Auckland Transport Simplifying Fares. More Incentives for AT-HOP. From Voxy: Auckland public transport fare changes Friday, 13 June, 2014 – 15:04 Auckland Transport has completed its Annual Fare … Continue reading Public Transport Fares Simpler and for HOP Users Cheaper (in most cases)
Lets try more proper and formal processes first for an idea – please Recently I had written a post about the Mayor “floating” an idea around light rail … Continue reading A Ratepayer’s ‘Suggestion’ to the Mayor
I saw this come up from Stuff earlier this morning:
Council offered $75m for car park
ELLEN READ Last updated 09:00 06/06/2014
Auckland Council has been offered $75 million by two businessmen keen to snap up one of its inner city car park buildings.
James Brown and Simon Rowntree, who run Tournament Parking, said their offer for the multilevel 890-space Downtown building on Customs Street would give the council funds to fast track rail-link plans without having to consider selling two other high profile CBD sites.
Recent reports have suggested the council might sell a section of Queen Elizabeth Square and privatise sections of Queens Wharf.
Brown and Rowntree said the offer was unconditional. They visited council authorities this morning with a $7.5m deposit cheque this morning and said their proposed settlement date for the remaining $67.5m was July 1.
The Council has yet to respond to the offer.
The pair said they were prompted to make the offer after proposals were made to privatise inner city public space including Queen’s Wharf and Queen Elizabeth Square.
“The rail link is essential for Auckland but it’s wrong for the council to sell public space to fund it,” their spokesman said.
“This offer would keep Queen’s Wharf and Queen Elizabeth Square in public ownership while providing $75m cash to kick-start Mayor Len Brown’s vision for long-awaited first-world public transport.”
They say the $75m offer was a significant premium on the carpark’s value and included clauses preventing them from increasing casual parking rates, presently $3 an hour at the Council-owned site, above the rate of inflation for at least five years.
Tournament Parking casual rates for some Auckland sites are $4 for half an hour
Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/10126538/Council-offered-75m-for-car-park
A rather interesting development this morning that no doubt will have Auckland Transport, Council, and the wider city debating over the offer and whether to accept it or not.
I suppose the questions I have over this offer would be the following:
We all await a reply from Council and Auckland Transport on the offer.
Mayor Floats his own Botany Line – Light Rail Idea This Tweet caught my attention last night after dinner: Who would of thought I'd find myself agreeing with @brewercameron … Continue reading Is the Mayor Reading Up on One of my Blog Posts?
This morning I had spotted this photo from the Chair of Orakei Local Board (Desley Simpson) in regards to Selwyn Station:
The proposed location around Selwyn Station is here:
So I sent of a list of questions yesterday to Desley Simpson seeking her comment around Selwyn Station. These were Desley’s comments to which I thank for her responses:
The original request came from Selwyn College during public consultation over the first Orakei Local Board Plan. In looking at the request it became obvious that in addition to providing easy access to Selwyn College such a station, with appropriate service roads and pathways, would provide a much-needed North/South link plus access to the rail public transport network for the large population in the Gowing Drive area and a number of eastern suburbs.
Currently there is a large percentage of our ward that don’t have access to rail
Suburbs south of Kepa Road and north of St Johns Road would have walking/cycling access. Other suburbs such as St Heliers, Glendowie, Kohimaramara, Mission Bay and St Johns would have access to the rail system via feeder bus services that the Orakei Local Board have been advocating for since the first Orakei Local Board Plan.
The Orakei Local Board advocacy has been to get such a project included in the funding allocated to Auckland Transport in the current LTP. At this stage it appears that funds have been allocated to carry out a full evaluation including the development of a Tamaki Drive to Glen Innes walkway/cycleway, so getting through that process is the next stage and we would like to think that this will be completed in the 2014/2015 financial year. Indications are that construction of parts of the walkway/cycleway could be started in the 2014/2015 year.
It’s all a matter of funds being allocated but the Orakei Local Board would like to see construction starting in the current term. Hopefully this is not too optimistic.
