Tag: transportation

Happens When you Pigeon Hole a Debate

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Why the CBG Failed at a cost of $1.5m of your money

 

[Note: CBG figure moved from $1.1m to $1.5m]

I already posted today on my consensus of No Confidence against the Consensus Building Group’s Final report based on a failed Integrated Transport Program. You can see that commentary here: No Consensus in Funding the Integrated Transport Program

In that commentary I did mention how the Mayor through the Auckland Plan and his brief to the CBG pigeon holed the debate into looking at basically one option: TAX! Whether that be an increase in rates (which is a property tax), petrol tax or road pricing (crude congestion charging). Left out were asset sell downs, a lottery, departure and bed taxes, and a regional sales tax.

Problem? The Government as widely expected blasted down what the Consensus Building Group “came to” with the opposition effectively doing the same although for different reasons (Julie Ann Genter’s piece for example).

In saying that the Government rather than looking at a regional fuel tax as part of suite of options, it has decided on a nation-wide petrol tax increase as a sole option which besides many other things will rightfully annoy the rest of the country!

 

By the looks of things as well the Government could “hint” at Council moving on its existing asset base to help pay for some the transport projects. But, again we have a problem. We have no idea on how the city truly feels towards the asset question nor the to lotteries (and other options) because the Mayor denied our democratic right to have an effective say via a submission – if the CBG were allowed to look at such a scope.

The Mayor’s ideology is to me irrelevant and can be kept at home. What I want is vision dosed with pragmatism and all options on the table for OUR consideration free of the mayor’s ideology.

One thing would have been for certain; if via the submissions to the CBG we overwhelmingly rejected the assets question then it could have been further ammo against Brownlee. However, we will never know that answer thanks again to the piegon holing by the Mayor.

And so we are stuck with really no options at all to the point it is the Worst of All worlds. Effective taxed out of existence…

Vancouver looks mighty fine at the moment…

Note: Answering a question from another article; The Consensus Building Group was stacked with effective lobbyists rather than professional consultants, civil engineers and Geographers (who look at the Physical and Human environments and consequences of our actions)

 

TALKING AUCKLAND

Talking Auckland: Blog of TotaRim Consultancy Limited

TotaRim Consultancy
Bringing Well Managed Progress to Auckland and in support of a #movingauckland

Auckland: 2013 – YOUR CITY, YOUR CALL

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So Which Form of Mediocrity Would You Like Today?

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Not Really Options for Transport as Purported by The Mayor

 

So with Mayor incumbent Len Brown kicking off his campaign the issue of transport got dragged up straight away. In other words how to pay for the 2012 Integrated Transport Plan that has caused a lot of teeth gnashing from all sides of the coin.

From The NZ Herald

Auckland drivers face off-ramp toll

By Mathew Dearnaley

 

Drivers may be tolled at Auckland motorway exit ramps to ease pressure on ratepayers over a $12 billion transport funding gap, according to a high-level report due out today.

 

The report, from a 17-member think-tank appointed by Mayor Len Brown, will give Auckland Council and the Government a clear timetable for when new revenue sources will be needed to raise an extra $400 million for each of 30 years.

 

The money will be for projects such as the City Rail Link and new roads, including another Waitemata Harbour crossing.

 

The plan is expected to include increases to fuel taxes and rates and possible charges for motorists to use existing roads from 2020, rather than just tolls now allowed on new government highways.

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Well as already noted those going right through the city won’t be pinged so long as they stay on the motorway. As for the rest of us? The Great South Road and Mill Road sound better alternatives from Papakura to Manukau or Otahuhu that using State Highway one.

My point? This proposing on slugging the off ramps rather than certain points along the motorway and having an effective mass transit alternative is a case of the cart before the horse syndrome.

To make matters worse in Len pigeon holing the transport funding debate some options were eliminated from the scope in the feedback session by the Consensus Building Group (yeah an Oxymoron right there):

From the Herald again

That paper ruled out about 20 options such as assets sales, a regional sales tax and a lottery before leaving Aucklanders with a stark choice between hefty rates rises combined with fuel tax rises in one corner, and a combination of enhanced traditional funding sources and road charges in the other.

