The Campaign For Better Transport

The team at TransportBlog have organised their next movie night fundraiser for Wednesday 12th March at the Capitol, Balmoral.

Set in the Los Angeles of the slight future, “Her” follows Theodore Twombly, a complex, soulful man who makes his living writing touching, personal letters for other people. Heartbroken after the end of a long relationship, he becomes intrigued with a new, advanced operating system, which promises to be an intuitive entity in its own right, individual to each user.

If you’re thinking this has nothing to do with transport, then you’re right!  But it does have Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson is the voice of the operating system.  Peter Calder at the Herald gives it four stars.

You can order tickets (which include a glass of wine) from Eventbrite.  Doors open at 8:00pm. Get in quick and support the excellent, completely voluntary work by the TransportBlog team.

More details, including the trailer, over at TransportBlog.

Demand for a bridge cannot be judged by the number of people swimming across a river.

Yet the Prime Minister insists that rail patronage must double before the Government commits to funding the City Rail Link, a concept that does not apply to the multi-billion dollar Roads of National Significance.

Construction of the CRL and three new inner city stations will result in far more demand for rail travel than currently. For instance, a trip from New Lynn to the new mid-town Aotea Station will take just 23 minutes at peak time – faster than a car journey and much faster than the current journey via public transport, which takes around 45 minutes. Across the entire network, capacity and frequency will at least double, benefiting all rail users and not just those employed in the CBD.

Delaying the CRL until 2020 acts as a handbrake to Auckland’s growing economy, and will be more expensive than making a start now. No other option offers better value for money. It is time for the Government to accept this and be part of the solution.

This is the submission of the Campaign for Better Transport on Ara Tuhono: Puhoi to Warkworth project to the Environmental Protection Agency.  A pdf version of the submission is here .

Introduction

The Campaign for Better Transport (CBT) is a non-politically aligned group that advocates for sustainable transport policies and projects throughout Auckland and the rest of New Zealand. The CBT regularly advocates for better alignment between land-use planning and its effects on the transport network, better public transport and better walking and cycling facilities.

Summary of Submission

The CBT generally opposes the Puhoi to Warkworth section of Ara Tuhono (“the Project”). This is for a number of reasons that are detailed further in this submission.

• There is a high probability the project will not realise the project objectives and benefits sought by the NZTA
• The justification for the Project on the grounds of route security is based on a very low number of incidents on the existing SH1
• Safety issues on the existing SH1 should be addressed. Should the Project be confirmed, traffic volumes on the existing SH1 will be similar to present day levels. Users of the existing SH1 in 2026 are three to four times more likely to be involved in injury accidents than users of the Project route
• Likely traffic volumes for the Project have been overstated. The Transportation and Traffic Assessment Report lacks the necessary detail required to conclude support for the Project
• Reports to back up claimed economic benefits are not based on any empirical data or studies
• Alternative options which will achieve NZTA’s objectives have been not been considered

Read the rest of this entry »

Central Government referred the Puhoi to Warkworth “Holiday Highway” to a fast tracked Board of Inquiry process, as reported in the Herald.  Accordingly submissions on the proposed toll road ( which won’t actually be any faster for Warkworth residents) close next Friday 13th December. If you would like to make a submission you can do so here .

Better Transport will be making a submission, pointing out that our own “Operation Lifesaver” project would be far cheaper and offer greater benefits for everybody, not just the motorists who can afford the toll.

Come and join us for our final meeting of the year:

• 10th December, 7:30pm
• Epsom Community Centre, 202 Gillies Ave

Open to all members and supporters of the CBT.  BYO, we will be providing some light snacks.

Public meeting – Wednesday, September 11, 2013 from 6:45 PM – 9:00 PM

The Campaign for Better Transport has invited Mayoral candidates in the forthcoming Auckland Council elections to tell us their vision for the future of transport in Auckland. Confirmed candidates currently include:

• Mayor Len Brown
• John Palino
• Rev Uesifili Unasa
• John Minto

Each speaker will be given ten minutes to present their vision for Auckland’s transport future, followed by questions and answers from the floor.

The evening will also include a presentation on the Congestion Free Network, currently being promoted by Generation Zero, Auckland Transport Blog and the Campaign for Better Transport.  Find out more at www.congestionfree.co.nz

This is a free event – all members of the public are welcome:

• Ellen Melville Hall, Freyberg Square, Auckland Central
• 11th Septembers, 6:45pm for a 7:00pm start.

Ticket holders guaranteed a seat:

http://aucklandstransportfuture.eventbrite.co.nz/

The Roskill Puketapapa Residents’ Association is hosting a public meeting about how Auckland can improve its public transport, and in particular the long-planned and oft-postponed rail line through Roskill.  Hear from Cameron Pitches, Convenor of the Campaign for Better Transport.

• Wednesday 7th August, 7:00pm
• Dreamers Building , Wesley Centre, 766 Sandringham Rd Extension

All welcome.