Category: General

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Not Particularly “Thrilled” on the Onehunga Timetable Criticisms

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Just leave it be, bed the EMU’s in, and roll it out when Manukau is on stream

 

And so we are at day 4 of the electric trains running on the Onehunga Line – our shortest line of the Auckland rail network. After a bit of a rocky start on Monday which was expected all seems to be bedding in well on the Onehunga Line and reviews of the EMU’s quite positive.

What was not positive was the fact that the timetable did not change (so an increase in frequencies) for the Onehunga Line to reflect the EMU’s on the line.

Knowing that a new timetable is due out (all fingers crossed) in October after the Manukau Line goes on stream with the EMU’s, and knowing what goes into timetable creations from my former life in Transdev I was not particularly amused at the criticisms levelled.

On the idea “ghosting” a timetable (so creating it well advance than implementing it at the set time) it can be done but would be best effective if all lines were done at once. Knowing the Southern Line has the freighters on it and at the risk of the freighter schedules changing (for whatever reason) I would be wondering if ghosting would have worked. If someone in the know could comment on this it would be greatly appreciated – thank you 🙂

 

Anyhow the current timetable is not flash but we are meant to be rolling to all EMU’s on all lines for weekend services at the end of the year. Although they are still wiring up the Western and Southern Lines at the moment so all EMU weekend services will be interesting if those two lines are not complete by then.

At the end of the day it is a game of patience especially as we are on the final stretch.

The new timetable comes out for all lines with better frequencies later in the year. We are bedding in new EMU’s so in my opinion the existing timetable suits it rather well.

Rather than “criticising” AT I give them and Transdev the tick of a job well done this week all things considering including the teething issues on Monday.

 

Now if Auckland Transport can claw back those roll out dates for the Southern and Western Lines next year I guarantee some very happy people including me.

Our EMU’s are here and South Auckland gets the new bus network first up next year. Along with integrated fares I can say I have a 🙂 on my face for where we have got to so far. That said I also know the road ahead and I mentioned here: “Now We are Electrified, What Next?”

 

As for when I will catch my first EMU? Most likely later in the year when they ply the Manukau Line 🙂

Lest We Forget

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100 Years Since World War One Started

 

Today we mark 100 years since World War One – The Great War started, and 99 years since the disastrous landings at Gallipoli in Turkey. We all have our own ways in marking both events as well as other wars New Zealand and Australia fought in.

For me personally I had family involved one way or the other in both World Wars One and Two on both the Allied or German sides. Whether it was on my German and Prussian side members of the family serving as Imperial Officers in World War One, or living in Nazi Germany during it tyrannical regime from 1933 until 1945 constantly not only facing the threat from the regime itself but also the Soviets and the Allies who were at war with Germany back then (1939-1945). Whether it also be on the British side my late grandfather in the Merchant Navy running the Atlantic U-Boat Blockades not knowing when that next torpedo would hit your ship next. And after the conclusion of the War he was sent as an Engineer to a devastated Germany to begin the rebuilding process. In his time in Germany he would meet my Omi and bring her back to an equally devastated England where they got married and would eventually have three daughters (the youngest being my mum who was actually born in New Zealand). A Brit and a German getting married so soon after the War would have been unthinkable but it happened. In the early 1950’s my grandparents (so my mum’s side) would set sail on a one of the Government sponsored migrant ships. Their destination? Well pretty much the southern Colonies who escaped the most savage aspects of World War Two (but who had still lost so much in the way of men). And so they landed in New Zealand where they lived (one of my Aunties would return to England to live later on) right up until this day (although my grandfather passed away in 2005).

And it is where I live today – in a free and democratic New Zealand.

 

I do not forget the sacrifices made both men and women, and the Country made in a series of events that started arguably back in 1870 and would not conclude until 1945.

 

But I also do not forget the history either.