 

Although the Government is opposed to charging drivers to use existing motorways, it is understood the report will suggest tolls at the off-ramps to local roads, given that those are half-funded by ratepayers.

 

Long-distance travellers would be free to drive through the city without being charged, as long as they stayed on the motorways.

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What was wrong having a good debate about those options in red? Probably not compatible with the Mayor’s ideology so he shuts them out of the debate entirely and pigeon hole’s into the more unsustainable options I could think of.

 

Least our transport workhorse (one of two) Councillor Mike Lee hits the nail on the head:

Council transport chairman Mike Lee said he believed Aucklanders were “more than paying their way” and he didn’t think trying to find more cash from them “is on right now”.

 

So a rejig of the transport priorities and funding allocations might be needed here first folks. Not much of chance that happening while the Local Government Elections now formally under way…

 

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Time for Some Sim Unitary Plan

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1.4 million people in a 16.7km2 Area?

Can I do it?

Yes I can

 

Cold crap winter’s Sunday mean lots of hot chocolate, the heater and time to crack out some Sim City 4.

The Mission: Develop this 16.7km2 piece of real estate:

The hole where I will design and build the new mega city centre
The hole where I will design and build the new mega city centre

The area is planned to be the main core for the region or rather MEGA city. So that mean maximum densities and a very efficient transit system to boot to move those Sims around.

 

The existing transit map (note it does not show subways)

And the transport networks
And the transport networks. Note the Black and Light Blue are both highways (motorways)

Going to be fun connecting the transit system from the surrounds up to the new area. Of note this is what I have to connect up:

  • 2 lane roads
  • 4 lane avenues
  • 6 lane raised and ground level motorways
  • heavy rail
  • subways
  • Elevated High Speed Rail
  • Ferries and a port in the north west end

Infrastructure wise

  • Fresh water pumps
  • Treatment plants
  • Pipes
  • Some high tension power lines at the beginning
  • Nuclear FUSION reactors
  • Waste Depots so the trash is sent “off map” meaning some deals with it next door if I don’t incinerate it at a Nuclear Fission plant else where on the fringes of the mega city

Of note when I last had a “city” in that piece of real estate it took 4 fusion reactors to power it 😛

 

And to show were I will be starting:

Blank canvas for my new CORE city
Blank canvas for my new CORE city

Last time I developed a walking city with 75% of the 1.4m sims either walking or taking mass transit. Impressive? Yep despite the also impressive rapid roading system that matched it.

 

So time to fire up and get going. If one is wondering I do have a A4 colour copy of the above pic’s where I do pencil in preferences to what goes where in the planning phases. So essentially I am do a Sim Unitary Plan first then let the developers and sims let rip.

Fun times ahead

 

Submission sent on New P/T Network (Southern Auckland)

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Submission Sent to AT for Southern P/T Network

 

I finally wrote up and sent my feedback to Auckland Transport using the Online Feedback Form (no need for a 104 page monster this time round) today.

You can see what I exactly submitted on in the PDF embed below

I made no mention around the Te Mahia Station closing issue (which I support in closing) as that I will bring up at the Papakura Open Day this Saturday with the transport planners.

My primary feedback was around the good quality of the work drafted up by Auckland Transport on the Southern Public Transport Network proposal, and around the 365 and 371 bus routes which I would use once on stream.

I did suggest some changes to Routes 371 and 365 so that it takes into account Takanini Village and the proposed Glenora Road Station as potential stops. Some other changes and mention around off-peak frequencies were mentioned as well.

I did make a push for the Manukau South Rail Link again as part of the frequent transit network from Pukekohe and Papakura so that Southern Auckland gets a dedicated rapid and direct service to our biggest employment centre (in the south). The reasoning around that was a train from Pukekohe to Papakura to Manukau via the south link is faster than buses which would get caught in bottlenecks along the Great South Road (as well as stuck with 50km/h limits to the train’s 90-110km/h limits) and as hinted with speed limits actually faster than the bus. That also means faster than going to Puhinui Station by train and going through a clumsy transfer onto a Manukau Train from Britomart on a cold winter’s morning 😛

So let’s see where this feedback goes once AT starts its considerations on it all post August 2 (when the feedback closes)

You can see the Southern P/T Network over at AT’s webpage: New Public Transport Network

 

 

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Transport Announcements

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And Here We Go

 

The Prime Minister has announced what is effectively an ULTRA spend up on transport in Auckland for the next wee-while.

