reach Wellington – Auckland within an hour and a half I am for it.
     What is far more important is to design the rail system to take all heavy loads and trucks off the road. The cost reduction doing this will be in the multi million dollar mark. Not to mention the environmental impact.
     But then again, vested interests….
3. Matthew Whitehead 3

   25 March 2017 at 3:09 pm

   Labour should definitely attack them about their new slogan being “A Brighter Future: In 30 years.”
   • greywarshark 3.1

     25 March 2017 at 3:49 pm

     And Insert (Perhaps, Possibly, Maybe) before the in 30 years. Seriously, not go for the short sharp slogan. Have one a little longer that makes more impact by stressing the truth!

     With no truthiness or ‘virtue signalling’ responses.
     Insist that we have railway signalling!!
   • weka 3.2

     25 March 2017 at 6:12 pm

     Lol. A Brighter Future: In 30 Years (unless climate change is real).
     • Bill 3.2.1

       25 March 2017 at 7:04 pm

       Hm. So let’s say the rail was going to be built tomorrow.

       Where is it running from and where is it running to and why? Because CC.

       Get what I’m saying?

       If the rail was to be laid to provide a service that’s going to be obsolete in 2050 because of CC, then why build it? If it’s going to be running over land that will be under sea in 2050, why build it?

       I don’t know the lay of the land in Auckland, but I know if there was an idea to bring back passenger trains to the S. Island (remember trains?) then I’d want the plans to be looking at the topography and the likelihood of dry land in 2050/60 or in whatever the expected life time of rail rail infrastructure is … actually, call it 2100 minimum.

       And I’d also want the likelihood of the services even ever being used investigated or appraised given the social transformations that are going to be taking place. Would travelling by train from Ch/ch to Dunedin (say) make any sense in a world beset by the effects of CC?

       At the moment that journey could be made for business reasons or for plain recreation or consumer reasons. Will those reasons still exist? Or will the compulsion to travel between waterlogged cityscapes be “not very high” on anyone’s agenda?
       • weka 3.2.1.1

         25 March 2017 at 10:40 pm

         Yep.

         I think if we believe that we will have the industrial capacity to build and maintain rail over the next hundred years (including post-quake repairs), then it makes sense to build rail, and move vulnerable lines, as this enables distribution of goods which even for food security alone is probably sensible. But a full audit of road, rail and sea in the context of CC would be the sane thing. Oh well 😉
       • jcuknz 3.2.1.2

         26 March 2017 at 9:13 am

         Good points Bill so also putting it off for 30 years could be another good idea 🙂
         • Bill 3.2.1.2.1

           26 March 2017 at 11:45 am

           Not so much a good idea as an accidentally fortuitous consequence of having no idea 🙂
       • Draco T Bastard 3.2.1.3

         26 March 2017 at 5:22 pm

         If it’s going to be running over land that will be under sea in 2050, why build it?

         You may have noticed that most subways in the world are under water. The NYC subway has to pump out several million litres every day.
     • greywarshark 3.2.2

       25 March 2017 at 7:20 pm

       weka
       This almost calls for a caption column. Like – How National Party’s rousing slogan should really be sold to the punters.
       • weka 3.2.2.1

         25 March 2017 at 10:42 pm

         Hopefully someone with photoshop skills will make up some billboard images. Thinking about it, I think there was an online National Party billboard image generator at the last election.
         • ropata 3.2.2.1.1

           25 March 2017 at 10:50 pm

           National:
           We will clean up the rivers… in 30 years!
           We will put rail to the airport… in 30 years!
           We will solve the housing crisis… in 30 years!

           Voters:
           OK maybe I will think about voting National… in 30 years!
           • greywarshark 3.2.2.1.1.1

             26 March 2017 at 12:30 pm

             That’s a good billboard message Ropata. Seems so rational that all those rational National voters who still read and think must be persuaded.
           • Antoine 3.2.2.1.1.2

             26 March 2017 at 1:58 pm

             Thats pretty funny
           • Tamati Tautuhi 3.2.2.1.1.3

             26 March 2017 at 5:23 pm

             You forgot fixing Auckland’s sewerage in 30 years evidently it is on the verge of collapse and they are predicting it could collapse this winter?

