Category: Uncategorized

Notes on John Armstrong’s final column

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An interesting post and one I tend to agree with for the most if not all of it.

As a reader, consumer and a person active in politics in this country I had very little time for Armstrong’s columns for the reasons listed in the original post.

If I want comment on the Theatre of Parliament I will go find that myself watching the circus that is Question Time.

Reporting, analysing and critiquing is what I am looking for with our Central and even Local politics hence I looked else where for it.

Is Job Sprawl “The Defining Issue of Our Time”?

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In Auckland this situation is being looking at by the Unitary Plan Hearings Panel.
Auckland Council policy is what is called the Centres Plus policy where the bulk of commercial growth is contained to the City Centre, 10 Metropolitan Centres, the larger of the Town Centres and the Mixed Use Zone.

That said there are what we call Identified Growth Corridors where commercial can establish along a transport corridor often a road (rail would be more radial around a station).

The best example of a Identified Growth Corridor is both Lunn Avenue in Mt Wellington and Lincoln Road in West Auckland.

Lincoln Road is not the best example of how IGC should work and would exemplify what the original article is blogging on about.

As Auckland also grows Council must decide what to do with Greenfield developments that will also attract commercial growth. Westgate Metropolitan Centre would be a current example what not to do while Manukau in 1976 would have been (and blogged earlier this week on).

Local Centres would be ideal for new Greenfield suburbs that would allow the existing 10 Metropolitan Centres to then take the brunt of any intense commercial growth. Unless you do want job sprawl.

sajohnston's avatarItinerant Urbanist

A few weeks ago, this tweet of mine got a decent amount of attention and inspired a good conversation:

It’s an issue of interest for me for several reasons. First, I spent my summer working on a to-be-released report for the Tri-State Transportation Campaign about people who reverse-commute from New York City to the suburbs. Secondly, as someone who’s lived in several smaller cities, I’m quite conscious of the ways smaller cities struggle to employ their own residents–in other words, job sprawl tends to be worse (and therefore a bigger policy challenge) in smaller cities than larger ones. Finally, my partner is a reverse commuter, from downtown Albany out to near the airport, despite the availability of plenty of open office space and land in…

View original post 1,100 more words

The ugly truth about critics of “the ugly truth” in science

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With any science those who would be considered “pro-science” can do as just as much damage to science and the science as those from the anti science brigade.

Fluoride in water is one such debate while Climate change is certainly another.
So when defending or critiquing the science think to yourself are you being scientific and being reasonable to critique and new techniques or are you no better than a more fringe religious fundamentalist who is absolute stoic in their ways.

Think about it.

Ken's avatarOpen Parachute

It’s an interesting issue. Do we sometimes get too defensive about established science? In our efforts to counter the propaganda of the naysayers do we paint an over-optimistic picture of scientific knowledge? Do we sometimes neglect to make a critical analysis of accepted science while at the same time demanding this of the claims made by anti-science critics?

Tracey_Brown Tracey Brown, director of Sense About Science

Important questions – and don’t tell me they haven’t sometimes caused you to have some uncertainty when defending scientific knowledge from detractors. Of course, you are not alone in this. Tracey Brown, Director of Sense in Science, tackled the subject head on in the annual Sense About Science lecture last week.

The ugly truth

This was the title of her lecture. Perhaps it is a timely warning. We should not be defensive about scientific knowledge – or the policy decisions that rely on that knowledge. We should…

View original post 1,107 more words

Manurewa Local Board Agenda – October 2015. Something on Berm Plantings for you!

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Improvements to local roads on the cards, and berm planting policy being deliberated

 

The October agenda for the Manurewa Local Board is out and you can read the web version of it HERE.

Of note is the Auckland Transport Berm Planting Guidelines, and the latest updates on local transport projects (which are better advancing than a certain Interchange further north).

 

This on transport updates in the Manurewa Local Board area:

Manurewa Local Board – 08 October 2015  

Auckland Transport Update – October 2015

File No.: CP2015/20369

 

Purpose

  1. This report provides an update on local transport matters over the last month for the Manurewa Local Board (MLB).

Executive Summary

  1. This report contains a general monthly update on transport matters both locally and from across Auckland and a list of issues currently being addressed by Auckland Transport for Manurewa Local Board.
Recommendation/s

That the Manurewa Local Board:

a)      receive the report entitled “Auckland Transport Update – October 2015”.