We believe that the Meadowbank Station should stay open but maybe not serviced by “express” trains. Express trains haven’t been discussed with AT but are a feature of train services overseas and our train system has to service the combined needs of “underground” and “suburban” train services so cutting out a station that services a growing community doesn’t make a lot of sense.
We don’t have numbers and this will be part of the evaluation process currently being undertaken.
We would disagree about low patronage comment. If you consider the number of people residing in the Gowing Drive area with very poor public transport options and then add in the requirements coming out of Selwyn College and activities at the ASB Centre ( its a sporting and community facility) plus future appropriate new housing developments you don’t have to be too optimistic to see several thousand passengers a day. Rail is expensive anyway but is the backbone of Auckland’s future public transport system and inner city suburbs are surely as entitled to be connected to the rail system as outlying suburbs are .
The Tweet from Transport Blog that gave rise to my last question was this one:
Again I thank you Desley for taking the time to reply to my questions around Selwyn Station, very much appreciated.
At this point in time I continue to support the Orakei Local Board and their push for Selwyn Station. Of course like the Manukau South Rail Link, Selwyn Station will have to jump through the hoops and have a business case on it to evaluate its viability.
If you have been ever inclined to protest because a Kiwi Rail freighter held you up then spare a thought if you were waiting for these true freighters to clear a level crossing
Union Pacific SD70 (their main locomotives) hauling a long train through a work area (you can hear the maintainers talking to the driver)
And that was just one SD70
Now for some multiple SD70 hauled freight
Just don’t have the volume too high when the train blasts by
And for our serious train fans here is a selection of Union Pacific locomotives of different classes in LA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5N6UMn_kfCo
Kansas City Southern SD70ACe 4034 at Nichoals Yard in December 2009
The SD70ACes are similar to the SD70MAC; however, the model has been upgraded to meet Tier-2 EPA regulations. Production commenced in 2004.[1] SD70ACes are equipped with EMD’s 16-710G3C-T2 prime mover, rated at 4,300 horsepower (3,200 kW).[8] They are rated at 157,000 lbf (700 kN) continuous tractive effort (191,000 lbf (850 kN) starting). Braking effort is rated at 106,000 lbf (470 kN).[8]
Although mechanically similar to earlier SD70 units, the SD70ACe rides on a new underframe and uses mostly new sheetmetal above the frame. Electrical cables and air lines have been routed beneath the walkways on opposite sides, allowing for easy access by maintenance workers. The radiator on the locomotive is nearly as wide as the cab, the center hood section is a step down below the roofline, and the dynamic brakes have been moved to the rear of the hood; these changes are reminiscent of the SD80 and SD90 series. The SD70ACe uses the cab design of late-model SD90MAC units, which uses rectangular window glass and is externally different from the two cab variations used on earlier SD70M and SD70MAC units. In 2008, EMD standardized the isolated cab on subsequent SD70ACe’s after non-isolated cab units were restricted from leading on BNSF Railway due to excessive cab vibration. SD70ACe models are rated at 4,300 horsepower (3,200 kW). As of late, more than 1350 examples of this model locomotive have been produced. Purchasers include BNSF Railway, CSX, Ferromex, Kansas City Southern Railway, Montana RailLink, CVG Ferrominera Orinoco, Union Pacific,Quebec North Shore and Labrador Railway, BHP Billiton, Arkansas & Missouri Railway, and Norfolk Southern.
In January 2012, BNSF Railway announced the order of 10 SD70ACe-P4 locomotives. This engine would compete with GE’s popular ES44C4. These units will have a B1-1B wheel arrangement, unlike the ES44C4’s A1A wheel arrangement. They are set for 2013 delivery.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SD70
As a comparison a EMD SD70 has 4,300 horse power behind it while our DL’s have a horse power rating of 3,600.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_DL_class_locomotive
DL’s hauling freight
So next time you are stuck at a level crossing waiting for a freighter to pass by, remember you are not waiting for a long Union Pacific freighter to go through 😉
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
Feedback Time Again It is that time where you can tell Veolia and Auckland Transport what you think in regards to our passenger rail system. You can find out … Continue reading Tell Us (Veolia and AT) What You Think
After returning from the Papakura Unitary Plan feedback session this morning which was highly informative as I went one on two with Council Officers. I even learnt that Browns Bay on the North Shore who think they are in for 6-8 storey buildings are only in for four storey buildings looking at The Clunker in-depth. However, more on The Clunker later.