             Hopefully it doesn’t get into our drinking water?
           • Matthew Whitehead 3.2.2.1.1.4

             26 March 2017 at 5:54 pm

             Yeah, hopefully someone in Labour comms is coming up with some devastating burns about National taking 30 years to do anything. XD
         • greywarshark 3.2.2.1.2

           26 March 2017 at 12:28 pm

           weka
           Hey that’s clever. I admire all these geeks though not wanting to imitate them and keep doing what I know but better and more, basic work is enhanced with their advanced skills and creative ideas.
   • NZJester 3.3

     25 March 2017 at 9:06 pm

     The National Parties brighter future is always 30 years away. 30 years from now it will still be 30 years away under a National government.
     Most of the long-term planning and infrastructure has taken place under Labour Governments.
     The Britomart Transport Centre was something that National called a white elephant when it was built and they canceled its planned expansion. It, however, has proved not to be a white elephant and canceling the expansion was a bad idea.
     Without it, Auckland traffic would be even worse than it is now.
4. WILD KATIPO 4

   25 March 2017 at 3:14 pm

   ” Seems for this government problems are either “too hard” – getting water exporters to pay for it ”…

   THINK WATER !!!

   Read this and replace ‘ oil ‘ with water.

   Our water. And at the same time understand how the far right try to use Venezuela as the standard with which to measure social democracy without citing the REAl reasons why to justify their neo liberalism …

   Venezuela and Saudi Arabia: Sharing wealth | The Gisborne Herald
   gisborneherald.co.nz/opinion/2360740…/venezuela-and-saudi-arabia-sharing-wealth

   gisborneherald.co.nz/opinion/2360740…/venezuela-and-saudi-arabia-sharing-wealth
5. Ad 5

   25 March 2017 at 3:30 pm

   This government has spent more on rail than any government since Muldoon.
   Quite a lot of it was on track upgrades, new trains, fixing up tracks after earthquakes, and dump-trucks of “turnaround” funding since it struggles to make any money.

   But it’s also funded a lot of the Auckland track upgrades since 2008, continued with electrification there, paid out ever-increasing operational subsidies in Gold Card and other rising operational costs …

   … and then there’s the biggie: 50-50 partnership with Auckland Council on a $3.5 billion underground rail link through the center of Auckland.

   Plus, committed to a second harbour crossing with both car traffic and rail to go to the North Shore.

   Give this government the hate-down all you like, but this government have pulled off a transformation in public rail travel, and have also continuously strengthened Kiwirail itself.
   • WILD KATIPO 5.1

     25 March 2017 at 3:42 pm

     Yeah , – but what about THIS ? :

     https://usercontent1.hubstatic.com/12627666_f496.jpg
   • Keith 5.2

     25 March 2017 at 4:27 pm

     This government have funded fuck all rail upgrades. Actually make that NONE.

     All the work done to the track network was by the previous Labour government, including the Onehunga renewal, the Manukau Branch and the double tracking of the Western line, all done in conjunction with and support of the then ARC.

     The self funding electrification that was well down the planning and ordering route was cancelled by none other than the idiot Joyce only to be brought back very late as a half billion dollar loan for the people of Auckland. Because of the delay by this moron the ARC and subsequent councils spent 10’s of millions to refurbish second hand diesel rolling stock to see out the indefinite future until the new trains eventually arrived. Cheers Steve for that one.

     The duds that were the cheap DL locomotives were purchased in the time of National but we are paying for them now!

     And aside from being dragged kicking and screaming to maybe commit to the City Rail Link, because Britomart is dysfunctional without it and Len Brown went ahead without them anyway and it was costing the Nats votes, they have done NOTHING for public transport. Actually less than nothing as they continue with their failed bloody motorway policy and their farcical Roads of National something or other.

     But if you are reinventing history as National supporters are so want to do, then ask yourself where is the rapid bus lanes or railway built into the new North Western Motorway, you know the ones like the North Shore have. I can tell you, Gerry Brownlee torpedoed that one!
     • Keith 5.2.1

       25 March 2017 at 4:31 pm

       And since National came to power;

       The Napier to Gisborne line has closed.
       The rail line north of Whangarei has closed.
       And the rumors are consistently saying the line North of Helensville has little time left as well.
       The Stratford–Okahukura Line closed in 2009.

       But we now have 55 tonne trucks destroying roads we pay for! But the trucking lobby are such loyal donors!
       • Ad 5.2.1.1

         25 March 2017 at 5:36 pm

         Definitely true that Kiwirail are not treated or funded the same as NZTA and its motorway system. Funding Bad.

         But then, what does freight rail do?
         It hauls coal. Environment Bad.

         It hauls bulk dairy products. Environment Bad.

         It hauls unprocessed logs. Commodity Bad.

