I'm sorry, but given the campaign of misinformation in the Herald about HR vs LRT this week, I can't let posts like this slide.
Aredwood:
The existing heavy rail network can be extended from Otahuhu through to Mangere. And from Kingsland to the North Western Motorway and through to Westgate Measure the distance between the northern line and the NW motorway in Kingsland near the Bond St overbridge. So rail service can be provided to outer areas that are proposed to be covered by the tram network, without needing to build another inner city network first.
Wow. This is a pretty outlandish claim. I've never seen any report modeling a HR connection rolled along the entire NW motorway, mostly because it would take up a huge amount of area and there's no heavy industry or depots to take advantage of it.
But let's entertain it. Let's say it 'can' be done. Let's say that we're going to dig a whole heap of tunnels (remembering heavy rail can't do gradient or turns like LRT can) and bridges to get heavy rail...kinda near SH16. Let's also be generous and say, based on the costings for the Airport Spur, that this will be roughly twice as expensive as LRT. I could sit here and work out the cost per km based on the CRL tunnels and figure out how close you'd end up getting to the Western Line that's already there. But as I can't find a report modeling it, I'm going to assume it hasn't been modeled because no one thinks it's worth doing - given that LRT and BRT have already had business cases, I'm guessing that's a safe assumption.
And no, the HR can't be extended to Mangere; in fact, Mangere totally misses out; unless you're planning a whole heap of tunneling just to put in a specific deviation (which the 2x cost of LRT doesn't include).
But hey, engineering is just drawings lines on maps right? Totally tells the whole story.
Aredwood:
Existing heavy rail capacity into the CBD is constrained due to Britomart not being a through station. Which the CRL will fix. This will enable rail to replace some buses that serve areas that can be covered by more / new heavy rail. So less buses in the city.
You're assuming these buses are services that can be replaced by trains. Places where there are no trains generally can't offer trains as a substitute for buses.
Aredwood:
When the CRL opens, some of the Dominion rd buses would be able to stop in MT Eden, and transfer their passengers to CRL trains. Again less buses in the CBD.
...and again, raising a capacity constraint in the CRL. The CRL is rated for 48tph and will be close to capacity when it opens. We can't just fire an infinite number of trains down it.
Aredwood:
And if rail is still needed down Dominion rd. A new branch line could be construed from the existing rail line in Mt Eden, and run down Dominion rd. Either way, heavy rail service can be provided to every place you mention, without needing to duplicate the CRL.
OK. Cool. Show me a business case. Show me the costs of HR with the same catchment. Show me the designation that will fit a HR train down Dominion Road. Show me how you're going to do that with heavy track and sleepers. I take it you have a business case to back this assertion up.
Aredwood:
As for traffic in rural areas. Look at SH 16 between Westgate and Kumeu. Northern Motorway between Albany and Silverdale. Southern Motorway between Manurewa and the Bombay Hills. Those areas are mostly rural, yet the above roads carry lots of commuter traffic. So those commuters are therefore driving through rural areas. If that land was rezoned to urban, then people who work in the City, won't have to live so far away. Why was Millwater rezoned to urban, while Stillwater left as rural? Kumeu rezoned while Westgate left rural?
Between Westgate and Kumeu? There's about six thousand houses going in there in the next ten years.
I mean... here's the Universal Homes development - this is just Universal Homes mind you:
https://westhills.co.nz/availability-map
Here's the 'Malbec Estate' plan:
https://www.malbecliving.co.nz/
Here's the planning document out to 2032 for Westgate:
Sorry, but there is so much easily challenged misinformation floating around by people with literally no skin in the game who think things should be done a certain way because they've decided something they like is better.
As someone who lives in Westgate/Massey, I've taken an active interest in the area and the issues it faces. It's pretty insulting to have people just dismiss the legitimate needs of an area that is hugely under-developed because they have their own personal axe to grind.
ID Verified
Trusted
