A look at who commutes to the City Centre and where from I will be running a series of posts on Auckland’s commuting journeys from home to the … Continue reading Auckland’s Commuting Journeys – A Series. #The City Centre
Author: Ben Ross - Talking Auckland
Admin and author of Talking Auckland Blog ( http://voakl.net )
Some Transport Announcements
$100m for urban cycleways, $20m to advance AMETI Stage Two.
Some transport announcements yesterday.
First some cash for some cycleways.
From the Minister of Transport – Gerry Brownlee:
$100 million for urban cycleways
Prime Minister John Key has today announced $100 million in new funding will be made available over the next four years to accelerate cycleways in urban centres.
Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee says an Urban Cycleway Investment Panel will investigate opportunities to invest in urban cycleways that would expand and improve the cycling network.
Mr Brownlee says National recognises that commuting by bike has health benefits and takes pressure off other transport networks, but says cycleways in our largest centres are fragmented and offer varied levels of service.
“This funding builds on significant investments the government is already making, with projects in Hastings and New Plymouth showcasing how cycling can be a safer, more reliable and realistic transport option.
“Many people cite safety concerns and a lack of infrastructure as reasons for not cycling, so we’re going to begin building cycleways to a standard that delivers real incentives for commuters to make a change.
“Building more comprehensive cycling networks will require new infrastructure to connect existing routes and expand the network into wider urban areas.
“And as these connections will be a mix of local roads and State highways, we’ll need a strategic approach and collaboration at central and local government level.
“Some councils are well advanced in planning and constructing local cycleways, and we want to ensure we do what we can to complement them and make them capable of being used by the widest number of people possible.
“This funding package also strongly complements other aspects of the government’s ambitious transport infrastructure programme, which is designed to ensure people and freight can reach their destinations quickly and safely,” Mr Brownlee says.
The Urban Cycleway Investment Panel will include representatives from central government, local government and other organisations. Draft terms of reference for the panel will be presented to Cabinet by 31 October 2014.
Questions and Answers
What is the urban cycleways announcement?
The urban cycleways announcement comprises two main parts:
- An extra investment of $100 million over the next four years, dedicated to urban cycling infrastructure.
- An Urban Cycling Investment Panel, consisting of representatives from central government, local government and other organisations, will investigate opportunities to invest in urban cycleways that would expand and improve the cycling network.
What is the Urban Cycleway Investment Panel?
The government will establish a panel consisting of representatives of central government, local government and other organisations. Draft Terms of Reference for the group will be presented to Cabinet before 31 October 2014.
Where is the money coming from?
The $100 million will be allocated from the Crown’s Consolidated Fund, and divided between capital and operational expenditure. The expenditure is estimated to be spread over the next four years as follows:
| Expenditure profile year by year ($m) | |||||
| 2014/15 | 2015/16 | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | Total | |
| 10.0 | 35.0 | 30.0 | 25.0 | 100.0 | |
How are you ensuring these projects are value for money?
An investment strategy will be approved by Cabinet. This will ensure projects are good quality and ‘investment ready’ before construction starts.
What will this mean for local government?
The Urban Cycleway Investment Panel will include a representative of local government, and the $100 million Crown investment will be able to be spent on local roads – which are managed by local government – as well as State highways.
How does this align with other transport projects?
The government invests in all modes of transport, with the aim of ensuring people and freight can reach their destinations quickly and safely.
This programme builds on the significant investments government is already making in cycling, including through the model communities in Hastings and New Plymouth, the Government Policy Statement on land transport, and alongside other roading projects including the Roads of National Significance.
How much money is available now for cycleway developments?
In addition to this funding for urban cycleways, up to $30 million is available from the National Land Transport Fund for walking and cycling projects in the 2014/15 financial year. This investment will be complemented by funding from local government.
Over the last three years the National Land Transport Programme has provided around $80 million for dedicated walking and cycling facilities, and an additional $80 million of investment which has delivered significant cycling benefits, including cycle lanes on new highways, road safety initiatives, wider shoulders and better marking on local roads.
