Category: Transport Planning

Looking at Transport Planning and Design

Council Submission on the Housing Accord

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What Council thought on the Housing Accord

 

I am no fan of the Much-Ado-About-Nothing (aka the Housing) Accord as it short cuts the Rural Urban Boundary processes we are going through right now, and it also impinges on Council Sovereignty. I have made mention of this last month while the Unitary Plan was open for the first round of discussion.

Auckland Council, some Local Boards and the Independent Maori Statutory Board have written draft submissions on the Accord which is due to go before Select Committee in Wellington.

I am still reading the submission Council has written myself and will comment on it on Monday. In the mean time some light reading for you and if you are inclined leave your thoughts in the comments below.

The Submission (Starting page 7) to the Housing Accord

 

Money for a Church but No Money for a Death Trap

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Council’s Funding Priorities Wrong Again

 

I noticed this morning (well actually yesterday) that the Council Strategy and Finance Committee approved on a vote of 10-6 to give $3m of our ratepayer’s money to the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Parnell so it can get an “upgrade.”

This is while Auckland Transport struggles to find $27m for a grade separation of the Walters Road rail crossing in Takanini and most likely the same amount for grade separating the Morningside Drive rail crossing that nearly killed a woman in a wheelchair earlier this year.

So would the councillors like to explain their logic in supporting $3m to the second biggest church in NZ (the biggest being the Catholic Church) that is exempt from most of our tax and human rights laws yet not give money to a death trap that nearly killed someone in Morningside where they had a human right for authorities to maintain a public crossing in such a way that the accident should have never happened.

And yes I know the crossing has Kiwi Rail responsibility to it as well but it is a shared responsibility with Auckland Transport thus Auckland Council. After the incident at Morningside, the council should have either stumped up the cash entirely or loaned Kiwi Rail a proportion of the money needed to remove the that death trap through a grade separation. But no it goes through the bureaucracy again and again and again and won’t be done for at least five years.

Yet at a drop of the hat Council approves money for a church (where we are meant to exercise absolute separation from Church and State) on the grounds of community facilities needs. Umm if it is for community facilities how about than dumping the money to Local Boards so they can maintain their own community facilities if the money won’t be going elsewhere.

Shame on the every single councillor who voted in giving money for the church while we have a live death trap still floating around (and a few more entering the category as we move to electrification and more frequent trains).

Shows where some have their priorities that need some readjusting in this upcoming election.

 

Auckland Transport Inducing Fare Evasion

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AT causing induced Fare Evasion on its own accord?

 

We have heard much about Auckland Transport cracking down on Fare Evasion on our rail system, with Veolia Ticket Inspectors hard out on the trail trying to enforce what can be only described as a hopeless situation. Hopeless because in my opinion Auckland Transport is inducing actual Fare Evasion due to it’s beyond lacklustre technical support systems for both AT-HOP and the Rail Ticket Machines.

How?

This example in Papatoetoe today which I hear (the example) is quite common through feedback via Facebook and emails.

I caught the train from Papatoetoe and headed in to Britomart, repeating the exercise for the trip home. I have an AT-HOP card so I tag on and off and will top up either at home or a rail ticket machine if possible.

While waiting for the train at Papatoetoe I noticed people could not use any cash (even correct change) to get a paper ticket to head into town. The machine had no change and the coin slot was jammed meaning unless you had EFTPOS like I did (I topped up on the machine) you were pretty well stuffed in getting a ticket.

If you were getting off at Britomart or Newmarket you could still pay your fare, get off anywhere else and hello no ticket – a freebie for you.

So I sent a tweet to Auckland Transport alerting them to the machine basically down:

@AklTransport Rail ticket machine @ papatoetoe not accepting cash at all even correct change

That was sent about 10:10am today

I get back to Papatoetoe around 3:15pm today and the machine was still with no change and not taking coins. And no reply from AT either…

 

Come on Auckland Transport – where is your support services to keep these machines fully functional so good citizens can get their tickets? FIVE HOURS and no technician when the support for an “urgent” problem such as this is meant to be TWO HOURS in turn around (getting it fixed)!

Knowing my luck and I should go check it tomorrow the machine will still be down at 9:30am tomorrow morning after the morning peak!

