Truckies Strike Tomorrow

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Jama

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#23583 3-Jul-2008 13:12

Truckies are striking tomorrow (Friday 4th July) over the government increase in road user charges. The strike will be on from 7:30 to 9am.

Good on them. I can not believe that our beloved government slipped this increase in at a time of record fuel prices. Shocking! And to do it without any notice is double shocking!

Apparently the government didn't want the Truckies 'hoarding' road user charges.

So, stay away from city centres as this where the big rigs are converging!

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#142513 3-Jul-2008 13:17

yeah stay out of the cbd in auckland tomorrow. get to work by 7.30am or you will be stuck in traffic. the protest will be a washout because it is going to be raining tomorrow. it is funny how they dont have a problem using their petrol to do this protest yet they are protesting on paying higher road user charges. weird.

ZollyMonsta

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#142527 3-Jul-2008 13:59

by New Zealand Police - 03 Jul 2008 11:31
Wellington Police are strongly advising commuters and travellers to avoid the motorways and central business district between 7am and 10am tomorrow morning because of the expected traffic gridlock from the increased road user charge truck protest which is happening across the country.

More than 100 heavy trucks are expected to travel in convoy on both State Highways 1 and 2, leaving McKays Crossing (Paekakariki) and Seaview, near Petone, at 7am.

Inspector Simon Perry, Wellington City Area Emergency Response Manager, says the volume of trucks will cause huge delays on the highway and motorway systems, and gridlock the central city.

"This protest is happening in peak time and the convoys may merge as they approach the CBD," he says. "We expect motorists will need to factor an extra 90 minutes delay into their travel time. The CBD will be gridlocked and we're not expecting traffic flow to return to anything like normal until after 10am."

Police say the congestion and delays will impact on commuters, and people heading to the airport for early morning flights or the ferry terminals for early sailings.

The intended protest route is:
* 7am, leave McKays Crossing on State Highway 1 and Seaview, Petone, to travel south on State Highway 2
* The convoys will merge on the urban motorway and travel south through The Terrace tunnel onto Vivian Street. Dangerous goods vehicles are not allowed through the tunnel and will exit at The Terrace off ramp to rejoin the convoy in Vivian Street.

* Travel to Taranaki Street, then onto Jervois Quay
* Turn into Whitmore Street and then up to Parliament where they will disperse.
"The delays for the general public will be considerable," Inspector Perry says. "We will have extra patrols out to minimise disruption where possible, particularly around intersections. We're appealing for people to be patient and to avoid the area."

Police urge commuters and travellers to:
* be on the road well before 7am if you are catching early morning flights or ferries
* use the trains and leave your car at home
* factor long delays into your journey
* parents/caregivers to be aware that travel on the last day of term for school kids could be delayed tomorrow morning
* avoid the motorways and CBD if possible between 7am and 10am.
"Wet weather and the inevitable crashes will add to congestion and frustration," Inspector Perry says. "Please be patient. Police will have extra patrols out but the city will be gridlocked for a chunk of tomorrow morning.

"This protest is similar to many others we experience in the capital city. We expect the truck drivers to abide by the road rules, but the protest will bring inevitable delays on the roads."

ENDS

This relates to the Wellington truckies strike.

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nate

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#142661 3-Jul-2008 18:22

richgamer: it is funny how they dont have a problem using their petrol to do this protest yet they are protesting on paying higher road user charges. weird.

Understood, but see how much press they are getting, and attention for their cause - small price to pay for what should hopefully get some result.

DjShadow

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#142666 3-Jul-2008 18:30

Hamilton one they are heading down Ulster street from pukete and going to choke Victoria street, that will make a good right old mess of things :)
I don't go near it to get to work however, Auckland on the other hand will feel it good, esp if they slow the motorways down even more than they are now

sbiddle

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#142667 3-Jul-2008 18:34

nate:
richgamer: it is funny how they dont have a problem using their petrol to do this protest yet they are protesting on paying higher road user charges. weird.

Understood, but see how much press they are getting, and attention for their cause - small price to pay for what should hopefully get some result.

Unfortunately I don't see it getting any results..:-(

Tockly

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#142708 3-Jul-2008 19:41

Being the owner of a diesel I have had the costs of running my vehicle double in 12 months.

When I got my ute 12 months ago I struggled to get $60 diesel in it, now it is around $110. They have also increased my registration by $55 a year, which was already $70 more than my wifes car, and now another $30 every 10,000km's.

