Transport Issues
I am a passionate believer in people and commodities being able to move freely, efficiently, and economically throughout the city combining the best of private and public transport. Buses, cars, trains, vans, trucks, cyclists, pedestrians should all be able to get where they want to go in the fastest, most comfortable, and most economical way possible.
We have a highly dysfunctional transport system in Auckland.
In public transport there is vast waste of capital and human resources through duplication of routes, inefficient timetables, bad placement of bus stops, lack of priority lanes and traffic lights for buses, and a dysfunctional roading system. There is also vast excess of noise and emission pollution, and wasted time.
Responsibility for this must rest with ARTA and the Auckland Regional Council. ARTA are spending millions on long term ‘grand plans’ for public transport while forcing Aucklanders to endure the dysfunctional grossly over expensive current system..
I believe the system could be improved dramatically within a very limited time frame.
Supermaxx for a Supercity is the immediate answer for a great leap forward!!
For full details go to Supermaxx.
Newmarket Station
Once again ARTA have proven their incompetence by closing Kingdon St station in Newmarket.
The new Newmarket station could have and should have been built over the old triangle where southern and western lines meet, as part of a shopping/office/apartment complex. Costs would have been reduced by $20-$30 million and a vastly more operationally efficient station built. The location of the new station builds inefficiency, extra operating cost, and congestion into the rail system for the next 50-80 years or as long as the new Newmarket station lasts.
To claim that westbound trains using the new station will only add approximately 30 seconds to their journey (as claimed by Sharon Hunter of ARTA in the NZ Herald 24/12/09) is totally specious. The trains have to leave the western line, travel into Newmarket on the Southern line which will cause congestion and inconvenience. The driver then has to close down his cab at one end, walk to the opposite end, open up his cab there, and head back on the southern line to join the Western Line. This will add an extra 3-4 minutes onto each journey. Every passenger travelling between the west and Britomart will be seriously disadvantaged and rail travel will become less attractive. Many passengers will not like doing part of their journey facing forwards, and part facing backwards. The suggestion that the gradient from Kingdon St is a problem for westbound trains is nonsense and will be totally irrelevant once the electric trains arrive, which may even be in the 50-80 year lifetime of the new Newmarket station!
Update 6th February 2010.
OOPS IT SEEMS I WAS WRONG!!! The average extra time on each westbound train is more like 4-5 minutes. At congestion times it is taking 6-8 minutes
Update 19th April, 2010
ARTA have finally produced a Western line train timetable showing a 3 minute stop at Newmarket Station. It does nothing to overcome the inefficiency and extra costs ARTA built into the system but at least it is more honest. Allowing 2 minutes for travel between Grafton and Newmarket stations is highly optimistic, especially as congestion increases through the station. But credit where it is due - at least they have the access from Grafton Station to both sides of Khyber Pass Road and Park Road sorted properly. But why did they not complete the job and place bus stops at the access points on Khyber Pass Road. They could easily have been provided at the time the reconstruction was going on. Not all buses will be using Park Rd.
ARTA, ONTRACK (or an organisation vastly more competent) should call immediately for 'expressions of interest' from any developer wishing to develop a shopping/office/apartment complex over the old triangle. Land and air space would be provided free of charge and resource consents expedited for a 10-15 storey building in return for providing two straight 160-180 metre platforms on the ground level for westbound trains with escalators and lifts to the second level which would provide a shopping mall concourse and easy access between the platforms and connected to the new Newmarket station for Southbound connections. The lower level basic building would be provided free of charge to Ontrack however laying of tracks and fitting out to be a functional rail station would be provided by Ontrack. If that is not possible KINGDON ST STATION SHOULD BE RE- OPENED if there is to be any efficiency in the system. New steps (and possibly a covered escalator) can be built from the station to Davis Crescent at the Broadway end of the station.
While 'developing' has lost some of its attractiveness I believe that the opportunity of building on prime real estate would still be attractive to some. Ongoing rentals and rates from the building would more than pay for the maintenance and cleaning of the station.
(Update 6th February, 2010) I understand that in fact the air space above the western and southern line junction has already been sold. Another opportunity lost by ARTA, Ontrack, and the Auckland City Council to achieve something worthwhile.