 

For example there is this:

A man we held in such great esteem in World War Two was also personally responsible for the disaster that was Gallipoli in World War One. That person being Sir Winston Churchill. Yes he lead the British Empire with success against Hitler in World War Two and even saw the threat Stalin would become. But as First Sea Lord of the Admiralty in World War One Churchill was charged in sending the Navy through the narrow strait (where Gallipoli is situated) to prevent the Ottoman Naval Fleets from reaching the Mediterranean and harassing the Allied naval and supply lines.  As history would tell us April 25 1915 which we now remember as ANZAC DAY would be the day the Australian and New Zealand troops would land on the wrong landing spot with little or no naval back up. The rest and its consequences you should know from the botched landings. As history would also teach us much later on those botched landings in the end were blamed on Churchill who I believe was later relieved of his command.

 

So yes as remember our War Dead who sacrificed so much so we can enjoy what we enjoy today, let us also not forget the events that lead up to April 25 1915, as well as the consequences of the World Wars that still continue to this very day.

He who is ignorant of history is doomed to repeat it. 

Lest We Forget

 

 

Live Beaming of Council Meetings Going Out for Tender

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Able to see some of the Council meetings on the Internet – live – again

 

After the Council last year switched off the high-speed wireless that would disable the video service All About Auckland being able to stream Council meetings live, Auckland Council has finally put out a tender to resume live streaming. From Stuff.co.nz:

Auckland Council to beam live 

LAURA WALTERS Last updated 13:55 23/04/2014

The Auckland Council plans to run a live webcast of 57 of its council meetings each year in a bid to increase transparency and raise awareness of the decision-making process.

The council has called for expressions of interest from people who could provide services needed for a live webcast of meetings.

In its information document, the council said it planned to provide a live webcast to make the political process more transparent, increase awareness of the decision-making process, reduce reliance on the media and recognise the increased size and impact of the council in New Zealand and the accompanying need to perform at a world-class level.

The webcasts would initially cover meetings of the mayor and 20 councillors and meetings of four committees.

The committees are the Auckland development committee, the finance and performance committee, the budget committee and the regional strategy and policy committee.

The average duration of each meeting was four hours, the council said.

Council spokesman Glyn Walters said the council had been planning to offer the webcasts since the council was set up in 2010.

…….

So the five meetings this live streaming is meant to cover are:

  1. The Governing Body (so the main Council itself) chaired by the Mayor
  2. The Budget Committee also chaired by the Mayor
  3. The Auckland Development Committee chaired by Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse
  4. The Strategy and Policy Committee chaired by Councillor George Wood
  5. The Finance and Performance Committee chaired by Councillor Penny Webster

 

The sub committees and forums that report back to the main committees above will not be beamed live on the Internet.

 

It will be good to have the live beaming restored after All About Auckland’s live streaming was dropped last year when the Council turned off the high-speed wireless inside the main Council Chambers. Yes the live beaming does allow more people across Auckland to watch and witness both the Governing Body, and the Committees of the Whole in action. The restoring of live beaming also allows people like myself to run live Tweeting and live Blogging when we are not able to make the Committees ourselves for whatever reason. And yes live Tweeting from the Governing Body and the Committees is (as I discovered) quite a popular service for people who either can not watch the video or be at the Council meeting.

I did notice this one liner from the Stuff article: “the council said it planned to provide a live webcast to make the political process more transparent, increase awareness of the decision-making process, reduce reliance on the media and recognise the increased size and impact of the council in New Zealand.”

Reduce the reliance on the media. Hmm the media are typically only at the Governing Body meetings and periodically maybe at the Budget Committee meetings. Otherwise it is just usually me and veteran reporter Bob Dey casting a very lonely presence at the media table while the Budget Committee, and Auckland Development Committee (both the most important committees after the Governing Body itself) meet and deliberate (with Bob also usually at the Strategy and Policy, and Finance and Performance Committees). So I do wonder if Council is having a go at a particular journalist or in a roundabout way trying to increase the visibility of the Committees.