Aside from the $100 million announced today, is there any other future funding available for cycleway developments?
The draft Government Policy Statement on land transport 2015/16-2024/25 (the draft GPS 2015) proposes up to $103 million be available for walking and cycling projects (including cycleways) over the next three years. This investment will be complemented with funding from local government, and is in addition to this urban cycleways funding.
There will also be further funding through the National Land Transport Fund for cycling facilities which are built as part as new and improved State highways and local roads.
The draft GPS 2015 increases the annual maximum available funding for walking and cycling projects by 3.5 per cent per annum (compared to 1.9 per cent under GPS 2012). This reflects opportunities to provide more options for active modes of transport.
…….
Source: http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/100-million-urban-cycleways
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And some cash for AMETI Stage Two
From Auckland Transport
Funding approved to design new busway
18/08/2014 01:49 p.m.
Funding has been approved to further develop plans for the South Eastern Busway from Panmure Station to Pakuranga.
The NZ Transport Agency has approved design funding of $20.9m, with it subsidising $11m, for the Panmure to Pakuranga section of the Auckland Manukau Eastern Transport Initiative (AMETI).
It will be the next stage after the current work in Panmure, which comprised the new Panmure Station and a new link road between Mt Wellington Highway and Morrin Rd.
Proposed Panmure to Pakuranga projects also include the Reeves Rd flyover in Pakuranga, replacing Panmure roundabout with an intersection with traffic lights, a second Panmure Bridge for the busway and a shared cycle/foot path.
Auckland Transport aims to begin construction in 2017, subject to approval of construction funding and consents.
Auckland Transport Chairman Dr Lester Levy says the popular Panmure Station and a new road, due to open soon, are just the start of major transport improvements for the area. “With the first stage in Panmure almost complete and delivering benefits already, we’re looking forward to the next stage. This funding will allow us to further develop the design of the busway and other major transport projects.
“Public transport is currently a poor option because buses get caught in the same congestion as cars, resulting in long travel times. Large numbers of passengers are expected to be attracted by quicker, frequent and more reliable buses on lanes separate to traffic.
“Buses will run every 5-10 minutes most of the day and travel times will be reliable. It will take about 27 minutes to get between Pakuranga and Britomart by bus and train, about 8 minutes quicker than currently. There will be bigger time savings when the busway is extended to Botany in the future. Together, the AMETI projects are aimed at improving people’s transport choices and better connecting the south eastern suburbs to each other and the rest of Auckland.”
The Transport Agency’s Regional Manager of Planning and Investment, Peter Casey, says support for Auckland projects like AMETI are a high priority for the Transport Agency. “AMETI ticks a lot of boxes for us in a very busy area of Auckland where there’s strong economic and population growth. Supporting Auckland Transport’s upgrades of a whole range of transport choices will improve safety, and make the time it takes to travel between destinations a lot more reliable for people.”
Mr Casey says the Transport Agency will contribute just over a 50% share of the total cost of AMETI – funding that comes from revenue gathered by the agency from the excise duty on fuel, road user charges and vehicle registration fees and is then reinvested in transport projects.
Auckland Transport will continue to consult with residents, businesses and the community in the project area before applying for a land designation in the second quarter of 2015. This would be followed by a publicly notified hearing.
Key facts
The Panmure to Pakuranga projects are the next stage of the $1.3 billion AMETI programme. The long term project features a busway from Panmure to Pakuranga and Botany, roading upgrades at bottlenecks in Panmure and Pakuranga, and new cycling and walking infrastructure.
The Panmure to Pakuranga projects include:
- Replacing Panmure roundabout with an intersection with traffic lights and more direct pedestrian crossings
- Panmure to Pakuranga busway on lanes separate to traffic congestion
- Panmure to Pakuranga shared cycle/foot path separate to traffic
- Direct connection from Pakuranga Rd to Pakuranga Highway via Reeves Rd
- Pakuranga bus station
- Second Panmure Bridge for busway and shared path.
……….