I am still working through the material and am most likely to post a full response tomorrow.

Also I am just re checking material I have written over the last three years. I don’t know if Council or Government has ever read my submissions in related to transport or not, I am not particularly fussed. But the CRL, the AWHC, AMETI and other things seem to be on a very similar timetable to what I suggested in my Auckland Plan submission:

From Page 49 of my Submission to the Auckland Plan

The Priority System

As resources and capital is scarce, a priority system is needed best allocate those scarce resources and capital to extend Auckland’s Transport System. This priority system in this submission will be brief with extended details provided in a separate submission to the Auckland Long Term Draft Plan.

 Priority One (To be completed by 2018)

  • Building of the Eastern Highway (to the Sub-Regional Standard Option as mentioned in Section 3.5 of the EASTDOR Final Report
  • Realigning the Westfield Diamond
  • Relocating or adding rail stations
  • Re allocating bus routes, improving bus feeder systems to rail stations or bus RTN systems
  • Feasibility Study of the Airport Rail Line including freight option
  • Starting the bus RTN roll out especially along State Highway 20, 20A and 20B
  • South-to-Manukau Rail Link Completion

Priority Two (To be completed by 2025)

  • Completion of Inner City Rail Link
  • Third Rail Line from Port to Papakura
  • Airport Rail Line (if deemed feasible)
  • Second Harbour Crossing
  • South West Rail Line (if freight is still moving to Northland)
  • Rail Electrification to Hamilton (not mentioned or included in this submission)

Priority Three (To be completed by 2040 or optional)

  • Botany Rail Line
  • North Shore Rail Line
  • Upgrade Eastern Highway from Sub Regional Function option to full Regional Function option

This priority system was created in attempt to create an idea on how transportation projects should be rationalised and built over the next thirty years with scarce resources and capital. Priorities can change as the transportation needs change for Auckland. Through creating the basic outline of the Auckland Transportation Network over the next 30 years, and through more technical analysis in the Long Term Plan Submission, it is hoped that Auckland’s transport needs will not virtually bankrupt the city and allow the city to be known again for its affordability and economic progress. Also the Auckland Transport Network ideas outline is designed to complement the LADU system also mentioned in this submission. The LADU system proposed in this submission is to allow the submission’s goal to be realised and affordability plus economic progress not be strangled by DURT!

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You can see my original submission in the embed below.

As I said above I will comment in full later while I digest all this (and my lunch). You can see the initial Herald reaction HERE.

My Original Auckland Plan Submission (check page 49)

 

Coming Up on Talking Auckland

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Massive Couple of Days Incoming

 

Wow yesterday was a case of NEWS OVERLOAD. We had the Government announce the City Rail Link, the Rudd Affair, Queensland thump New South Wales in the State of Origin second match, and the utter evil coming out of the Texan Senate by Republicans.

While this is not a Texas or sports blog, it did contribute to a day that is long going to be remembered – the day the National Government announced the City Rail Link was a GO.

 

The CRL

The situation is still very fluid right now in regards to the City Rail Link. News is coming out this morning that the Government COULD bring the start date forward to the 2017-2018 period (rather than 2020). If so this would put is squarely IN LINE with what I have been saying in regards to the CRL for a very long time – and as mentioned yesterday again on Facebook:

My position on the CRL as of November last year “I advocate the starting of construction of the City Rail Link in 2018 with completion around 2025 mark (if all three stations were built at once)”
Seems the Government was not too far off with the start date although I doubt at this point and time the project will now be staged
https://voakl.net/2012/11/27/me-and-the-city-rail-link/

We are basically waiting until Friday for the full announcement from the Prime Minister on the CRL and other transport initiatives the Government might roll out for Auckland.