So fare evasion? Yep – induced by Auckland Transport rather than the rail patrons themselves due to lack tech support services on the rail ticket machines. 

Do people out there know of any other rail ticket machines constantly down and if so how long before they are back up again.

Leave your comments below (AT do keep an eye on this)…

 

Submission Sent

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105 Pages and The Room Smelling of Toner Later

 

Finally after 28 days (I was in Australia for part of the Unitary Plan feedback process) my submission to the first part of the Unitary Plan is in with Council.

You can see the feedback below which still only covered a select area of the UP. I have filed different submissions at different stages however on other aspects of the Unitary Plan including:

  • Parking Regulations
  • Transport
  • Social Infrastructure
  • Social Development
  • Water
  • Planning methodologies (although again mentioned in this submission)

 

I must apologies in advance in regards to my submission. As I imported blog posts from here into the submission, some ease of reading aspects might have been lost. All commentary on the Unitary Plan can be found here: https://voakl.net/category/planning/urban-planning-and-design/unitary-plan/

And so where next?

Unitary Plan coverage will continue although at a lesser pace until the next round begins – most likely notification later this year.

But other areas requiring commentary have come up such as Port of Auckland, my favourite – Auckland Transport, and now the elections.

A massive thank you to my readers throughout the Unitary Plan process. The UP has not been easy nor without its controversies. But pressure will continue Council as the UP and Rural Urban Boundary go through their next phases.

My Submission

TALKING AUCKLAND

Talking Auckland: Blog of TotaRim Consultancy Limited

TotaRim Consultancy
Bringing Well Managed Progress to Auckland and The Unitary Plan

Auckland: 2013 – YOUR CITY, YOUR CALL

 

 

Concerns on the Manukau South Link

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Port of Auckland – Can we talk please?

Caught this today in the Manukau Courier. Rather interesting that they bring this up today of all days. Ah well lets take a look:

Wiri train tracks block access

Creating a southern connection between the Manukau Train Station and the main trunk line could be more difficult than first thought.

Local boards throughout the south have called for the link so passengers can travel from Manukau to Papakura and Pukekohe directly.

Passengers wanting to head south from Manukau now have to transfer at Papatoetoe.

But a Kiwirail spokeswoman says if the connection gets approval it would need to cross tracks that lead to Ports of Auckland’s inland port at Wiri.

That would require reconstruction of those tracks.

“This part of the rail corridor has quite complex track layouts because of the Manukau branch junction, the port facility and the EMU [Electric Multiple Units] depot,” she says.

A Ports of Auckland spokesman didn’t want to comment on how ripping up its tracks could affect operations at the port because no-one had put forward an official proposal to do the work.

But Manurewa Local Board chairwoman Angela Dalton says linking the Manukau station with the main trunk line made more sense than other transport projects being pushed.

“It doesn’t make sense to me, pouring money into the city rail link when we need to get things moving out here.

“We need to get cars off the streets and the trains connecting effectively.”

Auckland Transport‘s main priority at the Manukau line is double-tracking it so services can run every 10 minutes to and from Britomart, council documents show.

It’s also assessing the viability of a link between the two lines as part of its rail development plan.

 

The Manukau South (Rail) Link is a project that I have been following closely since I first raised the point that a Electrification Mast would be in the road of the south link early last year. It is a project that I still follow closely while Auckland Transport develop a case study for this link – that south so desperately need!

In saying that though has anyone actually approached Port of Auckland and had a decent conversation with them on how the South Link might work. Work as in POAL has their Wiri Inland Port that covers part of the South Link path. And whether POAL should move their Wiri facility 900 metres down the road where this is a mothballed siding and massive block of land sitting vacant.

Port of Auckland I think we of the South need to have a chat over coffee and hot scones. What do you think?

 

Belmont and the Prime Minister

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Hmmm…

 

For once it is not Orsman doing a piece on the Unitary Plan in the Herald. Meaning I might get a 10% chance (rather than a -100% chance with Orsman (although his last three articles were actually quite good (although did he actually write them or take his meds prior))) of it being balanced (to a degree we allow the media in some sway here).