None-the-less I doubt the Main Stream Media outlets will increase their reporting from Council even when the live beaming resumes. So it will be back down to the blogs and other social media outlets to help continuing to spread the word and provide commentary that would otherwise be absent.

 

Suppose we will have to wait and see how the tendering of this new beaming (streaming) service will go and whether the live streaming will be free.

 

Auckland Transport Update

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Latest from AT while Auckland rides through the weather

 

As of 12:15pm from AT

TRANSPORT UPDATE

All of Tamaki Drive has reopened except for Kohimarama between Averill Ave and Selwyn Ave where a local detour is in place. This section is expected to reopen around 2pm.

 

 

As of 11:20am from AT

AUCKLAND TRANSPORT UPDATE

Update on Tamaki Drive

Auckland Transport is working to re-open Tamaki Drive after this morning’s flooding.

The part of the road Ngapipi Road to Selwyn Ave will open shortly, followed by section from The Strand to Ngapipi.

All going well the remaining area Selwyn Ave to Averill Ave will re-open at around 2pm.

 

 

 

From Auckland Transport as of 10:30am

Bad weather disrupting roads and buses, trains not affected

This morning’s bad weather has closed some roads and is affecting bus services in Auckland.

This is the latest information:

“Tamaki Dr

  • Road closed between The Strand and Kohimarama Rd
  • All bus services detouring via Shore Rd/Kepa Rd
  • Major delays – Shore Rd currently bumper to bumper

” Remuera Rd – Greenlane/Ladies Mile Intersection

  • Traffic lights out at these intersections
  • Major delays in the area
  • Affects all Remuera Rd bus services

” Whangaparoa – By Marellen Dr

  • Partial road closure due to fallen trees

” Pt Chevalier – Selwyn Village

  • Road closure affecting 007 bus services

 

” Quay St – Lower Albert to Lower Queen St

  • Partial road closure but most buses remaining on route
  • City LINK from Wynyard Quarter detouring via Customs St
  • Some traffic getting funnelled into Britomart causing delays

” Meadowbank – Harapaki Rd – ROAD NOW OPEN

General delays apply to the entire bus network due to severe congestion on most arterial roads.

All train services are operating as per normal.

 

 

More updates as they come through

Stay safe out there folks and keep listening to updates from Civil Defence please. 

Has the Public Lost Interest in the Council?

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Numbers suggest not

 

I noted yesterday that Councillor Cameron Brewer (surprise – surprise) released an “opinion” on the public losing interest with Auckland Council. The actual question is ‘has the public actually lost interest?’ I would say no and even Radio new Zealand’s Todd Niall would say no in his written correspondence earlier this week.

 

Lets take a look at what Councillor Brewer is saying this time.

From Voxy:

Opinion: Public lose interest in Auckland Council

Wednesday, 16 April, 2014 – 14:40

By Cameron Brewer, Auckland Councillor

The second term Auckland Council is proving to be an interesting one and very different to the inaugural 2010 – 2013 Governing Body.

We are currently going through a budget round to lock in where council’s $3b expenditure is directed for the forthcoming 2014/15 financial year.

This year we had fewer than 2,000 written submissions from the public on our Draft Annual Plan with only a few dozen turning up to speak to their submissions. The Mayor takes this as a vote of confidence in the council, but I take a different view.

My view is that the public interest in this council is at an all-time low because Aucklanders are increasingly of the view that this term is a bit of a lost cause, a bit of a political basket case. The Mayor has hung on to his political career but has lost a lot of political capital. Whatever your view on that, this is bad for Auckland.

….

Todd Niall and myself have already commented on the low Annual Plan submission count and why it was that low. You can see my own commentary behind to low submission count (which includes extract’s from Todd’s analysis) here: “Todd Niall Hits the Budget Nail on its Head.”

From that commentary piece:

To be honest I can see why both the Annual Plan submission count is very low and how most submissions were pertaining to local rather than regional issues. For the low submission count the Annual Plan submissions were called for during the final weeks of the massive Unitary Plan submission period. With limited time and resources available a conscious call might have been made on which of the two submissions you would pick to get done. Is it the Annual Plan or is it the Unitary Plan? I made such a conscious decision and chose the Unitary Plan over the Annual Plan to dedicate my submission time to – so as a result no submission from me on the Annual Plan this round.

