Month: November 2014

Update on Otahuhu Interchange

·

Confusion

 

This is what happens when Auckland Transport Comms (yes you Wally) either mixes a message up or the managers responsible in overseeing a project do not reply to emails on a given project: ABSOLUTE CONFUSION.

 

I was updated earlier today that rather than Otahuhu Transport Interchange being delayed it has in fact being brought forward to start construction on Wednesday as noted below:

From Auckland Transport

Otahuhu bus train interchange

Auckland Transport plans to build a new bus train interchange next to the existing Otahuhu Railway Station to contribute to a better connected and more frequent service.

Project status: Design
Project zone: South

Project purpose

  • Auckland Transport is moving to a simpler and more integrated public transport network as part of the Public Transport Network Plan.
  • A new network of buses and trains will change the way people travel – including the need for some passengers to transfer at key interchanges.
  • The new Otāhuhu bus/train interchange will be a key transfer station connecting bus users from the region to the rail network.

Helping to serve as a catalyst for growth for Otāhuhu, the new interchange is also expected to attract more people to live and work in the area.

Benefits

  • Better connectivity between bus and rail networks.
  • Will use increased capacity of new electric trains.
  • Improved pedestrian connections in Otāhuhu.
  • Bus services will be more frequent and bus and train timetables will be aligned.
  • New infrastructure provides a catalyst for growth and rejuvenation in Otāhuhu.

Milestones

August 2014 – Public open days.
September 2014 – Completion of detailed design.
November 2014 – Construction begins.
July 2015 – Completion of the bus interchange and concourse (stage one).
December 2015 – Completion of the train platform canopies and upgrade (stage two).

Project details

  • Upgrade of existing Otāhuhu Train Station to a bus and train interchange.
  • The bus component of the interchange will be built on land adjacent to the existing Otāhuhu Train Station.
  • The interchange will incorporate the existing Otāhuhu Train Station, linking the rail platform with two new bus platforms and a terminal building via an elevated concourse.
  • Vehicles will access the site via a new signalised western approach to the Walmsley Rd / Saleyards Rd / Station Rd signalised intersection.
  • The total cost, including investigation, design, construction and land purchase, will be around $25 million.

The new bus interchange will be located next to the existing Otāhuhu Rail Station with construction expected to get underway in December 2014.

………

Source: https://at.govt.nz/projects-roadworks/otahuhu-bus-train-interchange/

 

So the update that went up from Auckland Transport this morning (thanks for the Presser – not) illustrates phase one starts this week.

This now raises a few more questions around the entire mess owing to Auckland Transport’s comm’s not being the best I can think of across the wider Council organisation.

 

Of course questions around AT comm’s is one thing but when having a search through the Tender/Procurement page of the Auckland Transport website to see what might be going on something went amiss.

 

Let’s start with the Forward Work Program which I can an eye on to see where things are going, and most likely where Councillor Wood started looking last week.

The Forward Working Document 

 

So the Forward Working Document (August) states the Tender should be out and closing at the end of the month. Now with construction starting ahead of time I still checked the ‘Current Tender’ page which showed nothing, and finally the Contracts Awarded page which also shows nothing for a $20m approximate project. Granted the contract could have been awarded this month and the PDF not updated as of yet (last updated 31 October).

Current Tenders 1 Current Tenders 2

 

The Award Contracts Page

 

So I am at a total loss here and am wondering what is going on with:

  • Councillor George Wood was right to draw the conclusion that they have been pushed back to 2021 based on the LTP documents (as I also concluded as well.
  • There hasn’t been any tenders released as noted above.
  • So how come AT is starting construction in two days?

 

At least the Interchange is going ahead. Now to see what is going with Manukau.

 

Early Bird Parking Discontinued in the City Centre

· 1 Comment ·

Auckland Transport to discontinue the option

 

I saw on Twitter earlier today that Auckland Transport were to discontinue the Early Bird parking fee for their three City Centre Parking parking buildings.

This from the AT website:

Downtown car park

Casual parking $3 per hour*

Early bird parking discontinued

From 1 December 2014, early bird parking is being discontinued in Auckland Transport’s Downtown, Civic and Victoria Street car park buildings. Our daily rate of $17 will apply to all day parkers.

  • Historically AT has subsidised people to drive into the city at peak times, which is adding to congestion.
  • Our prices are increasing to dis-incentivise people to drive during one of the busiest times of the day (am peak).
  • Moving forward that money will be used to put into public transport, which is our number one priority.
  • View public transport options.
  • See what AT is proposing with the new public transport network.

Fees

MONDAY – FRIDAY 6AM – 5PM
0-1 hours $3
1-2 hours $6
2-3 hours $9
3-4 hours $12
4-5 hours $15
5+ maximum fee $17

 

…….

Source: https://at.govt.nz/driving-parking/parking-in-auckland/downtown-car-park/

 

 

Whale Watch

·

Not often I would comment of matters “out of state” but the Slater Empire running at diminishing capacity is one that I have been keeping an eye on for a while now.

As I have noted before who knows what will happen. We might see WO come back as an MK2 version or it might diminish to such an extent it is like a Red Dwarf star.

I notice the Centre Left is having a crack at an MK2 with a new blog starting to leave The Standard, and The Daily Blog behind. Maybe the Centre Right could MK2 itself or Kiwi Blog takes over again at the top.

