Public Transport In Auckland
Even though it’s not actually part of my job at Greenpeace, as a keen cyclist and climate change activist, I try to keep an eye on what’s going on with transport in NZ.
As you all probably know, if you’ve ever tried to take a bus or train in NZ, the transport sector in NZ is in a sorry state. Public transport is appalling, we have extremely high rates of car ownership, and greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector are skyrocketing.
However, the good news is there are lots of great campaigns being run by volunteers around NZ to try and get more sustainable transport. I mainly know about Auckland based groups although I’m sure there are lots of others going on.
Some of the most active groups in Auckland are:
- Cycle Action www.caa.org.nz who’ve done lots of great work to promote cycling in Auckland. They’re currently running a campaign to get a walk/cycle way across the Auckland Harbour Bridge. Click here to show your support for the walk/cycle way.
- The Campaign for Better Transport www.getmoving.org.nz. This group is doing some great work on getting a train link out to the airport in Auckland.
- SALT (Slower and Less Traffic www.salt.net.nz who are working to make their suburb safer and less congested by getting people out of cars.
If you’re keen to get more sustainable transport in NZ then check them out! If you’re not based in Auckland, maybe they’ll give you some ideas for how to set up a similar group in your own community.
Beijos
- Lucy
PS: The Auckland City Council is currently seeking submissions on their plan to lower the speed limit on Queen Street to 30 km/hr. So, if you think that’s a cool idea then please click here to show your support.
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Being new to Auckland and having no car, I have to agree that the transport situation is dire. It’s no wonder everyone has a car - even if they have to suffer in traffic because of it.
The thing that I don’t understand is the attitude towards cyclists. One would think that drivers would be happy that more cyclists are hitting the streets as it translates to less cars on the road to compete with - even if they have to slow down for 10 seconds to overtake. I don’t know how many times over the last few weeks I’ve been barked at as someone floors it past me, and I’m always considerate and as close to the side as possible.
Great website guys and girls! I’m from the Campaign For Better Transport in Auckland. As most of you will know, we won the battle to re-open the long disused Onehunga railway line. Now we want that extended to the airport, only 6.5kms away!
This would also give the residents in Mangere Bridge, Township and the airport industrial area access to the rail network. It should take at least 10,000 car journeys off the road at a minimum EACH DAY!
The CBT will also be helping Environment Waikato in their Rail Passenger and Freight study later this year. So feel free to join the CBT, we want better transport for all of New Zealand, looking at alternatives to cars and more roads. From 12 financial members this time last year, we now have over 75. We have NO funding, so all membership funds are used to pay for the CBT to attend meetings, make submissions and lobby for alternative transport options to the standing car and truck on roads.
Check the Campaign For Better Transport out at http://www.BetterTransport.org.nz
Is there a study supporting the claim that the airport extension will take 10,000 cars off the road each day. TranzMetro makes the same claim for trains travelling to the Wellington CBD. I am inclined to take Tranzmetro’s claims at face value because, with 20,000 passengers a day, their cardisplacement is consistent with ECan’s bus passenger survey findings that half their passengers would not have made their journey by car if the bus had not been available. Still, with Transit counting less than 70,000 vpd at Ngauranga interchange that is an impressive achievement.
Does anybody know if OnTrack is going to release a 10 year plan like Transit’s? It would be nice to know if they are going to take Christchurch’s needs seriously because Transit certainly isn’t, they’re all study, consult, study. No actual construction planned for anothet three years. We can’t afford to have Ontrack or Kiwirail behave the same way. With the petrol tax now fully hypothecared we are officially losing half our roading revenue to other regions. We’re certainly paying for decent land transport - thrice, once in our taxes, twice in time wasted in traffic, thrice in businesses and migrants going to the regions getting our transport money.