Source: https://at.govt.nz/about-us/news-events/funding-approved-to-design-new-busway/
Good to see these projects advance bit by bit.
A rugby analogy Key may understand
I will be keeping an eye on Elections 2014
John Key seems to be missing the point about widespread fed-up-ness about dirty politics. Like really annoyed fed up pissed-offedness about how appallingly some of our politicians and their hangers on carry on.
Key seems to like rugby analogies so here’s one that might help.
Back in the old days rugby was much dirtier, and not just because fields were much muddier. The dark arts of the game were legend. Most players didn’t stick the boot in but a mongrel minority got away with moronic mayhem.
Then television came along and gradually exposed it. So the authorities clamped down on foul play. It took a while but it worked.
Today rugby is played harder and more competitively, but without much of the past nastiness and dirtiness.
Back in the old days politics was dirty – it was equivalent to a type of rugby where punching and stomping and back road-mapping and eye…
View original post 236 more words
National’s Road to Redemption
Long, slow and painful but can be done
Disclaimer: I am a member of the National Party and have been since 2003.
And so on the back of the Prime Minister’s disastrous interview on Radio NZ this morning (Listen to the full interview with John Key on Morning Report) (also see my Muldoon quip below) which got even worse after contradicting claims some 90mins later on TVNZ one would think how National would up right itself and get going again. Oh John Key insinuating the All Blacks would look at the Wallabies Game Plan (we have the next Bledisole Match at Eden Park this weekend) if the coach left it on the table is rather off-key!
The situation we have in relation to the Colmar Brunton poll shows the following (which is of high note):
- 12% said they are more likely to vote in this years election (so we could see an increased voter turn out from the predicted 74%)
- 4% said the Hager revelations would be giving National a more positive outlook
- 9% said the Hager revelations would give National a more negative outlook
Now an increased voter turnout is more likely to hurt National and benefit the Centre Left in any means. But a net 5% negative swing against National (especially if this translates out on election day) is fatal to the Party wanting its third term. I have theorised that even a negative 2% swing against National (so minus the revelations) would be harmful especially if the Conservatives get around 4% and not into Parliament (so that 4% is a wasted vote that could have gone to National).
It is yet to be seen if the negative 2% or 5% swing will happen, or whether voter turn out gets above the predicted 74%.
Now then in light of the Hager revelations and the Prime Minister’s double shocker today the question is can National redeem itself in the eyes of the electorate? The answer is technically yes but some stuff will need to be done including some blood-letting.
Before I go on these are my own thoughts and opinions
Road and Train to redemption
- Demote Judith Collins to the back bench if National wins a third term and “retire her” at the 2017 elections. Now this is going to cause a spat and some serious bloodletting in National between the Tea Party faction and the combined Liberal and Conservative factions. However, it should be short, sharp and fast with long damage negligible to the Party in the long-term (post 2017). Once the Tea Party faction has been “retired” from the Party the Liberal and traditional Conservative factions will band together with mops, and buckets full of water and chlorine bleach. to clean up the mess. Sure it will take three years but nothing of great benefit was achieved overnight.
- Have the candidates, incumbent MP’s, the Young Nats and Steven Joyce continue running the lines as they are now (whether you agree with them or not). There is a reason behind this I shall explain in a moment
- Tell Bill English to open the cheque book and spread some pork around. Everyone loves a bit of pork and National is going to need just a little bit of the wonder stuff to lend some assistance. Now nothing too fancy with the pork and I see National have been busy with the pork spreading in the last few hours as I write this post. It is the pork I will be referring to.