Talking Auckland will run the commentary on these initiatives as soon as they are made public along with my reaction and thoughts.

Talking Auckland will look at other reactions as well including from mayoral candidate John Palino who released a statement on the CRL announcement yesterday.

 

The Unitary Plan

I have received an email back from the Council Planners in regards to my enquiries on themes and height. I will get commentary up on this as well as chasing down other enquiries with Council (Penny) by the end of the day. Quite an interesting response though to Council on the first enquiry sparked my Mark Thomas and chased down by me.

 

Auckland Conversations

I will be attending tonight’s Auckland Conversation where the Lord Mayor of Brisbane is due to speak. Again I will be going as “media” and THIS time I will try to get my questions across.

You can find out more on tonight’s Auckland Conversation piece HERE.

 

All this will take a few days to get through and as I said with the City Rail Link, the situation is very fluid at the moment. Exciting and interesting times ahead for the city indeed

 

Mayoral Candidate on Transport Funding

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Candidate for Auckland Mayor – John Palino Responds to Mayor Brown over Transport Funding

 

This has just come my way as in Hot Off The Press.

Auckland mayoral candidate John Palino has issued a stern response to Mayor Len Brown in Len’s “decision not to give Aucklanders the final say on what equates to a permanent 30 per cent increase in rates.”

This is in relation to the Mayor blocking Councillor George Wood’s Notice of Motion attempt  to get a referendum held on the City Rail Link.

From the NZH on Councillor Wood’s blocked attempt:

Mayor blocks councillor’s bid to put transport funding to public vote

By Mathew Dearnaley; 5:30 AM Tuesday Jun 25, 2013

 

Mayor Len Brown has blocked a councillor’s bid to put funding for the proposed $2.4 billion central city rail link and other transport projects to a public referendum.

North Shore council member George Wood is “astounded” Mr Brown has rejected a notice of motion he offered for a meeting of the council’s governing body this Thursday.

 

Mr Wood wanted the council to at least consider the idea of holding a referendum during October’s local body elections, to ask Aucklanders if they supported a proposal to raise an extra $400 million a year by increasing property taxes or imposing tolls on existing as well as new roads.

But he said the Mayor had refused to allow councillors to debate the prop

 

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Although Mr Brown indicated last year that options for paying for what is expected to be a $12 billion transport funding gap between now and 2041 could go to a referendum, he is waiting for a final report from a “consensus building” advisory group on how to raise extra cash.

 

The 17-member group – on which business and union leaders have joined transport campaigners and the Automobile Association – expects to present a funding recommendation to Mr Brown next month.

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You can read the rest in the Herald

 

In reply to the Mayor’s decision and transport funding situation this is what Auckland Mayoral Candidate John Palino’s full response was:

I’ll put the local back into local government

“Mayor Brown’s decision not to give Aucklanders the final say on what equates to a permanent 30 per cent increase in rates contradicts the very principle of local government and will further harm Auckland’s critical relationship with Wellington,” says Mayoral candidate John Palino.

“Auckland has massive transport challenges and none greater than finding the investment the city needs. The Consensus Building Group’s investigation into funding Auckland’s transport is a good start to the discussion, but the Mayor proposes that it’s also the end.

“That’s not local democracy, especially when the Consensus Building Group never had central government support and was not allowed to question the key projects driving the need for new taxation.

“The Mayor established the group to consider options for covering a projected $10-15 billion transport funding deficit over the next 30 years. That deficit is made up of the Mayor’s key projects – the $2.8 billion city rail link; the $5 billion additional harbour crossing; and the $2-3 billion AMETI and East-West link project.

“These three projects do not deliver good transport outcomes for Auckland and this shows up in the analysis which shows the transport benefits of these projects to be greatly outweighed by the costs. The return on the AMETI and East-West Link project is still unclear, but the CRL returns 40 cents for each dollar invested and the harbour crossing returns 30 cents.

“In establishing the Consensus group, the Mayor has tried to deflect ongoing and unresolved evidence that his transport programme is flawed, doesn’t return the benefits which would otherwise offset their cost, won’t improve congestion and will require a further $400 million per annum in taxes each and every year forever.