 

Responding to Resolutions

  1. Auckland Transport’s response to resolutions that require a specific answer, made by the MLB at previous meetings.

Resolution number MR/2015/138

That the Manurewa Local Board thank Rua Taniwha for his presentation regarding:

  1. a)    the petition requesting traffic calming measures in Sykes Road and supporting the Auckland Transport initiatives in relation to traffic in Sykes Road.
  2. b)    request the petition with the following prayer be forwarded to Auckland Transport for action, noting that Auckland Transport is currently consulting with the public for feedback on a proposal to install traffic calming measures in Sykes Road, Manurewa:
  3. c)    Petition prayer:

“We, the undersigned, petition Council to consider the need to install speed bumps (or similar) to help control the speed of traffic along the southern end of Sykes Road Manurewa.”

  1. d)    request a timeframe date for the completion of the kerb and channelling on Sykes Road near the Aquatic Centre
  2. e)    request Auckland Transport investigate the possibility of a roundabout be installed at the Sykes Road / Mahia Road intersection.
  3. Last month Auckland Transport was able to provide answers for sub-paras a, b, c and e of this resolution.
  4. Sub-para d) was not responded too so a response is provided this month. At this time there are no plans to install kerb and channel on Sykes Road near the Aquatic Centre.

Resolution number MR/2015/138

  • b)      That the Manurewa Local Board request Auckland Transport investigate the installation of pedestrian crossings outside Reremoana School on Scotsmoor Drive and Hadley Wood Drive, Wattle Downs.

 

  1. This resolution has been forwarded to the Road Corridor Operations Team who will investigate the request and provide a report.  The aim is to be able to report formally next month.

Discussion

Berm Planting Policy

  1. Auckland Transport has written a draft document setting out how planting in the road berm might be managed. This draft has been circulated to the Local Board looking for feedback.
  1. It was circulated to the members of the Manurewa Local Board on 27 August 2015.
  1. Auckland Transport officers attended a workshop with the Manurewa Local Board on 17 September 2015 and discussed the policy.
  1. Manurewa Local Board members raised a number of points and have made a ‘Board’ submission.

 

Public Transport Update – Manukau Bus/Rail Interchange

  1. The recently completed Regional Land Transport Programme included funding for an expansion of the public transport services provided at Manukau. Auckland Transport now has confirmed budget to build the planned bus interchange in this location.
  1. The new bus interchange will be located between the existing train station which is under the Manukau Institute of Technology building (shown in Fig 1) and the Auckland Council Civic Centre (as shown in Fig 2).

 

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You can see more on the Manukau Interchange latest HERE.

 

  1. The new bus interchange will provide:
  • A covered area for bus passengers to alight and dismount buses;
  • A covered ‘pathway’ for passengers moving to the civic centre and the mall; and
  • An essential cross over point for people in the South to transfer from buses to trains.
  1. Manukau Station has approx. 1200 passenger movements per day and trains currently run from Manukau to Britonmart and ‘vice versa’ at intervals of approx. 20 minutes.
  1. When the ‘New Southern Network’ is operational in 2016 this station will be a significant ‘hub’ easily accessible to people throughout the Manurewa Local Board area. Thanks to effective advocacy by the Manurewa Local Board this interchange has been included within a ‘transition zone’ meaning that people travelling from Manurewa will only pay for one fare ‘stage’ to get to this station when the new ‘Simplified Fares’ for public transport start.

 

Public Transport Update – First Part of the ‘New Network’ Starts Operation

  1. The first part of the ‘New Network’ starts operating on 18 October 2015. The first routes are on the Hibiscus Coast.
  1. In South Auckland the tender process is currently underway and the ‘New Network’ is planned to be operating in South Auckland by mid-2016. This corresponds with the planned completion dates of the Manukau and Otahuhu Bus/Rail interchanges.
  1. The ‘New Network’s objective is to use frequent local bus services to get passengers to rail stations from which large numbers of people can be moved north or south.  By using bus and rail services in an integrated manner efficiency is maximised.
  1. Within Manurewa the ‘New Network’ will mean more frequent and reliable bus services east/west and around the Local Board area that should make it easier for people to get them to key local rail hubs Manurewa and Manukau.

