Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: This is what we have to work with

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  • SteveH,

    I was just suggesting joining up to existing but also thought it was only freight to Hamilton at the moment.I imagined rail for tourists heading south, 'tis all.

    Oh, I see. I've got to wonder though: if a passenger service to Hamilton isn't viable now, would an airport link provide enough extra passengers to make it viable?

    Since Sep 2009 • 444 posts Report

  • Gareth Ward,

    Maybe it's getting lost in text but man Gordon Cambell comes across as a dick in that Werewolf interview

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    She'll inject life into things. Who said this was boring?

    Unfortunately, Penny's brand of excitement is of the "why are there are these chanting naked people and a goat in my living room?" variety.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • BenWilson,

    Only if you live in a suburb that has quick access to another one, plenty of people cross all over town for work and then during the day a bunch of them drive all over town in search of the elusive dollar.

    Hence my asking about the average. Standard deviation would also be interesting, given that the range can be from zero (like me) to, well, who knows? I've met guys who had to regularly do intercity commutes. I spent 6 months commuting 150km a day to one job in Victoria, sometimes doing 400km several times in a week between milk factory sites. But that's a statistical outlier.

    I do take your point that people who are in work that involves driving all over the place very much need to be taken account of in transport planning. But it's pretty hard to plan for random. That's just a 'basic overall capacity' concern, and everything that improves transport will help with it, every person in a bus or train is not in the way of that tradesman's van heading across town to a site.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • TracyMac,

    Regarding trains to and from airports, and the quibbles about luggage, how much luggage are you taking? I think that people who have more than one bag large enough to check in are decidedly the minority these days.

    It is slightly irksome that the Sydney train doesn't have luggage racks, but the seats near the doors are pretty convenient. Roll on, and roll off at Central.

    With Brisbane, the last times I've been, the Airtrain seems to be pretty well patronised. When we couldn't fly into the Gold Coast airport, it was a breeze rolling off the plane in Brisbane and onto the train for a cruisy 90 minute ride to Surfer's (and 10 minute taxi ride). Undoubtedly faster than driving in peak times (I reckon about the same with normal traffic flows).

    The Heathrow Express in London seems to have plenty of business people patronising it. It's definitely faster than the tube, including a 15 minute walk to get anywhere else at Heathrow. The Underground is fantastic, and certainly to be preferred to any of the other more common options, including driving. Although WHY do flights from NZ arrive at 7am, just in time for peak hour?

    Regarding trains to Auckland airport, doing the extra 11k or so from the new Onehunga station, or even perhaps the 6-7k from Puhinui, seems like a no-brainer. Especially given the diabolical traffic on the South Western motorway.

    Canberra, West Island • Since Nov 2006 • 701 posts Report

  • Jeremy Eade,

    Hence my asking about the average

    All I know is the air stinks in the city. I worked for 3 years in Penrose. A 8.00 a.m meeting would involve getting out of your driveway by 7.00 a.m out East, 6.45 a.m out West and I have heard insane stories from across the bridge if you hit peak traffic. Of course Peak Traffic is just everyone going to work late.

    auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 1112 posts Report

  • Richard Wain,

    I'm with Ben, it's not so bad here. Mind you, I work in Auckland City and also live in town. I don't own a car and bike everywhere, it's great!

    Apart from nearly getting murdered every day by arrogant motorists who can't see that the lane (one of two on the main roads I take) doesn't fit them AND a bike (I try to go fast so they don't feel the need or aren't actually able to zoom past me, missing a collision by centimetres).

    One of my workplaces is five minutes away, another is slightly further off at 10 minutes. Only sucks when it rains heavily. Or when one of those abysmal drivers actually takes me out...

    Bike lanes would be nice but I don't hear these Super City folks talking about them...

    Since Nov 2006 • 155 posts Report

  • BenWilson,

    All I know is the air stinks in the city.

    You're making me wish I didn't delete (as I do with most of what I write these days), my spiel about how people thinking Auckland has bad traffic are cut from the same cloth that sees the place as "The Big Smoke". Try Bangkok, before you get too bitter. Big smoke is when you can't see the top of buildings, when your snot is always black, and if you don't cover your face when you're riding, you end up blackened with soot. Yes, OK, there's more pollution here than in Morrinsville, but this IS a city, you know.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    Bike lanes would be nice but I don't hear these Super City folks talking about them...

    Oh they're talking about them now - as an inconvenience to drivers on Dominion Road - where businesses apparently will cease unless folk can park cars right outside their street frontage at all times. A cycle lane would interfere with that pursuit of commerce even more than those wasteful bus lanes, and that's enough reason for C&R.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    Heh, well, yes. I have a test for this. Look out of the window on a fine day: is the sky nearest the horizon a nice shade of brown? No? Then you're fine.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • James Butler,

    I just received this message from my work web filter proxy:

    You cannot access the following Web address:
    http://werewolf.co.nz/

    The site you requested is blocked under the following categories: Pornography

    It worked fine last month, so someone must have reported it since then. Where am I going to get my decent-independent-nz-journalism-porn now?