This article from the NZH today: “Belmont intensification ‘madness’” has three themes running today. The first theme is an embed of a NewstalkZB interview on the Unitary Plan with Leighton Smith and the Prime Minister. The second theme was on Belmont, the UP and a surprising admission. The third theme was one I call ‘From the Files of the Loon Bin.’ The Loon Bin theme was also addressed by the Prime Minister in his ZB interview as well.

The First Theme

The Prime Minister was questioned on aspects of the Unitary Plan by Leighton Smith. The interview trundled along well enough looking at aspects of the Unitary Plan. Points made by the Prime Minister were:

  • Recognise Brownfield and Greenfield urban development will happen
  • People will choose to live in apartments
  • Three year formal notification period
  • We are not China thus will not cap growth (ties into the third theme)
  • Auckland essentially has critical mass behind thus will attract growth – something I mentioned here: “Growing Up“
  • Been concerns from the leafy suburbs of Auckland (North and Isthmus) – but Leighton Smith did point out correctly Papakura from the South with us facing down 18 Storeys being a Metropolitan Centre under the UP.

Just a note from the above: WILL PEOPLE STOP FORGETTING SOUTH AND WEST AUCKLAND PLEASE WITH THE UNITARY PLAN DEBATE. AUCKLAND DOES EXIST OUTSIDE OF THE NORTH SHORE AND CENTRAL ISTHMUS… SHESH… 

As for the Second Theme – Belmont

I recommend going and reading the article “Belmont intensification ‘madness‘” to see some interesting insights there. In short Belmont being constrained where it is with only one two-lane road in and out of the area (and serving Devonport as well) makes the area not suitable for much intensification. Even if Auckland Transport was bold and manage to get Lake road to be a 2 lane road with the shoulders allowing a high frequency (10 minute) buses on their own bus lanes, Belmont could support nothing more than a Local Centre (three storeys under my alternative) with surround areas classified as Low Density under my alternative to the UP:

  • Low Density Zone: Mostly single family homes to be built (would allow small-scale infilling as well). This also includes three storey super large houses with 5-8 bedrooms at the discretion of the Local Board through its Area Plan

What was more interesting was this admission made in the article:

It was possible the whole of the Belmont sector could be rezoned depending only on planners’ exercise of discretion in favour of a developer.

“No neighbour’s consent is required and there is no right of appeal to the decision,” Mr Keenan said. “We consider that to be undemocratic and abhorrent to us.

“I was 35 years in legal practice and a lot of my client were developers. I can tell you from experience: do not repose the character of our communities in the hands of the developers. It’s a very bad idea.”

Food for thought when you get ready with your formal submissions on the Unitary Plan at the end of the year.

As for the Third Theme which the Prime Minister commented on in his interview:

In East Auckland, Tamaki Housing Group spokeswoman Sue Henry took to the council 673 submission forms collected from residents.

“A lot of the forms have still not come back,” she said.

“We strongly object to the Unitary Plan proposal of uprooting existing communities and enforcing multistorey intensified slums on residents.

“We want Auckland’s growth capped and intensification proposals scrapped in their entirety, because there is a better way of doing it.”

Using the word “slums” will have me disinterested straight away. Despite some dodgy developments over time, Auckland does not have slums and will not be going down the path towards slums. So using the ‘slum’ term is hyper-sensationalist!

As for capping growth; what the PM said in his interview and what I say all  along. We are not Communist China. We are a Western Liberal Democracy and as such growth is going to always occur. I would recommend to Sue Henry to read my “Growing Up” post as Auckland is no longer a backwater village – but, an international city! I also see she put no alternative forward (although did the Herald leave it out).

So the Herald article? Balanced compared to what can be trotted out

Unitary Plan Feedback is due May 31, make sure you get yours in if you want a say on how your city, your home will develop over the next 30 years.

TALKING AUCKLAND

Talking Auckland: Blog of TotaRim Consultancy Limited

TotaRim Consultancy
Bringing Well Managed Progress to Auckland and The Unitary Plan

Auckland: 2013 – YOUR CITY, YOUR CALL

 

 

Rail Services South of Otahuhu Alert

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Rail Buses Replaces services

Auckland Transport has sent out a flyer alerting passengers of rail buses replaces rail services south of Otahuhu Station every Sunday to Thursday from now until to further notice. This allows Kiwi Rail continue much-needed electrification works that have fallen behind.