- The Urban Cycleways announcement is a nice piece of “pork.” Not as bold as The Greens but remember National are trying to be touted as ‘Fiscal Conservatives’ here
- AMETI Stage II (the Bus way from Panmure Interchange (where Stage 1 is) to Pakuranga Town Centre got a $29m boost from NZTA and Auckland Transport to advance design concepts for the bus way. Now I was talking on Twitter today about AMETI Stages One and Two stalling and National needing to give it a tickle. Well National just did with Stage II
- Continue to play up the significance of the Southern Motorway upgrade which is well received in Southern Auckland. The BCR alone was going above 4 (think it was 6.3 from memory) so it is deemed a worthy investment on the BCR side alone. Now I know I have sent an email on the bus lanes for the Takanini Interchange but for the moment this is about National not me
- DO NOT fast track the City Rail Link any earlier than 2017. Council has not got itself sorted (recent blog posts picked that up) and the recent research paper commissioned by the Ministry of Transport (that I am covering in a series) also raises some issues with the Auckland Plan (which influences the CRL). From my own analysis (as a Geographer) I would review the Auckland Plan with a fine tooth comb before advancing the City Rail Link around the 2017/18 date. However, if National wants to play the Fiscal Muppetry card and bring the CRL forward to immediate then they might as well do the full works and build both the North Shore Line and Airport Line at the same time.
- Upgrade a rail line whether it be the North Auckland Line to Northland or the East Main Trunk Line from Port of Tauranga to Hamilton. Quick win here and will keep businesses and electorates happy
- Find a better Media Trainer for the PM NOW
- C&R need a full gut out and rebuilt if it either wants to contest Auckland Council elections properly again (most likely 2019 at this rate). The Hager revelations are too damaging on Guilty by Association charges at the minimum.
- Most of all stay on message
So the question is why the above especially in relation to bullet points two and three?
First of all bullet point two is for keeping Party Members and traditional voters from swinging. Remember we have a net 5% negative swing potential already and we don’t need traditional supporters or Party Members going for a swing because they are seriously pissed off with this entire affair (and believe me they are pissed off). So what Joyce and co are doing is soothing the traditionalists which is needed for if they bail well yeah we don’t need a repeat of Labour’s factionalisation.
Bullet point three is about the Pork. At the end of the day we all like the Pork when sprinkled our way. Now overdoing the pork will blow out of the water National’s fiscal conservative mantra that Bill English has nurtured (whether it be reality or perception). Overdoing the pork would also seem overtly cynical in vote-buying. But just a wee bit of pork there and there (the $212m regional roads package was an example of NOT HOW to do the pork) would keep the traditional voters happy as well as the swinging voters as well. It would go some distance in negating that 5% negative swing that is threatening at the moment.
Now this is not a comprehensive list and most likely that I have mentioned it someone in the opposition would negate it 😛
But at the end of the day National does not need another performance like it received this morning from the PM. Performances it does need to receive were like universal reception on the Urban Cycleways policy announcement. Sure not as far as some would like but most were pretty happy that it is something (of worth).
Thoughts and comments are welcome. Trolls are not.
That Colmar Brunton poll
Council Cutting the Spin
Well reductions in the Communications, PR and Marketing Department
In the continued drive for efficiencies and cost control (despite an OPEX surplus at $212 million on the last set of audited figures) the Marketing Department is next up on the blocks (after Planning) for the “review.”
From Radio NZ and Todd Niall
Auckland Council cuts marketing budget
Updated at 6:56 am today
The council has cut 38 jobs and brought more work in-house to save $4.3 million this year, and slightly more after that.
The spending on communications and marketing will fall to nearly $8.5 million.
The council said work has been centralised, and around $1.5 million saved through less outsourcing.
The re-structuring of communications and marketing is the largest cut from a series of reviews that have been underway. It has made 109 other staff redundant over the past year.
A larger review is nearly complete in the chief planning officer’s department which employs 538 staff.
Auckland Council has gone on the front foot, announcing the cuts in communications and marketing, 10 days before it unveils the first version of its proposed 10 year budget.
While there is no direct link between the two, the council is keen to portray itself as being rigorous with internal spending, before beginning debate on how much should be spent around the city.
The council has lifted its target for efficiency savings to $240 million a year, as it begins the task of setting the 10-year budget, called the Long Term Plan.
That may bring new charges for Aucklanders and a multi-billion dollar cut over the next decade, to the previously-forecast level of spending on new assets.
