Our AGM this year will be held on Thursday 14th July 2016, 7:30pm at the Garden Room, Richmond Road Community Centre, 510 Richmond Road, Grey Lynn.

Our special guest this year is transport economist and Green MP Julie Anne Genter.  We will confirm further details closer to the date, but in the meantime pencil this in your diary.

Membership Subscriptions

As we are well into the new financial year it is time to renew your existing membership or support us by joining or donating.  As advocates for better transport in Auckland, the more members we have the stronger our voice is to local and central Government.

Annual membership fees are only $20, or $10 unwaged – although additional donations are always appreciated! We are a completely voluntary incorporated society and we have no salaried positions, so any money we receive is simply to cover costs.

You can sign up on line , or simply make a payment using the following details:

• Bank – Kiwibank
• Account Number – 38-9009-0281735-00
• Reference – Your Name

Current Campaigns

Our focus is on North Shore Rail.  This might seem a long way off into the future, but central Government’s Transport Agency is already starting the notice of requirement process for a $4bn – $6bn road only crossing. To put it bluntly, this must be stopped.  With a benefit cost ratio of 0.4, it is inexplicable that $27m has been budgeted by the NZTA to continue with designation work for a tolled crossing.  If you haven’t already, please find out more and support the campaign at www.northshorerail.nz

• 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.