After my dialogue on The Unitary plan I had a discussion with Angela Dalton of Manurewa Local Board and two Papakura Local Board members (who I will look up their names shortly). The discussion came to the Glenora Road Rail Station at Addison, Takanini; 5-minutes from where I live. I was told that Auckland Transport are not doing Glenora Road Station AT ALL because of the $35 million cost for the station. $6 million for platforms, shelters, park and ride, kiss and ride and bus interchange (so a fully fledged station minus people manning it); $29 million for the grade-separation at Walters Road 50 metres south. AT forecasts the patronage figures at 952 daily using Glenora Road which I called Bollocks on straight away as a justification in not building the station.
I will also write a separate post on the Glenora Road situation and call AT on this as I know that station will attract at minimum five times that amount (952) as a conservative figure as the area grows (regardless of Takanini closing down or not).
But the 952 gives light to a mega-embarrassing situation that has not been aired yet on the Auckland laundry line. That is our honestly shameful rail utilisation figures which on average over 363 days a year (there are no passenger trains on Good Friday and Christmas Day) stands at 27,000 a day or 20.5% of potential patronage if we ran every train on average 67% full day in day out (see explanation at bottom of post).
Let me run the numbers with you:
On existing services (there are 325 a day average according to the Fare Evasion Modelling) AT expects around 30,000 passengers a day. That means 92 passengers a service and our current diesel fleet holds anywhere between 350 to 750 depending on the train class (safe loading – not crush loadings). So 92 passengers means the train is anywhere between 12% full to 26% full AS AN AVERAGE as I know some trains are packed out.
Using 10 million as the rolling annual target we are at 27,000 passengers a day which gives an actual utilisation AVERAGE (weekends are in here) of 10-23% and we need around 40,000,000 rail passenger trips annually using the existing diesel fleet if the utilisation was at 67% (rather than 100% – see explanation below)
If we take the averages across the fleet (which with out diesels it does not make this easy as we have a heterogeneous fleet currently) then followed by the new EMU fleet all running at the maximum 6-car – top and tail config (two EMU-3s put together) this happens:
If the average diesel train holds 507 passengers average and 67% puts it at 339 passengers required, multiply that out by 325 services means you need Monday to Thursday 110,099 passengers a day to get ANY WHERE near turn over rates mentioned above. And yes I know the ADL-2 and ADK-4 can not hold 507 passengers – but this is averages here made out from the SA/SD 6 car sets holding 750 passengers.
67% means 502 passengers and across the existing 325 services means you need: 163,150 passengers DAILY to make this viable, while AT is playing around with 30,000 a day or 92 passengers per train service. This means for an EMU-6-car running at an average of 12% full.
As a grand total figure we need with the EMU’s all running on just the existing provisions moving about 60 million rail passenger trips a year (this is at the 67% average utilisation rate) (so 6 time more than now) and we have not even stepped up the services yet to well over 400/day Monday to Friday at the minimum as planned.
This is mega embarrassing folks to have our existing rail utilisation at any where between 10-26% (92 passengers average for every single service – and depending on train type) per service which means Auckland is at no more than 18% of rail utilisation compared to its minimum viable capacity which stands at 67% of total maximum capacity – if we were carrying the 30,000 AT is modelling for at the moment. However remember as I mentioned above only 27,000 approximate people on average use the trains a day (10 million divided by 363 days) which means knock another 2% off the utilisation rates.
