The Campaign For Better Transport

The New Zealand Herald reports the NZTA’s announcement yesterday of funding approval for the Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA) to conclude negotiations with a preferred tenderer for a seamless integrated ticket for passengers to ride on buses, trains and ferries under simpler fare structures.

The NZTA will take responsibility for the system, which could then be rolled out nationally. NZTA are interested in taking over integrated ticketing because a nationally integrated system could also be applied to toll roads, parking meters and car parking buildings, vastly simplifying the systems used for charging motorists as well.

The New Zealand Herald gives a perspective on the final draft of the Auckland Regional Transport Strategy. The strategy proposes spending $46 billion on public transport, roads and walking and cycling between now and 2040. It will be presented at Britomart Transport Centre today for two months of consultations. Key projects outlined:

Public transport

• Rail electrification: $1.2 billion
• Central Auckland rail tunnel: $1.5 billion
• Airport rail links: $1.1 billion
• Avondale-Onehunga rail link: $1 billion
• Northern busway extension to Orewa: $400 million
• Bus priority links Henderson-Albany and Panmure-Botany-Manukau centre (figures unavailable)

Roading

• Completing the western ring route: about $2 billion
• Auckland-Manukau Eastern Transport Initiative: $1.3 billion
• Improved airport links: $400 million

Investigations proposed for

• A third Waitemata Harbour crossing.
• A strategic road link to improve freight movements between East Tamaki and the western ring route.

Computerworld reports Infratil’s smart-card integrated ticketing subsidiary, Snapper, is in a last gasp attempt to win the contract for Auckland’s integrated ticketing system:

Snapper chief executive Miki Szikszai says Snapper can work with the Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA) to have integrated ticketing on 90 percent of Auckland’s buses, trains and ferries by the time the Rugby World Cup kicks off.

Minister of Transport Steven Joyce has just announced the new ownership and operating model for metro commuter rail services in Auckland and Wellington. In a nutshell:

• KiwiRail subsidiaries will own the rolling stock (that means neither ARTA or the Greater Wellington Regional Council will own rolling stock, as currently proposed);
• Train operators will lease the rolling stock and operate services. This differs from the status quo in that Veolia currently operates Auckland’s rail services under contract to ARTA, while Tranz Metro in Wellington is a wholly-owned subsidiary of KiwiRail.

The model looks a little bit like the current system in the United Kingdom, minus franchises. This model has had mixed success, while passenger numbers on rail transport is up in the UK, overall service quality has decreased (although some argue that the correlation is related – poorer service results from higher demand, due to underinvestment during Government ownership).

The full paper is available at the Ministry of Transport.

Onehunga Line – Campaign for Better Transport feedback

In 2006 the Campaign for Better Transport (CBT) campaigned hard to reopen the dormant branch railway line between Onehunga and Penrose once again to passenger services. Our 8,000 strong petition and support from the Auckland Regional Council saw the Government finally give the green light for funding on the 13 March 2007.

The CBT considers that there are a number of important steps that need to be taken to ensure that the Onehunga Line is a success. These are outlined below, and detailed individually throughout this feedback:1. Services must terminate at Britomart, not Newmarket.
2. Half-hourly frequencies off-peak and at weekends are essential.
3. ARTA to work with Dress-Smart Onehunga and the Onehunga Business Association to encourage shoppers to use the train.
4. One month free travel trial period.
5. Re-routing buses to feed into the train station for people travelling from Mangere area into the city. Read the rest of this entry »

Auckland Business Forum chairman Michael Barnett states that planning for Auckland’s future transport needs is inadequate and that we need a vision beyond 2015.  Graeme Hunt reports in the Herald.

Auckland Business Forum chairman Michael Barnett says the region is still playing catch-up when it comes to road spending and development, despite new projects being announced by the new Government…..

…..Barnett says people are starting to look at the productivity gains that could be achieved by an efficient transport network but planning for future transport needs is inadequate. “We are planning … not future-proofing. We are standing still. By 2015 when the network is complete we will have done little else but stood still.”

Michael Barnett does seem rather roading-focused though, putting the priority on completing the roading network before addressing public transport.

“With a complete roading network you have options and choices, especially for public transport.”

“At the end of the day we do need a network of roads and once we have done that we can look at better bus services and things like congestion charges.”

He [Michael Barnett] urges people to look at developments [beyond 2015] such a third harbour crossing, an east-west link and better roads to extend Auckland into Northland and Waikato.

Surely we have to stop “completing” the roading network at some stage and consider rail as an alternative!

Read the rest of this entry »

“Very happily”, ARTA have announced an Open Evening to discuss the rapidly approaching reopening of the Onehunga branch line. Anyone interested is invited to come along:

• Tuesday 18^th August 6:30 – 8.00pm
• Onehunga Community Centre
• Beeson / Henderson Room
• 83 Church Street, Onehunga

This is your chance to find out where the stations will be and exactly when they are due to open! Download the flyer here and stick one up at work!

Lincoln Tan reports in the Herald on recent Auckland public transport patronage figures.

Use of public transport in Auckland has hit a 25-year high, with commuters reporting increased satisfaction with the service on offer.

The Auckland Regional Transport Authority’s annual passenger figures showed 58.6 million trips were made in the year to June 2009 a 7.7 per cent increase on last year and the highest level of public transport use in the city since the mid 1980s. Read the rest of this entry »