THE DYSFUNCTIONAL NATURE OF THE DESIGN OF THE NEWMARKET STATION WAS POINTED OUT BY ME DIRECTLY TO BOTH ARTA AND ONTRACK AT AN OPEN DAY IN PARNELL ON THE 3RD NOVEMBER, 2007
WYNYARD QUARTER TRAMS
Plans have been announced to offer a tram service on a circuit in the Wynyard Quarter using Heritrage trams from MOTAT or Melbourne. It is probably too early for thisservice but if we are going to spend millions doing it at least do it properly and connect it to the city!! It is quite possible to do the circuit around Halsey, Jellicoe, Beaumont, and Gaunt Sts, and run the line along Viaduct Harbour and Customs St West to a final station outside the tepid baths. It would only need 1 line (and a couple of passing bays) to offer a 20 minute service with 2 trams.
More Diesel Trains
ARTA have spent tens of millions of dollars turning the old British rail carriages into diesel engine hauled trains. I understand 3 more are about ready to enter service and there are 2 or 3 more in the pipeline. MOST, IF NOT ALL, OF THESE TRAINS WILL BE REDUNDANT WHEN THE ELECTRIC FLEET ARRIVES IN 2013. I have asked ARTA and the ARC what they intend doing with these trains to recoup the capital cost after the electric fleet arrives. It seems they have no idea, and I suspect have not even thought of it. But why would they worry - the capital is not theirs and the longsuffering ratepayers and taxpayers of Auckland are not high in their priorities. Just another example of supreme profligacy from ARTA.
Train and bus fares unnecessarily increased February 2010
This is just another example of ARTA incompetence. The only reason fares have risen is that ARTA have not remodelled the public transport system to operate efficiently. Supermaxx provides a total restructure of Aucklands public transport which would REDUCE subsidies AND costs to the traveller! Fares did not need to rise - ARTA needed to be sacked!
Central Connector/Grafton Bridge
At last someone with a public voice (Brian Rudman of the New Zealand Herald) has pointed out the gross deficiencies in signage in regard to the Busway on the Grafton Bridge. They are unclear and need to be changed immediately. Another issue not touched on is the signage on the road at the Symonds St end of Grafton Bridge. A number of diagonal lines have been painted on the road with the normal white line marking where to stop while awaiting traffic light changes at each end of the lines. I assume these diagonal lines mean not to stop there but there is nothing to say so. Inevitably motorists, whether legally using Grafton Bridge or not, stop at the Symonds St end of this space which means buses turning left from Symonds St onto Grafton Bridge do not have enough room to swing around a very tight corner onto a narrow bridge and there are numerous confrontations between bus drivers and motorists. It is a hassle for the bus drivers and a waste of time for passengers. ARTA and the Auckland City Council cannot even get the little things right! Paint out the diagonal lines and paint a simple bold sign on the road NO STOPPING and the problem will be resolved.
The Central Connector should never have included Grafton Bridge and Park Road. Transferring southern and eastern buses to Park Road does service the hospital and Domain better but also increases congestion, pollution, and noise by the hospital, which should be a 'quiet zone'. Khyber Pass Road is the "industrial' road for heavy traffic and could have been made totally free flowing with the money spent on Grafton Bridge and Park Road. The Hospital, Domain, and Museum would be better served by a service between Newmarket and Queen st opposite the Civic Theatre operated by hybrid or electric buses.
Integrated ticketing
The capital cost of the Integrated Ticketing Contract as organised by ARTA has been reduced by approximately $23 million. I believe that this in part, if not in whole, is due to an investigation done by the Auditor General at my request earlier this year. (I am still waiting for my 1% thank you fee from the ARC for saving the ratepayers of Auckland and taxpayers of New Zealand this amount and this does not even take into account the reduced operating costs). It is still however vastly more expensive and complex than it needs to be. Under Supermaxx the cost would be reduced to about $10 million.
Rugby World Cup Transport and Party Central
Could anyone other than ARTA come up with a plan to dump thousands of Rugby fans in the wasteland of the old rail yards in a derelict platform, on which they are examining squandering more ratepayers money to flossy up??? Bizarre. The last figure I saw was that ARTA were planning on moving around 15,000 fans by train between Kingsland and Britomart. It is impossible in any reasonable length of time even without any consideration for signal failures, train breakdowns, or track congestion. 7-8,000 is the maximum that can be moved by train.
WE NEED TO GET OVER THE TERRIBLE TWINS (KEY AND LEE) OBSESSION WITH TURNING QUEENS WHARF INTO PARTY CENTRAL. IT WON'T WORK!
Party central should be centred on Aotea Square with the streets blocked off to traffic within the area bounded by Mayoral Drive, Kitchener St, Victoria St, and Albert St. Aotea Square and the adjacent blocked off Queen St will make a fabulous outdoor venue and there are already plans to install a big screen in Aotea Square. A great range of all weather indoor activities can be arranged in the surrounding buildings such as the Aotea Centre, Town Hall, Civic Theatre, Cinema centre, Skycity, and maybe a revived St James. The area already has a plethora of restaurants, cafes, bars, accommodation, and entertainment opportunities. Minimum cost and maximum effectiveness for a fabulous World Cup.