         What’s this Kiwirail exactly good for?
         • Red Hand 5.2.1.1.1

           25 March 2017 at 6:15 pm

           Tourist and passenger transport. Promote it as romantic, which it is. Pioneering infrastructure in iconic landscapes, tradition, gorgeous mysterious fellow passengers pass in the night, a first class compartment, fine dining on the Raurimu Spiral, romantic encounters. Soooo much more appealing than logs, coal and cow’s milk.
           http://www.trans-siberian-travel.com/trans-siberian-journeys/train-compartments.html
           • jcuknz 5.2.1.1.1.1

             26 March 2017 at 9:23 am

             Further to Red Hand … Since I have traveled as a tourist over all but one of the main routes in the USA thanks to AMTRAK being subsidised by government I wish Kiwirail could be supported to do the same thing rather than incompetents ‘driving’ rental vehicles on our narrow winding roads.
         • Sacha 5.2.1.1.2

           25 March 2017 at 10:08 pm

           It is capable of transporting the harmful products you mention less harmfully than by trucks.
         • ropata 5.2.1.1.3

           25 March 2017 at 10:22 pm

           It would be far safer for all road users to have 50 tonne dinosaurs off the road and heavy freight back on the rails where it belongs.
         • Matthew Whitehead 5.2.1.1.4

           26 March 2017 at 5:57 pm

           Just because it carries goods that currently aren’t the best to expert doesn’t mean it doesn’t also carry other freight, or couldn’t carry other freight.
     • Ad 5.2.2

       25 March 2017 at 5:32 pm

       Labour stopped in 2008. It’s 2017.
       All the items you mention – and more – were continued and funded and completed under National.

       And there are likely to be more to come as the second harbour crossing gets underway in 2020.

       I don’t have to like history, but in most respects Prime Minister Key simply ran a Labour government, and this is particularly the case in transport.
       • Keith 5.2.2.1

         25 March 2017 at 5:50 pm

         If you think a contract signed and work already underway can be counted as Nationals doing then you are sadly desperate. What has National actually started that can be counted as their initiative for public transport. Clue, nothing!

         And by 2008 the Western line was double tracked, the Onehunga line was signed off by Michael Cullen and funded and most of the Onehunga line was completed as was the Manukau Branch.

         It is actually very easy to state National have done nothing for public transport because they haven’t, they have tried their hardest to resist Public Transport. They hate it, where’s the money in that?

         Any improvement in Auckland is down to the various councils. Its also easy to state National have done nothing because they are diametrically opposed to public services. They prefer motorways and awarding contracts to motorway builders!

         And I repeat the funding for the electrification of Auckland’s rail was to come under special Auckland only fuel taxes, legislation passed but Joyce stopped it and instead gave Auckland a $500,000,000 interest laden bill and that was because the tendering phase for electric trains was so far down the path. That bill did not cover the diesel train upgrades to cover for the hole he left with his indecision, that was covered by the ratepayers.

         Anyway where is the Rapid Transit links on the North Western Motorway for this magnanimous public transport minded National government?
         • Ad 5.2.2.1.1

           25 March 2017 at 6:11 pm

           All you are saying is that politics is unfair because the government who drives the first spike never gets to cut the ribbon.

           That’s just the nature of infrastructure jobs.
         • Karen 5.2.2.1.2

           25 March 2017 at 8:00 pm

           + 1 Keith.
           Ad obviously has no knowledge of Auckland transport.
       • Sacha 5.2.2.2

         25 March 2017 at 10:14 pm

         *Third* harbour crossing, thanks.

         We have collectively shelled out over $4b for the Western motorway from Manukau to Albany via Hobsonville including the $1.4b Waterview tunnels – on the basis it would give alternatives to the harbour bridge route for truckies.

         Let’s see how well it actually does that before we go adding a 3rd expensive route for a small proportion of the whole Auckland region’s current and future population. Our South and West deserve investment far more.
   • Grey Area 5.3

     25 March 2017 at 5:21 pm

     Simon Bridges … is that you?
     • Draco T Bastard 5.3.1

       25 March 2017 at 8:10 pm

       +112
   • Tamati Tautuhi 5.4

     26 March 2017 at 5:25 pm

     What about the $400 million stripped out of it by Fay Richwhite etc, i think John Key took a punt on NZ Rail at some stage and made some coin?
6. Graeme 6

   25 March 2017 at 3:52 pm

   There’s something about this “Light Rail” thing I just don’t get. Last time I was in Auckland, a couple of years ago, I had to go down Dominion Road, it was a shit fight. Double parking, trucks trying to turn across traffic, and very slow. Now how the hell are you going to put multi unit trams, going both ways, at speed, down there without causing absolute mayhem?
   • Ad 6.1

     25 March 2017 at 6:13 pm

     It won’t be pretty.