Here is the timetable

 

Lets see if Kiwi Rail can get the work done. Be a bit of a bugger if the Onehunga and Western Lines were complete but no wires in operation to the EMU depot further south in Wiri. Ooops

 

Screwing the Little Guy?

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Auckland Public Transport Fares to Rise

 

Yes the sole machine was out of order, however tech support had been notified 10mins earlier
Yes the sole machine was out of order, however tech support had been notified 10mins earlier

Well I managed to personally stave off a fare rise for AT-HOP care users in September last year (Fare Increase Ctd) for rail users. However, this time no such luck – you are going to be lugged with it this time around.

From the NZ Herald this morning after AT announced it last yesterday

Students bear the brunt of Auckland public transport fare rises

Auckland Transport has been accused of targeting students with public transport fare rises that will also affect thousands of Hop and multi-trip ticket buyers.

Auckland Transport – which waited until late yesterday to announce changes approved by its board two months ago – will lift cash fares for tertiary students by between 7c and 40c a trip on June 3.

Adults who use Hop cards on trains or 10-trip tickets on buses also face fare rises of 2c to 22c a ride.

Ten-trip tickets on inner harbour ferry trips such as from Devonport, Bayswater and Birkenhead to the city will also rise by up to $2, but water transport will become considerably cheaper for Hop card users.

A single trip fare for a Hop card user from Devonport to the city will fall from $5.40c to $4.10c compared with an unchanged cash price of $6, but ten-trip tickets will rise to $41.

That is to align Hop cards with multi-trip tickets, which Auckland Transport ultimately wants to scrap in favour of seamless travel across ferries, trains and buses.

Public transport operations manager Mark Lambert said close to 50,000 public transport users could be affected. The changes were required before Hop cards were rolled out to the city’s buses between June 23 and November, he said.

Auckland Council transport chairman Mike Lee asked why fares could not be aligned downward, particularly on trains.

“It seems the most loyal passengers are being targeted – students and those taking multiple trips.”

Auckland had the highest public transport fares of any Australasian city and students were “a key part of our market”, he said.

Mr Lambert said an increase in the student discount from 20 per cent to 40 per cent in 2008 proved highly effective in lifting demand and getting cars off the road, but there was a limit to ratepayer subsidies.

Auckland University Students’ Association president Daniel Haines said the fare rises appeared aimed at those who could least afford to pre-load Hop cards for multiple trips.

He said transport was the second highest cost facing students, after accommodation, and the increases would hit those who faced long trips from suburbs offering lower rents.
• For detailed information about fare changes, visit maxx.co.nz.

I remember fighting tooth and nail to retain the existing fares seen here below rather than having AT-HOP users pay a technical rise as AT were to flat line the discount rates at 10% right across the board

Savings with AT HOP

Adult Child/Accessible Tertiary
Cash fare HOP fare You Save! Cash fare HOP fare You Save! Cash fare HOP fare You Save!
1 stage $1.90 $1.60 16% $1.10 $0.90 18% $1.90 $1.10 42%
2 stage $3.40 $3.00 12% $2.00 $1.70 15% $3.40 $2.10 38%
3 stage $4.50 $4.05 10% $2.60 $2.29 12% $4.50 $2.79 38%
4 stage $5.60 $5.04 10% $3.40 $3.00 12% $5.60 $3.47 38%
5 stage $6.80 $6.00 12% $4.00 $3.55 11% $6.80 $4.21 38%
6 stage $7.90 $6.90 13% $4.50 $4.05 10% $7.90 $4.75 40%
7 stage $9.00 $8.00 11% $5.30 $4.75 10% $9.00 $5.58 38%
8 stage $10.30 $9.05 12% $6.10 $5.44 11% $10.30 $6.38 38%

 

I believe the new fare guide is not out but reading the material from AT properly you have:

  • Cash fares remaining the same
  • AT-HOP card fares going up as the percentage discount level is lowered across most if not all areas.

So rather than targeting the cash users and hiking the cash fares (if the actual fares did need to go up in the first place) which would move people over to AT-HOP, Auckland Transport go and hit “the little guy” who is already on AT-HOP. Ouch and nasty!

The AT-HOP fare rise also seems to be the exact opposite of the Deloitte HOP review would suggest

 

One wonders what the thinking was behind the latest move?