This option also resolves many of the transport problems. A totally free flowing shuttle service between Eden Park and the Town Hall can be provided for the Semi finals and Final along New North Rd, Ian McKinnon Drive, and Queen St to the Town Hall with a transit time of 6-8 minutes. Vastly more fans can be moved by this than our rail system. It is actually possible to walk this route in 20-30 minutes!
Secondary World cup entertainment, big screens, etc can be provided on Queens Wharf (flossy up the sheds at minimum cost - no tents please), Viaduct Harbour, and the Marine Events centre. Trains can convey the Downtown fans to Britomart.
Central City and Airport rail links
CENTRAL CITY LOOP - ARTA have managed to identify the most expensive option possible which will take the longest time to introduce!! While it has merit if we have unlimited time and money - we actually have neither.
TO MAKE AUCKLAND'S PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM FULLY FUNCTIONAL IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT AN UNDERGROUND LOOP BE COMPLETED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. The route I suggested to ARTA, ONTRACK, ARC, Auckland City Council in December 2006 is still the fastest and cheapest to implement. IT WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $1 BILLION LESS THAN ARTA'S IDENTIFIED ROUTE AND COULD BE BUILT IN ONE THIRD OF THE TIME. It also services the Symonds Street ridge with its thousands of residents, and the University which is a very high user of public transport.
This route follows ARTA's identified route from Britomart under Albert St but turns left and exits above ground on Victoria Street to cross over Queen St then go underground again below Kitchener St and Albert Park, then across Stanley St by viaduct (with pedestrian and cycle facilities) to join the current track at Parnell Rise. A station would be built by Albert and Victoria Sts, Kitchener St, under Symonds St, and in Parnell. The stations by Albert Park could be linked to the second world war tunnels. THIS ROUTE COULD BE AVAILABLE BY THE TIME THE ELECTRIC TRAINS ARRIVE circa 2013! It would maximise use of Britomart and there is no reason if demand warranted it and money was available why the line could not be extended along the proposed route from Victoria st to Mt Eden in another 10-20 years.
AIRPORT RAIL LINK - Forget it! There are many cries for a rail link to the airport. It simply cannot be justified and there are many far more pressing infrastructure needs for the scarce dollars available. Rail is a 'mass mover' of people. There is simply not sufficient mass of people wanting to travel from the airport to the CBD. The vast majority of people travelling through Auckland airport are not travelling to and from the CBD. Many are joining domestic flights or travelling by car or bus to areas outside of Auckland altogether. many more are travelling by their own car or shuttle or bus to other areas of Auckland. Tour operators will still use their own charter coaches for the convenience and comfort of their clients.
THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO WOULD USE AN AIRPORT RAIL LINK ARE INDIVIDUAL TOURISTS, CBD RESIDENTS, AND MAYBE THOSE WITH BUSINESS APPOINTMENTS IN THE CBD. By all means protect accessways for the future (as on the Mangere Bridge) but don't waste time on totally non viable exercises in the meantime. Examples of overseas airports which have a rail link are often quoted. We need to remember that on average 180,000 people pass through Heathrow airport each day, 35,000 through Auckland. Even Sydney with its much higher passenger count than Auckland has had to be bailed out and is very heavily subsidised. Keep it in the 20 year plan!
The current Airbus provides a good service to the CBD and SUPERMAXX Primary route 1 with its 10 minute service from 6am to midnight and 20 minute service from midnight to 6am 7 days a week between the CBD, and Manukau City via Newmarket, Onehunga, and the airport with integrated links from throughout Auckland would provide the low cost high frequency alternative if implemented.
Manukau City Rail Link
Once again ARTA are proving their incompetence. A spur rail line is being built into Manukau City - with the terminus at Davies Avenue. A few hundred metres more 'cut and cover' through the car park at relatively minimal expense would have provided direct access to Manukau City Council Building (presumably still in use in the Supercity), the Westfield Mall, and a properly integrated bus/rail interchange which would have been one of the most important in the Auckland network.
THREE OTHER EXAMPLES OF ARTA'S INABILITY TO DO JOBS PROPERLY ARE
THE ALBANY NORTHERN EXPRESS BUSWAY TERMINUS - built in the middle of a paddock surrounded by car parks a few hundred metres from the major facilities of the shopping mall, North Harbour Stadium, and Massey University campus. By all means service the 'park and ride' facility but make the terminus in the the main people attracters for shopping, learning, and entertainment. Use the car parks at North Harbour stadium for additional 'park and ride' facilities.
