The Campaign For Better Transport » Letters

Government Needs Be Part of the CRL Solution

admin — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 09:06:45 +0000

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.

Toll Road Outrageous Waste of Money

admin — Tue, 10 Sep 2013 18:48:54 +0000

It is outrageous that the New Zealand Transport Agency is able to progress the Puhoi – Warkworth toll road without having to show any economic benefits for the $760m cost, or any analysis of alternative options.

The NZTA’s traffic estimate of 14,000 vehicles a day for the toll road, without determining how much the toll will be, must surely be a wild guess. For trips outside of the holiday season, the free alternative will be just a few minutes slower. For those heading to Warkworth itself, the free alternative will actually be quicker than the toll road.

The claimed travel time of 10.7 minutes for a toll road of 18.5km in length equates to an average speed of 103km/hr – above the legal speed limit. The NZTA are going to desperate lengths in order to make this white elephant project appear viable.

Recently Peter Gluckman, the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Adviser, called for better use of evidence in policy formation. The same principle needs to be applied to the decisions of the NZTA and their controlling Minister of Transport.