     It involves stripping all the car parking off Dominion Road, and putting paid parking all the way up and down the side streets from Sandringham Road to Mt Eden Road.

     And almost no right-hand turns across the tracks.
     • Graeme 6.1.1

       26 March 2017 at 10:07 am

       “It won’t be pretty.”

       I’d say it’s going to be bloody entertaining as the locals discover they are being turfed out to make way for some silly idea. And a silly idea that’s not going to get people from the airport to CBD any more efficiently than at present. Light Rail down Dominion Road to serve the local population may have legs, but on to the airport seems a tad illogical. Heavy rail from Manakau looks more logical.

       The whole thing reeks of dead cat, like all National “solutions” to Auckland’s public transport woes going back almost forever. I was at school up there when Robbie’s rail proposals were kicked to touch. This is just something to get everyone talking about an idea that won’t solve the problem, rather than the ideas that will get people, and freight, quickly and efficiently in and out of Auckland Airport.
   • Karen 6.2

     25 March 2017 at 8:04 pm

     Ever been to Melbourne? Trams work very well there in narrower streets than Dominion Rd.
     • Once etc 6.2.1

       25 March 2017 at 8:54 pm

       They do … but then Melbourne is culturally very different from Auckland. It’d probably take a few of those double parked cars and trucks to be bashed to bits by a passing light rail tram/train before they got the message
       • Graeme 6.2.1.1

         26 March 2017 at 10:40 am

         It’ll be entertaining to watch the adjustment, high likelihood of a lengthy and vociferous insurgency, and I’m not taking bets on the victor
   • jcuknz 6.3

     26 March 2017 at 9:28 am

     “Sky Train” Graeme 🙂
     • Graeme 6.3.1

       26 March 2017 at 10:17 am

       Yeah, another bloody monorail……

       Like this one http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11264069

       Another strange idea that no one,including Nick Smith to his credit, could quite see what the point was. It certainly wasn’t about getting people in and out of Milford more efficiently.
       • Sabine 6.3.1.1

         26 March 2017 at 1:00 pm

         actually nah,

         you could do this
         as was done in 1897 but i guess in the old days, people had ideas and aspirations and where not just dicks about driving a fucking submarine to work cause nothing says impotent office drone better then a four wheel drive in remers.

         https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuppertal_Suspension_Railway
7. Keith 7

   25 March 2017 at 4:12 pm

   What the hell is it with National? Policy cheques written for some time in the never never, never to be cashed. World War 3 is more likely to have come and gone than Nationals Pest Free 2050, Clean waterways (not) 2040, Light Rail 2047. There should be a law that says politicians cannot promise beyond the next election cycle to prevent this kind of pure deception and to prevent the cost been pushed on to a government that may not even be born yet!

   I guess that someone in the bullshit business (Crosby Textor??) has told them to make bold promises that makes it look like you are doing something but so ridiculously far into the future you never will. Dumb New Zealanders whose concentration span does not extend past the headline will always fall for it.

   And we could set our watches by it but the Herald dutifully reported this light rail scheme as if it were to happen this very election year.

   About now Labour and the Greens should be taking the piss out of this fraud and God knows they have a lot of material to work with but I have yet to hear from them!
   • WILD KATIPO 7.1

     25 March 2017 at 4:27 pm

     ” there should be a law that says politicians cannot promise beyond the next election cycle to prevent this kind of pure deception and to prevent the cost been pushed on to a government that may not even be born yet! ”

     ————————————–

     Absolutely . This is 100% garbage.

     Bloody ridiculous.

     And we all know the reason is a cynical one. That of being damn sure they can paint a rosy picture of a future that never will be under their watch – thus abdicating any responsibility for their current incompetence. As if they are crystal ball watchers – what do they take us for?… did ANY OF THEM predict the global credit crunch 20 years into the future ?… NO !!!
   • Bearded Git 7.2

     26 March 2017 at 9:52 am

     @ Keith You forgot superannuation….3050
8. greywarshark 8

   25 March 2017 at 4:13 pm

   What question is Blinglish answering in the image? How long is a piece of string by the looks of it.
9. saveNZ 9

   25 March 2017 at 4:20 pm

   Fucking hell, 30 YEARS… even for the Natz that’s pretty bad PR.

   As for the reported appalling traffic congestion round Auckland airport, it’s everywhere in Auckland especially with all the new zoning changes they pushed through without any transport in place. No surprises west Auckland’s started flooding too, as who cares about getting it right when someone can make a $ immediately and leave the mess for others to bear.

