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.

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

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.