 

Great South Road Corridor Management Plans (CMPs)

  1. A CMP is a conceptual plan that outlines the types of planning that may be needed to manage transport along a corridor, so that agencies can start planning budgets and work programmes in a coordinated way as early as possible.
  1. CMPs are not detailed but are strategic documents designed to provide a 30 year framework for all agencies working to maintain and improve transport along broad ‘corridors’.
  1. Auckland Transport has been undertaking a refresh of the CMP for Great South Road in the Takanini area to take account of the works at the Takanini Interchange undertaken by NZTA and the planned rate of growth in South Auckland.  On 17 September 2015 Auckland Transport staff met with the Manurewa Local Board and discussed the CMP.

 

Local Board Transport Capital Fund (LBTCF):

  1. MLB has a total pool of $2,392,297 available in this electoral term that can be spent on transport projects.
  2. In this electoral term the MLB has identified six projects that are being investigated. Details of the projects and their status are included in Attachment A.
  3. Significant progress has been made in the last month. Most importantly initial timelines are starting to be developed and are included in ‘Table 1’ below.

Table 1 – Major Project Estimated Timelines

Project Arts and Plants Great South Road Covered Walkway Kirton / Williams Traffic Calming 
October 2015   Finalise detailed design Finalise detailed design Finalise detailed design
November 2015 Finalise detailed design Mid-November – public consultation Procure contractor and start work

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Planned to be completed by June 2016

 Public consultation
December 2015 Public consultation Finalise changes from public consultation Finalise changes from public consultation
January 2016 Finalise changes from public consultation Prepare information about changes to road layout for Traffic Control Committee Prepare information about changes to road layout for Traffic Control Committee
February 2016 Prepare information about changes to road layout for Traffic Control Committee Submit to Traffic Control Committee Submit to Traffic Control Committee
March 2016 Submit to Traffic Control Committee Procure contractor  and start work Procure contractor and start work
April 2016
May 2016 Procure contractor  and start work
June 2016
Note: The timeframes indicated are’projected’ as the projects advance there will be changes to them.

 

  1. Table 1 clearly demonstrates the tight timeframes required to be met by projects aiming to be delivered by June 2016. It also highlights the difference in time required when a project needs to undertake a public consultation. The ‘Covered Walkway’ project for instance should advance quickly because there is not a requirement for widespread public discussion.
  2. Progress has also been made in the following areas:
  • The project to upgrade Wiri Station Road is working through procurement;
  • An initial plan is available for the Williams Ave/Kirton Cres Traffic Calming project and is included as Attachment C.
  • An initial plan is available for the ‘Arts and Plants’ project and is included as Attachment D.
  • The plan for the ‘Great South Road Pedestrianisation’ project was not available for attachment to this report but should be able to be circulated by email to all members before the October 2015 meeting.

Attachments

No. Title Page
AView Summary of Manurewa Local Board Transport Capital Fund Projects 2013-2016 Electoral Term 23
BView Summary of Consultation Information Sent to the Manurewa Local Board in August and September 2015 29
CView William Avenue – Kirton Crescent draft design 33
DView Hill Road scheme design 41

 

Signatories

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Source: Manurewa Local Board – October, 2015 Agenda

 

(Keep it simple) Bus Station. While this one is quiet with only a single route serving it, the stations can serve up to 8-10 routes allowing transfers between each one at the station.
(Keep it simple)
Bus Station. While this one is quiet with only a single route serving it, the stations can serve up to 8-10 routes allowing transfers between each one at the station.

 

On Berm Planting:

Manurewa Local Board Feedback on the draft Auckland Transport Berm Planting Guidelines

File No.: CP2015/20612

Purpose

  1. Attaching the Manurewa Local Board feedback on the draft Auckland Transport Berm Planting Guidelines.

Executive Summary

  1. Auckland Transport has developed guidelines for berm planting.  Feedback is being sought from local boards.
  2. The Manurewa Local Board received a briefing on the berm planting guidelines at a workshop held on 17 September 2015.  At the workshop the board requested that Members Bailey and Hawkins further develop the board’s feedback at the Transport portfolio.
  3. The attached document was circulated to members for comment.
Recommendation/s

That the Manurewa Local Board:

a)      note the feedback on the draft Auckland Transport Berm Planting Guidelines.

 

Attachments

No. Title Page
AView Manurewa Local Board feedback on the draft Auckland Transport Berm Planting Guidelines 109

Signatories

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Source: Manurewa Local Board – October, 2015 Agenda