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Source: http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/252342/auckland-council-cuts-marketing-budget
You can hear report Todd Niall’s take on here:
I will be interesting to see what has happened to the Planning Department after their review. We shall know the results next month.
Auckland’s Commuting Journeys – A Series. #Introduction
An overall look into how we commute I will be running a series of posts on Auckland’s commuting journeys from home to the work place and back again. … Continue reading Auckland’s Commuting Journeys – A Series. #Introduction
An Auckland Transport Debate – updated – again
No not the CCO Auckland Transport, Auckland’s Transport will be debated Remind me not to do dramatic irony in a blog post 😛 Anyhow Campaign for Better Transport in association … Continue reading An Auckland Transport Debate – updated – again
The Special Housing Areas. Generation Zero Presents
As does the Kumeu-Huapai Ratepayers Association On Thursday the Auckland Development Committee meet in what would be a rather action packed agenda. Sadly though the bulk of it … Continue reading The Special Housing Areas. Generation Zero Presents
Electric Trains Start on the Manukau Line – Monday [updated]
A delay but there
It seems Monday the 18th the Electric Trains will start running on the Manukau Line in the off-peak periods as part of that limited roll out. They were meant to start plying the Manukau Line on the 13th but that never happened.
September/October is when the Electric Train fleet should be fully replacing the diesels on the Manukau Line both peak and off-peak. Or will they?
With the Long Term Plan 2015-2025 budget cuts from Auckland Council delaying the purchase of more Electric Trains (beyond the 57 already on order) to beyond 2025 will we see our diesels still plying the network post 2015 when the Electrics are fully rolled out? Something yet to be seen as the LTP debates continue.
[Update from Auckland Transport]
A second rail line going electric
15/08/2014 04:18 p.m.
The roll-out of electric trains in Auckland steps up next week with the introduction of the new trains on the Manukau Line.
Initially electric trains will run on some off-peak services, they will be introduced to all services over the next month.
Auckland Transport’s Chief Operations Officer Greg Edmonds says the new trains have been very popular since their introduction on the Onehunga Line in April but with any transition we should be prepared for “teething problems.”
“We want to ensure our customers who use the trains to Manukau are getting a reliable service so we will be gradually increasing the number of electric trains over the next month.”
Meanwhile, testing continues across the rail network following an intermittent power fault which saw some Onehunga services affected. Mr Edmonds stresses there are no safety issues associated with the fault.
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Source: https://at.govt.nz/about-us/news-events/a-second-rail-line-going-electric/
On bloggers, corruption and honour
Quoting:
On Bloggers and JournalistsPlease be aware, though, that not all bloggers and journalists are of the same grimy stripe: Some are honest and honourable.
You may not agree with what we write, but we are genuine and up front about what we believe and why.
We do not always get things right, but we own up when we are wrong.
You can disagree with us without fearing retaliation, because we believe in honest discussion and debate.
And we believe it is not too much to expect others, including our government, to uphold those same standards.
Talking Auckland has gotten it wrong before. When that I happened I both made those personal apologies up front and sure that I wouldnt repeat the mistake that got me in strife in the first place.
Yes I can be controversial and hard, but I also give praise and credit where it is due. Just ask Auckland Transport 😉
But at the end of the day I try to uphold to my high standards when blogging. A pity certain other compatriots can not thus we all get tarred
I’m glad that at last there is a focus on the low-level, hateful, dishonest work of Cameron Slater. He is an embarrassment to bloggers and journalists everywhere.
I am glad the focus has turned to him allegedly being paid to share ghost-written blog posts done by others such as the tobacco lobbyists where he just add his name to the end and pretends they are by him.
For money.
Lots of money.
I am glad people are finally being forced to consider just how far and how deep his spiderweb goes into government.
I am glad the mainstream media has been forced, in some cases at least, to confront the reality that bloggers and journalists of this ilk are unreliable at best and, at worst, dangerous to democracy and free speech.
The irony is immense
This is not just whimsical pondering from me. I was “oiled” myself. Thousands of the “Whale…
View original post 493 more words
Talking Southern Auckland 