The Campaign For Better Transport

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.

Media release from the Campaign for Better Transport

The Campaign for Better Transport today welcomed the findings of the Consensus Building Group (CBG), which found that a decision on using road pricing as a funding source will need to be made by 2015 if heavier transport congestion in Auckland is to be avoided.

“Auckland will require a significant amount of transport infrastructure in the coming decades, and it is clear that it will not be viable in the long term to rely on the status quo of increases to rates and nationwide fuel taxes as principal funding sources,” said spokesperson Cameron Pitches.

“There was a consensus from the CBG that Aucklanders are willing to pay for their fair share of new transport infrastructure. Some form of road pricing will enable Aucklanders to do that.

“Road charges can be varied according to the time of day, so there is a side benefit that demand from single occupant cars, which are the main source of congestion at peak times, can be managed.

However, Mr Pitches warned that a consequence of any form or road pricing would be to shift more people on to public transport.

“We need to have that capacity in place first for road pricing to be effective,” concludes Mr Pitches.

The Campaign for Better Transport recently endorsed the Congestion Free Network plan, which progressively implements an integrated public transport network over the next 15 years.

A reminder that our Annual General Meeting is coming up next week on Wednesday 17th July, 7:00pm at the Grey Lynn Community Centre.

Our guest speaker this year is Te Atatu MP Phil Twyford.  Phil has been instrumental in pushing for the North Western busway, and will be speaking about Auckland’s transport issues.

All members welcome, and if you aren’t currently a member you can join up on the night.

Rumour has it that today the Government will announce that it wants to progress an additional Auckland Harbour Crossing, incorporating both road and rail.   There are a number of reasons why this idea does not stack up:

• The New Zealand Transport Agency says this project is an economic dog.  The most recent benefit cost ratio is 0.3 to 0.4.   This means that for every dollar spent, there is likely to be just 30c or 40c returned to the wider economy.  This is discussed on page 49 of this NZTA document.
• A likely cost of around $4 billion is an incredible amount of money to spend, and there just isn’t the money available in the National Land Transport Fund to pay for it, even with the pending 9c a litre increase in fuel excise tax over the next three years.  A new vehicular crossing will have to be at least part funded by tolls. Current plans include tolling not just the new tunnel, but the existing Harbour Bridge as well, on the basis that users of the bridge benefit from the reduction in traffic as well. People living on the North Shore need to understand that they will have to start paying to drive across the Harbour again.
• The $1.4bn+ Waterview connection is being built to be an alternative to the current Auckland Harbour Bridge.  NZTA state that “It will provide a high quality alternative route to SH1 and the Auckland Harbour Bridge, and take unnecessary traffic away from Auckland’s CBD.”   Traffic volumes on the are already flat on the Auckland Harbour Bridge (thanks in part to the Northern Busway), and they will decline further once the Waterview connection opens.
• Huge volumes of single occupant vehicles would spew onto the local roads of the CBD , as well as Herne Bay and Ponsonby.  Severe bottlenecks will occur around the CMJ and also the North Shore at the point where a new tunnel would exit at Onewa Road. There is no solution to this problem other than adding more lanes, but this isn’t included in the $5bn cost.
• It would be irresponsible not to look at other options.   A rail only tunnel option would cost at least half this amount, and there won’t be any congestion problems caused by single occupant vehicles.  Those that don’t have any realistic choice other than to drive can continue to use the existing Harbour Bridge, for free.

For more, read this post on Transport Blog.