THE HENDERSON TRANSPORT INTERCHANGE - the interchange itself with covered walkways from the City Council centre and rail platforms, escalators to the rail platforms etc are excellent BUT THEN EVERYONE GETS DUMPED ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF STATION ROAD WHEN THE SHOPPING, OFFICES AND ENTERTAINMENT FACILITIES ARE PRIMARILY ON THE EASTERN SIDE! Pedestrians then have to battle heavy traffice to cross the road. For relatively minimal extra cost the walkway could have and should have been extended across Station Road for a much more pleasant and comfortable experience for both pedestrians and traffic. It may even have been possible (difficult I know) to get a contribution from Westfield and extend the walkway into the shopping mall with escalator access to the eastern side of Station Road.
M7 INNER CITY BUS STOP ON WELLESLEY ST EAST - Only ARTA would place a heavily used bus stop immediately on a busy intersection before a set of traffic lights! Buses often take 2-3 traffic light cycles before being able to get out of the stop and turn left into Queen St which is frustrating to both drivers and travellers. It often wastes 2-3 minutes at the start of the journey. ALL IT NEEDS IS TO PUT THIS STOP AROUND THE CORNER ON QUEEN ST - THERE IS STILL PLENTY OF ROOM FOR THE DOMINION RD BUSES. Simple really!
THE ABOVE EXAMPLES SHOW THE MINISCULE MINDSET OF ARTA WHICH IS STILL LOCKED INTO CATERING FOR COMMUTERS RATHER THAN MAKING PUBLIC TRANSPORT THE 'TRANSPORT OF CHOICE' FOR ALL ACTIVITIES.
380 Bus service Manukau - Papatoetoe Rail - Airport
It is over two years since ARTA introduced the 380 bus service providing services every 30 minutes for most of the day between Manukau City, Papatoetoe town and rail, and the airport. This is a highly subsidised service operated at vast expense to the ratepayers and taxpayers. Patronage after more than 2 years averages 4.2 passengers per service. I was staggered to find in the early stages that no timetable had been produced showing integrated services of train and bus between the CBD and airport. TWO YEARS LATER THIS IS STILL THE CASE!
No one in the CBD knows that this is the cheapest way to the airport for backpackers, workers etc.
Very few if any Senior Citizens know that they can get to and from the airport free of charge on their Gold Cards outside the morning week day rush hours. No driving hassles and no exhorbitant airport parking fees.
I have offered to have an integrated timetable prepared and distributed to all relevant accommodation houses in the CBD and along the route for a very modest cost. Alas that is beyond the capacity of ARTA to provide. By why would they worry when they have an unlimited pot of ratepayer funds to draw on?
Timetables
ARTA produce a grossly overexpensive and diffcult to use and maintain plethora of timetables for bus services in Auckland. While it may suit commuters who only want to get from home to work and back again it does nothing to assist people who want to make public transport their 'transport of choice' for all activities throughout Auckland. Once again showing their limited mindset and profligate waste of money.
Helensville Experiment
ARTA have wasted around $1 million on the Helensville experiment which should never have been introduced, as I pointed out to Mike Lee when the service was first announced. Trains are only cost effective as 'mass movers' of people, and there is no mass of people in Helensville to be moved. For ARTA to suggest that they may now operate some services to Huapai and Waimauku to 'utilise the money spent on upgrading the stations there" is outrageous. The money is wasted. Cut the losses and write it off. On a general demographic basis no passenger trains should be operated beyond Henderson on the Western Line. However as the number of trains needed for a regular 10 or 20 minute frequency is not increased by extending to Swanson this should be done as proposed in Supermaxx . NO TRAINS SHOULD OPERATE BEYOND SWANSON. Supermaxx "LOCAL" bus connections can be provided to Waitakere and beyond at vastly less cost.
SUMMARY
The gross waste of money and the general incompetence of ARTA shown in the above issues along with the continued dysfunctional nature of Auckland's bus and train scheduling and bloated bus company contracts give me no confidence that we will achieve a public transport system of the highest possible quality at the lowest possible cost under the present regime. It will be a tragedy for Auckland if the current management and operatives of ARTA are employed in the new Auckland Transport Authority.
WE DO NOT NEED BUS AND TRAIN FARE INCREASES JUST A VASTLY MORE COMPETENT ORGANISATION OF OUR PUBLIC TRANSPORT.