It just really F#$k's me off that when petrol goes up by say two cents diesel will go up by four! Why's that? The cost of making diesel hasn't changed.

So the outcome of this is I now have a $45,000 Ford Ranger sitting in my driveway doing nothing. I am driving around in a 1989 Toyota Corolla 1.3.

So I say good on them. If I could afford it I would join them.

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sbiddle

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#142710 3-Jul-2008 19:47

Tockly:It just really F#$k's me off that when petrol goes up by say two cents diesel will go up by four! Why's that? The cost of making diesel hasn't changed.

It actually has, which is a small part of the the reason why disel has gone up by so much. In the old days diesel was a cheaper fuel that required less crude to produce than petrol. With the requirements for higher grade fuel with lower sulphur content the amount of crude required to produce diesel has increased and the refining process has become far more complex.

Tockly

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#142713 3-Jul-2008 19:51

True, but didn't the change to low sulphur come in over two years ago? It was certainly long before I got my Ranger!

Doesn't explain the increase, compared to petrol, over the last 12 months.

Lipex666

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#142723 3-Jul-2008 20:26

wouldnt this give wait to the goverment and up taxs and diesel and force goods shipping back to rail the goverment now owns. I would like to see all rigs removed off inner city roads and in Auckland have a depo the other side of Hamilton and ship to the port etc by train.

Bring back heavy freight trains.

The parking and trafic police will be busy tommorow.

"The only way to learn some- thing is to do it"

old3eyes

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#142860 4-Jul-2008 10:09

Lipex666: wouldnt this give wait to the goverment and up taxs and diesel and force goods shipping back to rail the goverment now owns. I would like to see all rigs removed off inner city roads and in Auckland have a depo the other side of Hamilton and ship to the port etc by train.

Bring back heavy freight trains.

The parking and trafic police will be busy tommorow.

Your most likely correct but the problem here in NZ is that due to our narrow gutted rail gauge and loading gauge they can't put loaded truck trailers in to flat cars as they do in the US and Canada which makes truck > rail > truck transport allot easier. Here it has to me put into a container or repacked into boxcars..

Regards,

Old3eyes

Jonski

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#142886 4-Jul-2008 10:53

Did anyone get caught in the strike?

My wife went in by bus, the m'way was clear as Xmas day and there were only 6 others on her bus.

Did everyone go in for 7.30 and will be in the pubs by 4??

Cheers
Jon

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Jonski

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#142889 4-Jul-2008 10:58

old3eyes:
Lipex666: Bring back heavy freight trains.

Your most likely correct but the problem here in NZ is that due to our narrow gutted rail gauge and loading gauge they can't put loaded truck trailers in to flat cars as they do in the US and Canada which makes truck > rail > truck transport allot easier. Here it has to me put into a container or repacked into boxcars..

Oh for a modern rail system!

If Kiwi Rail is going to revitalise the freight industry, they should look at increasing the rail gauge in the country- perhaps starting with those spur lines that have been ripped out?

Huge job to do it to the main trunk line though! Perhaps they could lay a 3rd track and do it incrementally... Yeah, tunnels will be a problem!

Cheers
Jon

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Bung

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#142895 4-Jul-2008 11:05

old3eyes:

Your most likely correct but the problem here in NZ is that due to our narrow gutted rail gauge and loading gauge they can't put loaded truck trailers in to flat cars as they do in the US and Canada which makes truck > rail > truck transport allot easier. Here it has to me put into a container or repacked into boxcars..

Trucks are no wider than containers and rail carries tonnes of them, it's height that is the problem. Low bridges and tunnels are the limiting factor.

bazzer

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#142898 4-Jul-2008 11:09

Tockly: So the outcome of this is I now have a $45,000 Ford Ranger sitting in my driveway doing nothing. I am driving around in a 1989 Toyota Corolla 1.3. So I say good on them. If I could afford it I would join them.

I'm very sorry you can't afford to fill your diesel vehicle anymore. How did you afford the $45K to buy it?!

kinsten

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#142899 4-Jul-2008 11:12

I was actually quite impressed to see the truck convoy protest this morning, on my way to work (luckily which is a 2 lane road) and they only occupied 1 lane, so I was not seriously affected.
Also noticed some pre-schools & early childhood centres taking kids to the footpaths to look at all the trucks. Quite a sight I imagine. Bet some of those kids are saying "I want to be a truck driver when I grow up". haha..

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