I did say mega embarrassing now didn’t I? To be honest as an Aucklander I would be deeply embarrassed at the situation before us right now with our heavy rail. We have seen growth to above 10 million only for it to slip back below that milestone in February this year. But we seem to be stuck in a rut in getting the figures where it should be. AT forecasted the annual rail passenger trips near the 12,500,000 mark which means around 34,500 a day or a utilisation rate of around 23%, but that has slipped to 10.5 million so the figures fall back to around 30,000 a day.
We have a long way to go folks to get near 60 million annual rail passenger trips (might as well use EMU figures now with them coming on-stream soon) (60 million at 67% average utilisation across ALL 325 existing services) – which means the theoretical capacity stands at 90 million.
Still 9,996,066 annual rail passenger tips for the existing diesels and we need 40,000,000 for it to be viable, 60,000,000 when the EMU’s are all on stream. Remember this total average utilisation figure rises if you run more services. For example say the CRL is complete and all EMUs are running as 6-car sets holding a maximum capacity of 750 passengers and we go to 410 services average a day, 363 days a year. That means at 67% utilisation across the services one would need 74,500,000 annual trips approximate for the entire operation to be viable. The Auckland Plan calls for by 2041, 140 million trips to be made a year by public transport – all modes…
Note: my figures are expressed as a percentage of 67% average utilisation or carrying numbers (which is 67% of the total maximum capacity) – not the actual total maximum capacity numbers (which would be 100% utilisation or carrying numbers). 67% was derived from the theoretical minimum all services would have to carry as an average for the Auckland Metro Rail system to be viable, and takes into account the system will be:
never at 100% utilisation across all services
balances out across the services where are individual services are at 95-105% utilisation and others are around the 10% currently and also projected. It basically allows for a generous spread and average from varying patronage numbers per individual service.
So with this very embarrassing situation that makes me deeply embarrassed as an Aucklander to be confronted by this
I await Auckland Transport’s reply
You will remember in posts that I will be at Strategy and Finance Committee tomorrow giving my presentation on some questions I would like the Committee to ask Auckland Transport tomorrow in regards to the Manukau North Link. For express mode I’ll provide the link to those questions HERE for your reading. And before someone mentions it again I do realise the language was strong on page three of the question list. I do apologse for the strong language used there that was unintended when the questions were sent – the issue around Manukau is an emotive one especially for those living in the Manurewa, Papakura and Franklin Local Board areas.
But I do not want to get caught up with semantics here as I had a conversation with Auckland Council Principle Transport Planner – Josh Arbury after the Transport Committee this morning. I won’t delve into the conversation much as I will basically allow the committee to happen and have everything recorded on the official Minutes before commenting again. However Auckland Transport have seen my questions and done their homework and I am satisfied that (unless someone bungled the physical delivery of the answers) the questions will be answered adequately tomorrow. By adequate I mean that unless someone has a change of heart in the next 18 hours a compromise has been sort (as I actually did want) and for me – that cursed mast that is in the way of the potential South Link should be moved out of the road in the duplication works saving time and hassle later. As for operations (timetables) which were also asked in my questions, we will come to that bridge when it happens but at least AT are aware of concerns especially around the triple transfer with Pukekohe passengers until the electrics are able to get to Pukekohe.
Again I will delve into this tomorrow but those who use to remember the Otahuhu to Britomart Shuttles via the Eastern Line will be interested to know operations wise (although we shall get full clarification as such) but those shuttles will be basically back but extended to Manukau. These shuttles are extremely useful when running ahead of a Papakura or Pukekohe to Britomart service to take the pressure off the inner stations for those longer “full” services as those trains are usually full half way into the trip. The shuttles also done properly allow for high frequency of services at the inner stations which is a boon to passengers 😀
So tomorrow is a formality where I ask the questions for the public record and AT or Mr Arbury reply to those questions also for public record before the Strategy and Finance Committee. I would ask the Committee to allow the reallocation as AT has asked for – so long as they move that mast out of the South Link’s way. I no longer object to the North Link Duplication.
And a thank you to Mr Arbury for his time this morning 🙂
As for Transport Committee today, I saw councillors get their pitch forks out when asking Auckland Transport questions today 
Talking Southern Auckland 
