Comments for The Campaign For Better Transport

Comment on Just Get It In by Graham Bush

Graham Bush — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 22:40:48 +0000

A particular problem with the non-issuing of paper tickets on trains relates to the non-issuing of tickets to senior citizens who show their gold cards.

Comment on Brian Rudman: Cheap won’t be a bargain for Auckland’s new rail system by Gerd Kattn

Gerd Kattn — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 03:16:27 +0000

My experience in Philadelphia, PA USA with the Frankford Elavated trains is that the standardization of track size is a paramount concern. The riveted steel truss structure of Frankford Elavated (a supposedly temporary construction completed in 1929 was successfully reinforced while in operation over a number of years. The big glitch occured when the Budd Company cars (manufactured in Philadelphia) were replaced with cars which Unfortunately needed to be modified to accept a non-standard track size, making them heavier and slower. Electric rail might be a post mature industry since speeds over (sorry for the SAE) 100 miles per hour seem energy deficient. If America could get some inflation (post-Keynesian economic success) going, maybe NZ could buy American.

Comment on North Shore – Hospital Buses by GarthMacleod

GarthMacleod — Wed, 26 May 2010 05:37:57 +0000

As at 25th May the petition has 291 signatures from people living in areas accessible to the Northern Bus way.
If any comments on the current service (especially if buses have been overfill) please write to Craccum or North Shore Times who had article on this 17th and 20th May respectively

Comment on AIRPORT-CBD LINK ‘ESSENTIAL’ by Rail_up

Rail_up — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 13:16:39 +0000

New Zealand – supposedly a leading country in the developed Western world – yet we have no rail link to our biggest airport. We are the laughing stock of the rest of the world when people get off their plane and can only get on a noisy, smelly bus or in a cramped shuttle van. Rail is not THAT expensive – come on people – wake up! A line to the airport is not going to bring the NZ economy to its knees!

Comment on Tram rides on waterfront options list by Rail_up

Rail_up — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 13:13:10 +0000

Well, they had all the rails down there, in fact they had most of central Auckland railed and ready to go with trams, and then some clown in the council decided that the ‘new motorbuses’ were the way to get around and had all the tracks torn up. Now they will have to lay new track and erect new overheads. Is this a case of history repeating itself?

Comment on Trams Touted as Tourist Drawcard by Rail_up

Rail_up — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 12:59:04 +0000

YES!!! Bring back trams. Good grief, why can people not see how efficient and useful trams are? Just look at cities like Melbourne and Sydney! There is hardly a place you can’t get to either via tram, rail or bus (to the outer areas).

Comment on Inland port for Waikato by Rail_up

Rail_up — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 12:48:09 +0000

Hurray! Finally someone is thinking outside the square. If more people focused on rail as a good way of moving people and freight we’d actually get somewhere… pun intended!

Comment on Squeeze on KiwiRail services by Rail_up

Rail_up — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 12:45:24 +0000

Mothball it if necessary, just don’t tear up the tracks. That has been the greatest sin committed against rail in NZ – the removal of lines which could, if they had been left in place, be used today to take pressure off the roads.

Comment on Hamilton Underground Station by Rail_up

Rail_up — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 12:42:17 +0000

I remember this station well. I used to cycle through there as a kid in the late 70s early 80s. It was very cool. Typical though, business takes precedence over brains. Hamilton should have redeveloped the site with a new transport centre, instead of the mad excuse of a bus station which is currently across the road, where the buses have to reverse out of their parks. Crazy. Building a Red Shed over a potentially useful station site was just lunacy. They could have had a bus/rail terminal there – would have made much more sense, but while people continue to ignore rail as a viable transport option, this kind of stupidity will continue.

Comment on Press release: Hamilton to Auckland commuter rail must roll by Rail_up

Rail_up — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 12:36:54 +0000

Rail will succeed when people wake up and get the right attitude towards it. The biggest drawback to an Auckland-Waikato service is the lack of electrification between the two destinations. It’s a shame they never carried it on from Hamilton to Auckland when they were installing it.