March Madness!

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bmt

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#230551 1-Mar-2018 06:57

Is finally upon us! What will this year bring? Commuter chaos as the on-again-off-again rail strike carries on too!

Had a nice precursor last night as my drive home from work at 4:30pm took 59 minutes. Did the same trip in reverse on Sunday morning at 5:30am in... 23 minutes.

At least National's 9 year reign of transport terror is finally over. Auckland Transport is being dragged kicking and screaming into reality but they seem to be slowly realising the failed era of "build more roads, that'll definitely fix congestion" is over.

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Mad Scientist
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#1966227 1-Mar-2018 07:17

unfortunately as a City matures, people will live in shoeboxes AND get spend hours trying to go places. I have not seen one city that these don't happen.

Involuntary autocorrect in operation on mobile device. Apologies in advance.

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eph

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#1966231 1-Mar-2018 07:24

Well, took me actually the same this morning (maybe a bit less) to get to work.

I fail to see what's got government to do with AT. AT directors are appointed by Auckland Council, aren't they? They've done very little over the last decade to improve public transport system in Auckland. The new motorways (which I would think got very little to do with AT) helped a bit but as you say it's not sustainable approach. Getting people to use public transport is the way to go but there needs to be a working system first.

Linux

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#1966232 1-Mar-2018 07:25

My ride to work on my push bike takes about 6 to 7 minutes so March madness MEH!

Linux

kobiak

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#1966280 1-Mar-2018 08:31

cycle is the answer! not for everybody, but worth consideration.

helping others at evgenyk.nz

MikeAqua

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#1966285 1-Mar-2018 08:39

5 minute walk to work was still a 5 minute walk to work today. The cafe where I get my morning coffee was bit busier though.

Mike

kryptonjohn

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#1966287 1-Mar-2018 08:42

eph:

Well, took me actually the same this morning (maybe a bit less) to get to work.

I fail to see what's got government to do with AT. AT directors are appointed by Auckland Council, aren't they? They've done very little over the last decade to improve public transport system in Auckland. The new motorways (which I would think got very little to do with AT) helped a bit but as you say it's not sustainable approach. Getting people to use public transport is the way to go but there needs to be a working system first.

They've got it half right. But their stupidity is preventing it from working as well has it could. Trying to use the bus from the north shore is a problem as there's no decent way for many people to get to the express buses. The park and ride parks are not nearly big enough and the loss of time involved in getting a local bus to the express terminal kills the benefit.

It's worse coming from Pukekohe. The Pukekohe train to Papakura is very unreliable and there's basically no parks. There could be thousands of people relaxing in the trains from down there but it's nearly unusable. How hard would it be to have a few parks around the train stations, AT?

Plenty of money though, for AT to house their bureaucrats in an absolutely gold plated office fit-out next door to us in the swanky Viaduct Harbour business park, and to pay thousands of their staff 100K+ salaries.

Item

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#1966291 1-Mar-2018 08:48

I left a little earlier this morning - 6.45 - and I was at work from West to Airport in 35 minutes. Seemed Ok!

eph

187 posts

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#1966306 1-Mar-2018 09:05

kryptonjohn:

They've got it half right. But their stupidity is preventing it from working as well has it could. Trying to use the bus from the north shore is a problem as there's no decent way for many people to get to the express buses. The park and ride parks are not nearly big enough and the loss of time involved in getting a local bus to the express terminal kills the benefit.

It's worse coming from Pukekohe. The Pukekohe train to Papakura is very unreliable and there's basically no parks. There could be thousands of people relaxing in the trains from down there but it's nearly unusable. How hard would it be to have a few parks around the train stations, AT?

Plenty of money though, for AT to house their bureaucrats in an absolutely gold plated office fit-out next door to us in the swanky Viaduct Harbour business park, and to pay thousands of their staff 100K+ salaries.

If I wanted to use the bus it would take me twice the time (more in the morning) to get to work (and of course higher cost and lost of independence). To me the system in Auckland only works for people living along the express lines routes (or near the P&R carparks). There is no point in using it if you need to change buses/trains since there is very little continuity in the network.

As for the cost I think the introduction of Hop card is an improvement but for casual travellers it's the same (or worse - I used to take the bus with the family at the weekend to the city but the family daily passes were discontinued). I remember hearing some rumours about introducing time based tickets as is usual elsewhere and I remember thinking finally! but then it didn't happen (I guess the fare zone system with Hop comes much closer to that though).

kryptonjohn

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#1966312 1-Mar-2018 09:12

It's March madness because of students. Why are all these school and tertiary students in cars?

Oh that's right, dear little Johnny and Suzy are much too precious to walk, bike or bus to school so mummy has to drop them at the gate.

And tertiary students? They are sooo poor with their student loans and lifestyle to support and they still have to drive cars to lectures instead of taking a bus or train? The UoA and AUT are walking distance from Britomart and many bus routes stop right by campus.

ResponseMediaNZ

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#1966314 1-Mar-2018 09:12

Item:

I left a little earlier this morning - 6.45 - and I was at work from West to Airport in 35 minutes. Seemed Ok!

March Madness on the Southwestern heading north was caused by someone who could not drive this morning so made a 20min drive into nearly an hour.. traffic hasn't been that bad really

kryptonjohn

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#1966315 1-Mar-2018 09:16

Item:

I left a little earlier this morning - 6.45 - and I was at work from West to Airport in 35 minutes. Seemed Ok!

A benefit of the excellent new Waterview tunnel, built under National's "roads of national significance". There won't be anything like if for the next few years as the current mob want you off those roads.

SepticSceptic

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#1966319 1-Mar-2018 09:28

kryptonjohn:

Item:

I left a little earlier this morning - 6.45 - and I was at work from West to Airport in 35 minutes. Seemed Ok!

A benefit of the excellent new Waterview tunnel, built under National's "roads of national significance". There won't be anything like if for the next few years as the current mob want you off those roads.

A not so good benefit is the increased traffic that now flows east then north via SH16/SH1 interchange. The ramp flows to SH1 north are now backed to Western Springs even in the shoulder times.

My thoughts are no longer my own and is probably representative of our media-controlled government

eph

187 posts

Master Geek

#1966323 1-Mar-2018 09:37

SepticSceptic:

A not so good benefit is the increased traffic that now flows east then north via SH16/SH1 interchange. The ramp flows to SH1 north are now backed to Western Springs even in the shoulder times.

Is it because all the people travelling to North Shore from south trying to by-pass the city?

The tunnel definitely helped a lot on SH16. Before opening it used to be packed all the way to Rosebank around 6:45. Now it's more/less freeflow all the way to spaghetti. I remember before Christmas there was a period when it got really bad again but since the new year the traffic has been great (the city direction).

Benjip

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#1966324 1-Mar-2018 09:37

kryptonjohn:

A benefit of the excellent new Waterview tunnel, built under National's "roads of national significance". There won't be anything like if for the next few years as the current mob want you off those roads.

You mean the tunnel that National wanted to build above-ground (so not actually a tunnel)?

xpd

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#1966336 1-Mar-2018 09:41

Bus trip from Symonds St to home (Whangaparaoa) was taking just on an hour in November. This week, its been 1.5hrs+. Bus lanes are fine, but its the getting to the bus lane thats the problem.

Glad I dont drive.

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon

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