“As Mayor, I won’t be selecting projects as part of my campaign, but I’ll be holding those agencies to account for developing solutions that meet Auckland’s needs – something the Mayor’s programme doesn’t do.

“If we can get a transport programme which delivers the quality of life Aucklander’s demand, then I’ll look at funding options alongside and not independent of central government. We have to work together if we’re going to get positive outcomes.

“And most of all, I’ll give you the final say on whether you think such a significant proposal will help deliver the city you want to live in,” says Mr Palino.

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Thoughts and comments folks? We are counting down to the 2013 Local Government elections and we will be seeing a lot more of this. Post your comments below but, remember play the ball NOT the person!

 

This Week in Auckland

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Events and Happenings

 

Just a small amount happening this week in Auckland in relation to civic issues around our fair city. Two of them I will be at with one me being a guest speaker to.

The first event (I am going to do this in reverse chronological order) of mention is the next Auckland Conversation piece at the Aotea Centre where the Lord Mayor of Brisbane is due to give a guest presentation. The topic matter is as below from the council website:

Lord Mayor of Brisbane Graham Quirk on Economic and Environmental Sustainability
Thursday 27 June, 5.30pm-7pm
Aotea Centre, Upper NZI Conference Room

Following his appointment as Lord Mayor of Brisbane in April 2011, Graham Quirk was elected as Lord Mayor in the 2012 Brisbane City Council election.

Graham has a long record of service to Brisbane and the local community, being first elected to council in 1985. As a member of Civic Cabinet for over a decade, he has overseen key portfolios of infrastructure and finance, as well as serving as Deputy Mayor alongside Campbell Newman from 2008.

As Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Graham Quirk is committed to delivering for the residents of Brisbane and making the city a better place to live, work and invest in.

Over the course of his career and as part of the Council Administration, Graham has been responsible for delivering many positive outcomes and ongoing projects for Brisbane, including:

  • Easing traffic congestion with major infrastructure projects across the city,  including the TransApex network of cross city tunnels and bridges, along with the Road Action Program, which has fast-tracked 15 years of urgent road works into just four years.
  • Improving public transport with 500 new buses, and an extra 11 new CityCats. This year he introduced the CityGlider bus service, Maroon Glider Bus Service for sporting events and free CityHopper ferries.
  • A green city with the planting of two million new trees, purchasing 500 hectares of bushland for preservation and using 100 per cent renewable energy within council.
  • Enhancing Brisbane’s capacity for long-term economic growth and supporting measures that will attract more events, visitors and investment to the city.

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You can register for the event by clicking on the following hyperlink: Check here to register online.

The “Conversation” should prove to be interesting as I have lived in Brisbane for a brief stint previously. I am tempted to throw a few curve balls to the Lord Mayor as well with epic failures of the Airport Tunnel Link and the Clem7, while the rail system has fallen behind including a 4.5km cross city river tunnel to increase capacity on Brisbane’s heavy rail network. The failures in Brisbane are harsh lessons and has warnings for Auckland with our transport objectives.

 

Manukau

Wednesday morning I have my first speaking engagement which is to the Manukau Central Business Association. The topic is Manukau as the Second CBD of Auckland, a topic commented on here heavily, presented to the Council Auckland Plan Committee and submitted on in my submissions to both the Auckland Plan and Unitary Plan.

Although rather than a five-minute gloss over that I usually give to Council committees, this is a full 20 minute presentation followed by an extensive Q&A afterwards. I will be uploading the presentation for this engagement after the engagement on Wednesday morning for your consumption.

Needless to say the Manukau issue has become quite a hot button topic issue here in the South and should not be waved off so dismissively by opponents. I have noticed that the Manukau as the Second CBD option is about to become a hot political election issue as well for the Auckland Council/Mayoral elections so attention will be focusing there.\

 

And that is this week with Auckland and some happenings around the place. Hopefully I might catch a few Talking Auckland readers at the Auckland Conversations event. Always great to catch up and exchange banter over the issues of Our City – Our Home.