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Public Transport Users Association Launched

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To ‘represent’ public transport users

 

From the Public Transport Users Association

Public Transport Users to get a voice

On Monday 1st of December, the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) will be launched in Auckland.

Jon Reeves, Co-ordinator of the PTUA said “Until now, bus, train and ferry users had no independent group they could approach over their issues or concerns. Our Association will look at issues and developing trends which affect the actual users. We want all decisions to be focused on one core question, is this in the best interests of the actual public transport user.”

The Public Transport Users Group is chaired by Christine Rose, a former Councillor from Auckland Regional Council. Deputy Chair is Vernon Tava, Councillor on the Waitemata Local Board. The Committee is made up of public transport users covering nearly all points of the Auckland region.
Raise issues instantly
Users will be able to raise issues instantly via the facebook site, via twitter or by simply emailing the PTUA. Reeves said “We will use the power of the people to ensure public transport users come first with transport authorities and operators. To that end, we have set the membership fee at just $5 which we use to help fund our voluntary organisation.
National aspirations
The PTUA has already been approached via the facebook site by public transport users wanting to set branches up from Whangarei and Wellington. Reeves said “Once we roll out in Auckland I am confident we can help public transport users around New Zealand”.
First campaign to be announced
The first campaign will be announced at the official launch on Monday morning. Passenger liaisons and a public meeting are planned in West Auckland this week.
While the PTUA will represent the coal face of public transport, the users, it will work with other pro-public transport groups in the mission of promoting and improving public transport.

Further Information

About us
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) is a politically independent, voluntary incorporated society and is run by a committee. The PTUA represents current and future public transport users. It promotes public transport use to ensure councils, transport agencies and central Government listen to bus, train and ferry users.

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Contact/SM Listings

Facebook/Public Transport Users Association
Twitter: @ptuaNZ

What Do We Want at Waterfront Auckland

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What we want

 

From Auckland Council

Fun, sun and a run – what Aucklanders want from their waterfront

 

Fun and quirky spaces, sunshine, sea views, places to eat, public gatherings and events, areas to swim, walk and run, and children’s play space.

These are some of the recurring themes on the list of what Aucklanders want from new downtown spaces.

Auckland Council’s City Centre Integration team is seeking feedback on what people want to see in the downtown spaces, from outside Britomart train station to the waterfront areas between Princes Wharf and Captain Cook Wharf. The survey runs until 12 December 2014 and has elicited a variety of responses since it began earlier in the month.

Waitemata Local Board Chair Shale Chambers says: “We’re seeing a range of requests coming through; basically we are finding that Aucklanders want a lot of different things.

“There are some trends emerging from public feedback, for example, we can see that people want views of the water rather than the city, they want sun rather than shade options, they want to be able to run and walk, to attend events and gatherings and free play space for their kids.”

The survey asks people to rank a variety of options under different headings. It also asks what else they would like to see, with ideas put forward so far including bike parking, family sporting events, places to swim, improving transport connections and an outdoor cinema.

From feedback received to date the top two options under each heading are:

Environment and setting:

–       Looking at harbour views

–       Relaxing in sunny, open spaces

Community, Arts, Culture and Heritage:

–       Spaces that are fun and quirky

–       Attend public gatherings, demonstrations, events, performances and celebrations

Hospitality and retail:

–       Eat or drink at café and restaurant tables

–       Picnic at freely available eating spaces

Recreation activities:

–       Walk and/or run

–       Playspace for children in a natural area (trees, rocks, grass, sand etc)

 

Findings from this public consultation will help to inform the design and planning processes. The survey is open until 12 December 2014 and can be accessed through shapeauckland.co.nz.

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I have done the survey have you?

 

Auditor General on our Infrastructure

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Not a good situation

 

Earlier this week the Auditor General released a rather damning report against both our central and local governments about addressing infrastructure needs for New Zealand (not just Auckland). Now by infrastructure I am talking about physical which includes but often most forgotten until something goes wrong fresh water, waste water, and storm water.

This extract from Bob Dey:

Auditor-general issues blunt warning on infrastructure

on Wednesday 26 November 2014
Auditor-general Lyn Provost issued a blunt warning yesterday: New Zealand communities, in general, need to sharpen their information about & commitment to infrastructure or they will guarantee failure of services.

Mrs Provost warned that population shifts could make some communities unable to continue paying to maintain basic services such as sewers & water supply, while growth in others – such as Auckland – would need to match housing, working & services very carefully to avoid failure.

New Zealand’s economy for the past 200 years has been mostly about growth, although removal of some services such as post offices from rural towns, starting in the 1980s, was a warning about what might befall small communities.

Mrs Provost’s report, Water & roads: Funding & management challenges, was presented to Parliament yesterday, along with findings from research carried out by the NZ Institute of Economic Research that provides an historical perspective of local government investment trends, the forecast investment outlook and observations on differences in investment between regions.

The economic research showed infrastructure investment came in waves, creating investment “echoes”, and that large renewal cycles were pending.

Ironically, there’s been a tendency to underspend infrastructure budgets. Mrs Provost gave some explanation of this – that visible assets such as roads did need more frequent renewal than underground pipes. But, in short, her report can be summed up thus:

  • What you can see is politically sexier than what you can’t, but the infrastructure you can’t see is essential
  • Population shifts could make it impossible for shrinking communities to pay for continuing infrastructure maintenance.

Implicit in the report is a requirement to examine funding: Underground infrastructure is funded locally, roads & bridges nationally.

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Source and full post: http://www.propbd.co.nz/auditor-general-issues-blunt-warning-infrastructure/

 

The Auditor General’s Infrastructure Report can be seen below:

 

Further commentary on this at a subsequent podcast