What also factored into not doing an Annual Plan submission this round was the knowledge knowing the 2015-2025 Long Term Plan (the main Council budget document) is coming up for debate soon. Something again Todd Niall points out…

…

Maybe that’s why Aucklanders have turned out in such low numbers to have their say on this year’s annual plan. They know that far bigger debates lie ahead.

…

Source: https://voakl.net/2014/04/15/todd-niall-hits-the-budget-nail-on-its-head/

Again I would say that is why the submission count is low not because we have lost interest but rather we had the Unitary Plan at the same time as well as knowing those bigger more important debates ahead (like the Long Term Plan).

The Unitary Plan submission count (at 8,900 as of the beginning of the month) I would say is a testimony to Auckland paying interest into what Council is doing. Of course we have the next Unitary Plan submission round late next month where anyone can submit on the points previously made (so no new material). Also if you are like me you are taking a break between all these big submission and consultation periods unless you want to burn yourself out from it all.

 

Continuing from Voxy

The lack of interest and coverage shows that the public and media have effectively given up on this term, with 2016 set to be a watershed election.

One thing’s for sure the third term will be just as different again with a new Mayor and many new councillors after a whole new public mandate and direction sought and secured.

….

Be very careful what you wish for Councillor. I can assure you the public and media (both Main Stream, and Social) have certainly not given up on this term. That said I do believe and agree that the third term will be quite different with new Councillors including a possible replacement for Orakei Ward too 😉 .

 

Finally:

In the meantime all councillors are committed to making a difference. For me it means keeping the Mayor accountable and focusing on the likes of fighting for lower rates increases and pushing for more sustainable debt levels. I will also continue to advocate for regional funding for projects in the Orakei ward area.

….

Groan…

Local Boards I thought would be the best advocates for getting funding for projects in their local area while ward Councillors are meant to be focusing on the big picture regional stuff. Or did Cameron not read this: Slow News Day. We Have the Bigger Picture to Focus On

 

Oh well I suppose the above was expected from Councillor Brewer.

In the mean time this storm outside is causing enough havoc as is – although I still have mains power in Papakura for now

 

Stay safe out there folks and keep listening to updates from Civil Defence please. 

 

Future Uncertain for Civic Building

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Shall it stay or shall it go?

 

Questions are being asked on what to do with the Auckland Council Civic Building that currently houses the Councillors, the Deputy Mayor, and support infrastructure (including staff) before they all move to the new complex at the old ASB Tower at 135 Albert Street.

From Auckland Council:

Future of first skyscraper up in the air

 

The future of New Zealand’s first skyscraper, the 100m tall Auckland Council Civic Administration Building, is in the balance. To be vacated by the council later this year for new headquarters at 135 Albert Street, the building has serious structural issues and would require an estimated $70million retrofit to give it a new lease of life. The council has no further identifiable use for the building – designed in the 1950s and opened in 1966 – so it faces possible demolition or refurbishment for other uses, the Finance and Performance Committee heard today.

At the leading edge of building technology when constructed, the building is not listed for protection but two recent assessments suggest it worthy of Category A or B scheduling. Category A listing would limit the type of renovation permitted. 

Refurbishment would have to include removing asbestos installed during construction as a fire retardant.

The committee decided to test the market for investor interest in refurbishment and at the same time request Regional Facilities Auckland, a council controlled organisation, to include the building in a review of possible future uses of the Civic /Aotea Centre precinct.

“Market testing and precinct planning opportunities will allow us to determine the future of the building with a complete picture of options and costs,” said committee chair Councillor Penny Webster. 

Staff will report back before the end of the year.

—-ends—-

 

Personally I say demolish it and either put a plaza there our some other new building to support the Aotea Centre.