   The council have even had to put more intensive housing in Kumeu on hold, because there’s now traffic jams even in that sleepy affluent slice of Nu Zilland and it’s not looking so good for Key’s legacy there.

   Just expect to spend approx 4 hours in traffic a day if you come to Auckland and what to see the sights. But wait, what’s the solution to transport and housing, more people say National, no controls on offshore property investment…
10. Incognito 10

    25 March 2017 at 4:42 pm

    Add to the traffic congestion prohibitively-high taxi fares and exorbitant parking prices and the picture is (almost) complete. To promise something in 30 years is meaningless posturing by National. Must be election year.
    • Draco T Bastard 10.1

      25 March 2017 at 8:14 pm

      +111
11. greg 11

    25 March 2017 at 5:54 pm

    it just too hard shit everything except looting is to hard for these bastards ,child poverty ,homelessness, affordable housing ,record debt ,clean water ,war crimes ,Iam sure theres more . and its always someone else’s fault the man on the moon will get the blame soon .
    • WILD KATIPO 11.1

      25 March 2017 at 6:38 pm

      That damn man on the moon and his spring tides!…. doesn’t he know we are already grappling with global warming and rising tides !??!

      Bah !
    • gsays 11.2

      26 March 2017 at 1:33 pm

      Hi Greg, the reason nothing gets done, is the pollys are beholden to lobbyists.
      Road transport, supermarket, banking, food, housing.

      A transparent lobbyist register.
12. Antoine 12

    26 March 2017 at 2:38 am

    Why is this the Government’s job rather than the councils? Does central government fund rail in other NZ cities?
    • mickysavage 12.1

      26 March 2017 at 9:17 am

      Um I believe that Government owns all the rail throughout the country and pays about half the cost of running most if not all passenger rail services.
      • Antoine 12.1.1

        26 March 2017 at 10:56 am

        Right. So here they’re deciding to fund a busway instead, because the BCR is better. You have a problem with that?
        • mickysavage 12.1.1.1

          26 March 2017 at 11:07 am

          If you are talking about West Auckland I think a busway is a good idea although I cannot understand why they penny pinched and did not construct it now rather than wait for years to pass.

          And busways are future light rail lines.

          Getting back to your original question why shouldn’t central government be involved in transport decisions? It has been for a rather long time …
          • Antoine 12.1.1.1.1

            26 March 2017 at 12:57 pm

            It was a genuine question, thank you for the answer.

            My second point stands, that I’m happy to see a transport investment decision based on BCR (for a change!)
13. greg 13

    26 March 2017 at 6:14 am

    who is bring 10s of thousands of immigrants into Auckland every year? and blown the infrastructure capacity it isn’t the local government or is it the man on the moon
    every idea to generate more revenue the council puts up is rejected so after nine years its about time you natz supermen fronted up and fixed the problems you have created and stop blaming others for you’re own incompetence
    http://transportblog.co.nz/2017/02/23/govt-silly-to-reject-regional-fuel-tax/
    natz been in for nine years times up you have to delivered.
14. Steve Alfreds 14

    26 March 2017 at 10:08 am

    Building a bus way is so stupid and short sighted. While there might be a dedicated bus lane down Dominion Rd the buses will also have to join the gridlock at some point between the CBD and the airport. The existing Inner and Outer Link buses in Auckland are already regularly late because of traffic congestion. Rail of some form is the only answer. Typical National, attempting to use a short term solution (buses) and kicking the can down the road.
    • ropata 14.1

      27 March 2017 at 3:29 am

      +1 exactly buses are already queued all the way up symonds st/new north/dominion rd every day, light rail will take up the same space as a bus lane but move people way more efficiently
15. Andrew O 15

    26 March 2017 at 2:28 pm

    Auckland Council has a capital expenditure backlog in the billions of dollars for wastewater management.

    This is a far higher priority than rail.
16. Skinny 16

    26 March 2017 at 3:35 pm

    In 30 years time I fell out of my chair laughing. This current regime are done. Those wasteful RON’s are getting axed and it is heavy Rail all the way.
17. WILD KATIPO 17

    26 March 2017 at 4:23 pm

    Ah , the heck with it,…

    Wild Cherry – Play That Funky Music – YouTube
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe1ScoePqVA
18. Tamati Tautuhi 18

    26 March 2017 at 5:31 pm

    I wonder what is in Auckland’s City’s Strategic Plan, evidently provisions were made years ago for a rail route from Mt Albert to the Airport and a number of properties were purchased for this proposed route?

    Anybody ever heard of this?

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