The National Governments 'roads of national significance'.

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Forums › Politics › The National Governments 'roads of national significance'.

MaxLV

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#225631 27-Nov-2017 16:10

Can any of the National party/neo liberals answer a question for me?

Why was the NZTA Rail study not released to the public in 2016?

Is it because the previous government didn't want it released because it would show up the that governments money wasting spending on roads and their road transport industry buddies?

The 1 billon+ they wanted to spend on the east-west highway in Auckland should have been invested in public transport and other transport projects that save money, as the current government is now doing.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/99257012/Rail-has-saved-New-Zealand-1-5-billion-a-year-study-shows?cid=edm:stuff:dailyheadlines&bid=466911049

shk292

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#1909043 28-Nov-2017 15:46

I think most of your potential answerers will have stopped reading at "neo-liberal".

For most right-leaning people, "neo-liberal" is shorthand for "leftie rant starts here"

bmt

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#1909211 28-Nov-2017 21:15

Ah the East West Link was closer to $2b.

National in general is just more predisposed towards cars and roads and against public transport. I mean it's really no different to religion somehow still existing in this day and age.. some people just ignore facts and evidence in favour of their own ideology.

Aredwood

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#1911859 1-Dec-2017 23:40

Lets assume that the $1.5 claimed savings are actually true. That doesn't mean that investing more money in rail would actually get more savings.

Also one of the reasons there is so much heavy truck traffic in the East-west link area - The Metroport. Which is a container transfer facility, for freight that got delivered by ship to Tauranga, transferred by rail to the Auckland Metroport, Then trucks pickup the containers to deliver them to their final destination. So if we closed down the entire rail network tomorrow - there would be a reduction in road traffic in that area. As there would no longer be a large number of trucks all going to and from 1 small location.

For the record - I want to see more heavy rail investment. Namely extending the Onehunga branch line to the Airport, then continue it to Manukau or Puhunui to rejoin the main trunk line. Then a new north western rail line. Branching off the existing north Auckland line in Kingsland by the Newton rd motorway overbridge. Following the North western motorway to Westgate, And continuing north west to eventually rejoin the north Auckland line near Kumeu.

Light rail AKA trams as labour is purposing is a complete waste of time and money. As they can't go any faster than buses, even a tiny route change will cost mega bucks, and any accident on the route will bring the whole route to a standstill. The proposed route duplicate existing heavy rail lines, and duplicate the central rail loop. You also can't run a proper express service with trams. And buses and private cars will still be quicker.

While an airport - city heavy rail link can run express trains. Direct from the city to airport and back again with no stops in between. Faster than all other means of transport (except maybe helicopter) and not affected by congestion.

And even if they do manage to build it, Electric buses will then be available. Which will counteract any environmental advantages that trams currently have.

As for the Auckland / Hamilton / Tauranga rail idea - Ridiculously big spending required for no benefit.

GV27

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#1912463 4-Dec-2017 06:45

Aredwood:

Light rail AKA trams as labour is purposing is a complete waste of time and money. As they can't go any faster than buses, even a tiny route change will cost mega bucks, and any accident on the route will bring the whole route to a standstill. The proposed route duplicate existing heavy rail lines, and duplicate the central rail loop. You also can't run a proper express service with trams. And buses and private cars will still be quicker.

While an airport - city heavy rail link can run express trains. Direct from the city to airport and back again with no stops in between. Faster than all other means of transport (except maybe helicopter) and not affected by congestion.

And even if they do manage to build it, Electric buses will then be available. Which will counteract any environmental advantages that trams currently have.

That's not the case at all. You should probably read the AT case studies on Light Rail. Secondly, you can't keep firing buses into the CBD. There just isn't the room. The costs to run Light Rail somewhere are a hell of a lot lower than trying to run HR, with its far more restrictive grade and turning radius requirements, through already built-up areas. Lastly the CRL services will only run to Henderson, where as the bulk of the development in West Auckland is happening at Hobsonville Point, Huapai, Whenuapai and Kumeu. Linking Westgate, the City and the Northern LRT on the busway will create rapid transit where new houses and a higher density are going to be built. This can't be done with HR, it's not a case of one or the other.

bmt

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#1912968 4-Dec-2017 21:10

Yeah mate, you need to visit the Greater Auckland website. You might have an opinion on what the solution should be, but unless you claim otherwise you are just a regular layman citizen with no expertise in this area?

These guys are the experts, and it is their Congestion Free Network that the Labour and Greens largely based their transport policies on. The website has articles which explain exactly why what is going to happen is better than what you are proposing.

rjt123

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#1913810 6-Dec-2017 11:35

shk292:

I think most of your potential answerers will have stopped reading at "neo-liberal".

For most right-leaning people, "neo-liberal" is shorthand for "leftie rant starts here"

I agree - and i immediately assume that the writer is a socialist... so I don't generally bother replying, cos it's hard to dumb down your answer enough for somebody with such a low IQ to understand... no offense intended :)

Good question though.

I don't know why they didn't release it. I would have liked to see more investment into rail, but more heavy rail - the light rail link is a rubbish idea - needs to be express so that you can get into the city fast. At the moment rail nationwide isn't really run real effectively, if they improved the service offering it would be great.

But I don't agree that they were wasting money on roading - I don't think anyone who has driven the waterview tunnels will disagree.

My simple observation is that it is slow drivers are the ones who hold up traffic and cause congestion (thinking of the holiday highway) - particularly campervan's. Not trucks, so 4-lanening that would be a great move, but complementing it with improved rail would be even better.

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MikeAqua

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#1919061 13-Dec-2017 14:34

I'm guessing the report was not released because it included commercially sensitive info about NZ's only rail operator.

Mike