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    I just received this message from my work web filter proxy:

    James, can you email me with some more details? Which organisation and which filter product? I'm sure Al at Scoop will want to know.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • James Butler,

    James, can you email me with some more details?

    Done.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report

  • uroskin,

    The best Airport-to-City public transport experience I have had is in Hong Kong: 35km in 24mins for NZ$18.50 return. It was possible to spend an agreeable day on Hong Kong Island when on a 7 hour flight transfer. Try doing that in Auckland!

    Waiheke Island • Since Feb 2007 • 178 posts Report

  • Martin Lindberg,

    The site you requested is blocked under the following categories: Pornography

    Well duh! It has a naked breast (with nipple!1!1) showing on the first page. Totally pr0n!

    Stockholm • Since Jul 2009 • 802 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel,

    but will they see through this...

    Totally pr0n!

    wonder how they'd cope with this Japanese
    medical supplier's Xray-ted calendar? *

    *very possibly NSFW,
    mostly bones but some fleshy outlines
    parental guidance and lead shielding recommended

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Paul Williams,

    Naturally people on buses go slower. That needs to improve, but I'm not sure if the cart can travel before the horse.

    Ben, I actually think this is a big deal. For me, buses lose their appeal if they're not at least as fast, if not faster than cars.

    It costs me $27 a week to travel twice a day on a bus from the CBD to inner west and back. I don't always get a seat but there's very regular services and the bus lanes ensures that, even if the bus stops at most stops, I travel much more quickly than cars at rush hour.

    I'd happily return to live in Akl, it's a great city with lots of appeal but public transport needs improving - it's certainly not nearly ready for significant population growth.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report

  • Rich Lock,

    Look out of the window on a fine day: is the sky nearest the horizon a nice shade of brown? No? Then you're fine.

    Well, it's quite noteworthy that if I apply your test from my office window (down by the ferry terminal) on a nice, still, sunny winters day like today in Auckland, usually I'll be able to see a very noticable brown smear hanging over West Auckland and the Waitaks.

    And my wife has had some minor dealings with air quality surveys for Auckland, through ARC. You would be unpleasantly surprised by the results.

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report

  • Steve Withers,

    Having heard talk-back host, John Banks, push the dump button on an endless stream of callers to his show on the former Radio Pacific because they disagreed with him and challenged his views, I have no interest whatever in voting for the man. If he shows respect for the view of others it's not because it is his nature, it's because he sees advantage in doing so.

    Not my Mayor. Not even close.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 312 posts Report

  • SteveH,

    Regarding trains to Auckland airport, doing the extra 11k or so from the new Onehunga station, or even perhaps the 6-7k from Puhinui, seems like a no-brainer.

    The current preferred option (which admittedly does include a link up to Avondale) is estimated at $2.2B. Spending that sort of money should never be "a no-brainer".

    The Sydney airport link saw passenger numbers well below expectations. And Sydney has a fair more extensive public transport network the Auckland for the airport link to feed into. So why will the experience here be different?

    Since Sep 2009 • 444 posts Report

  • BenWilson,

    Ben, I actually think this is a big deal. For me, buses lose their appeal if they're not at least as fast, if not faster than cars.

    Buses have other advantages, don't forget. You don't have to park the buggers. That matters if you're going to the city all day. Also, you don't have to own them, nor learn how to drive them.

    But I don't like being on them myself. Spent way too many hours on them as a schoolboy, as I went to school across town. Hence learning to drive as soon as was humanly possible, stealing back about 2 hours every day of my life (and nearly losing it a few times).

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    Dude, give me some credit. If I was going to suggest an international racing event for NZ it wouldn't be V8 "Supercars",

    And for me it would not be F1 either, that is far too elitist for my liking but something along the lines of European Saloon cars, bring back Godzilla, suck on that Holden and Ford, V8s are for one toothed yokels.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • BenWilson,

    Elitist? I'm thinking back to the sozzled crowds of ozzie yobbos that thronged Albert Park ... or the hordes of Italian boy racers that would hoon around my window every time Ferrari won (I did practically live on Lygon St, within 200m of about 100 Italian restaurants). But yeah, practically there's no place for it here.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Paul Williams,

    Buses have other advantages, don't forget. You don't have to park the buggers. That matters if you're going to the city all day. Also, you don't have to own them, nor learn how to drive them.

    These things are all true, however if you have the choice of driving or taking public transport, I think the public transport option is best when it is also quicker. We don't generally disagree Ben, I just think the lack of extensive and permanent transport lanes is an impediment to mass use of buses (but I understand double tracking is underway for metro trains?)

    Apropos nothing in particular, for a while I've found it hard to participate in PAS (work et al) and I've missed it greatly. It remains a wonderfully engaging forum full of generous folk.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    Joshua Arbury has a recent discussion about speeding up bus travel by boarding through both doors.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

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