As for Auckland matters the main three blogs plus good old Metro Mag are still going well there 🙂

Pete George's avatarYour NZ

Moderator Travis Polson opened up about differences about what is going on at Whale Oil yesterday.

kathy maddren

Looks like “LabTested ” has just got banned again today from the Whale. They only got un-banned a few weeks ago, after applying for one of Pete Belts amnesty spots. Poor Bugger. Wonder what terrible commenting crime they committed this time ??? LOL.

Mike C

Lab Tested seemed pretty normal to me.

Travis Poulson

He is. Quite a decent bloke actually.

Mike C

Have you met Lab Tested, Travis ?

Travdog

Not in person, but just the impression I get from general chit chat. Seems to be a rather smart guy, travels a lot (possibly from work) and likes his hunting. All up ticks in my book.

Only down vote in my book was that he traded his dignity to go back to WO after being banned once. Some have even been…

View original post 657 more words

It’s Ideology, Stupid.

·

Left or Right dogmatism I have no time for
Pragmatism I do

Professor Mayhem's avatarSlightly Left of Centre

Your ideology is stupid.

Well, it may not be stupid, but your inability to step back from it for long enough to look at policy objectively is stupid.

It is fine to have an overarching set of guiding morals upon which you base your actions, but when that that set of ingrained beliefs causes you to ignore evidence and stick to your rigid preset positions.

To change your mind in politics is to be labelled a flip-flopper. I am a flip-flopper and fiercely proud of it. I believe that pragmatism trumps dogmatism any day.

View original post

Te Reo Maori – Taonga or Trash?

·

New Zealand no matter what how much warm and fuzzies you feel about it , has an ugly White and Colonial past that still haunts us today.
This past starts soon after the Treat of Waitangi was signed in 1840, climaxes out in the New Zealand Land Wars in the mid-late 19th Century, would continue with NZ’s own White Policy (not as implicit as Australia’s mind you) where even through the 1950s the Maori Language and Culture was considered dead and thus they should be assimilating White Culture in its entirety, before we start getting movements in the 70’s and 80’s where National did pick up on the issues eventually (Labour would as well), and will lead to Treaty Settlement Process of the 90s through to today.

And yet despite trying to correct the injustices we still have our Past coming back to haunt us in a variety of ways. The blog post I am reblogging makes mention of it and another one would be anyone especially White Conservatives that purport the One Law for All crap seen out there.

Then again as the saying goes: Those Ignorant of History Are Doomed to Repeat It

hauraki2015's avatarthehoristory

A young John Key once came home from a day at Burnside high school a tad irritated. There seemed to be a problem. The fact that he was not learning a foreign language, meant that he was restricted from entering the form group that boasted the schools highest academic achievers. As his mother was originally from Austria, and spoke fluent German, he proposed to her that she should have taught him the language. Mrs Key responded horrified ‘You’re never going to Europe, what use is German? The whole purpose of education is to do something with your life and German will never do anything for you’. That was the end of that. I am of the strong belief that the Prime Minister’s attitude toward Te Reo Maori and its proliferation within the context of modern day Aotearoa New Zealand was fostered and given foundation through this short, but very pertinent and…

View original post 637 more words

Auckland Plan Annual Update

·

Getting There

 

Yesterday amongst other things the Auckland Development Committee heard the annual update on how well (or badly) the Auckland Plan is being implemented. The update will be up on the Council website soon and I will link it back when it is up.

In the mean time from Auckland Council:

Auckland Plan report shows good progress

 

Auckland is delivering on key Auckland Plan targets including a reduction in water consumption, an increase in access to sports fields and growth in the city’s GDP.

The Auckland Development Committee today (Thursday) received the third annual Auckland Plan progress update which tracks the progress of the plan’s actions and achievements over the past year.

Although the implementation of the plan has just begun, areas that still need improvement to reach set targets include levels of alcohol or drug impaired driving, low home ownership levels and lower than average export growth.

Auckland Development Committee Chair Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse says the report is encouraging, however as expected some areas need improvement.

 

“This report shows many positive developments and progress we should be proud of as a region,” she says.

“We have launched the new electric train services, completed the roll-out of the AT HOP card system, and we heard last month how Aucklanders are now making 12 million train journeys each year, overtaking Wellington for the first time.

“The report notes that since the opening of the Panmure Station in January there has been a 57 per cent increase in passenger numbers with an average of 1,116 passengers a day compared to 100 in 2002.

“More children are enrolled in early childhood education and there is an increase in people gaining post-secondary qualifications which is really important as we strive to become the world’s most liveable city.”

The report says the council can look to events like the NRL Nines, which delivered $9.35 million in GDP to Auckland, to highlight the economic strength of the city and help boost visitor numbers.

“However it is not acceptable for us to still have so many people driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or that the levels of homelessness are still high in Auckland,” says Ms Hulse.

“These challenges cannot be solved by council alone so we must continue to work with all Aucklanders and our key partners as envisaged by the Auckland Plan.

“The key is that we are aware of these challenges, and can adjust where we need to and improve our efforts in the right areas.”

 

Further Information

The Auckland Plan measures progress against seven outcomes:

  1. A Fair, Safe and Healthy Auckland
  2. A Green Auckland
  3. An Auckland of Prosperity and Opportunity
  4. A Well Connected and Accessible Auckland
  5. A Beautiful Auckland That is Loved by its People
  6. A Culturally Rich and Creative Auckland
  7. A Maori Identity That Is Auckland’s Point of Difference in the World.

 

—Ends—

 

The Auckland Plan also is measured against thirteen strategic directions for which four have been missed looking at the updates in the Agenda document below (see towards the end of the document):