tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3612441315352179822.post3334699020585688679..comments2024-03-28T00:33:53.397+13:00Comments on Local Bodies: Save Fiordland, a Green PerspectiveDave Kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12428353657153292616noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3612441315352179822.post-3690789858001289402012-07-23T21:46:30.781+12:002012-07-23T21:46:30.781+12:00Anonymous, I think if you looked at statistics wit...Anonymous, I think if you looked at statistics within a city the percentage of public transport use would be far greater. When I visited Zurich recently I hardly saw a car, even though it was Winter the most common forms of transport were trams (light rail) and bicycles. There was no congestion and it was very easy to move around the city.Dave Kennedyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12428353657153292616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3612441315352179822.post-83841261353390637432012-07-23T14:44:05.598+12:002012-07-23T14:44:05.598+12:00Road to rail?
Of the total internal journeys mad...Road to rail? <br /><br />Of the total internal journeys made in Britain, 1.5% are by air, 8% by rail and the rest by road. Almost everyone thinks transferring traffic from road to rail is a good idea. It will reduce road congestion and carbon emissions, they say. BUT, in reality, it's not as easy as that. If just 2% of road traffic transferred to rail, rail capacity would have to increase by 25%. Since the railways can barely cope with the traffic they have now, huge amounts of investment would have to be put into the railway network to achieve this level of change.<br /> <br />British Transport Mode Use - 1952 to 2008Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3612441315352179822.post-55913844075325226052012-07-23T14:03:08.484+12:002012-07-23T14:03:08.484+12:00I'm sure in the short term there will be huge ...I'm sure in the short term there will be huge costs, but there will be even larger transport costs to be borne if it isn't done. Few cities internationally would want to remove their rail networks and I am sure none of them make huge profits (I could be wrong). What efficient transport provides is an important infrastructure that enables other things to happen and supports the wider economy. If Auckland operates more efficiently, everyone wins. Most Aucklanders wish that the rail system had been constructed when Sir Dove Meyer Robinson first proposed it as they would be reaping the benefits now. <br /><br />Do you support the $12 billion the government has committed to motorways and the $200 million spent on planning them when the cost benefit analysis questions their value? What we spend on public transport is a tiny fraction of what we spend on roads and we need to desperately play catchup.Dave Kennedyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12428353657153292616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3612441315352179822.post-84199507311549800062012-07-23T11:09:14.036+12:002012-07-23T11:09:14.036+12:00Are you suggesting that the Auckland rail circuit ...Are you suggesting that the Auckland rail circuit will not run at a huge annual loss?<br />Who will pay for that huge annual loss?<br /><br />A.GreenAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3612441315352179822.post-192994753328031762012-07-23T00:31:10.411+12:002012-07-23T00:31:10.411+12:00Nice try, A Green :-). The two tunnels couldn'...Nice try, A Green :-). The two tunnels couldn't be more different. Most large cities of the world have rail services that are the back bone of their public transport systems. This would be a long term investment that would benefit all Aucklanders by providing a more efficient PT network and reducing traffic on roads, a real win win!<br /><br />On the other hand the Fiordland tunnel will serve mainly overseas tourists, profit an overseas investor and all the external costs will be subsidized by tax payers. The tunnel will add nothing to the environment and remove our credibility in managing a World Heritage park. <br /><br />As for Len Brown's mandate, 78% seems pretty conclusive to me http://smarttransport.co.nz/nz-transport-pollDave Kennedyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12428353657153292616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3612441315352179822.post-2292313421670395542012-07-22T16:20:54.844+12:002012-07-22T16:20:54.844+12:00Dear Mayor Brown,
Even though you claim to have a ...Dear Mayor Brown,<br />Even though you claim to have a mandate to build a rail circuit in Auckland, the majority of ratepayers and taxpayers disagree.<br /><i>"The fact that rate and taxpayers will probably have to pay the external costs of the tunnel and monorail rail projects when most will not benefit from the facilities isn’t equitable."</i><br />Your claiming such a mandate on Q&A this morning fails the second principle of Social Responsibility.<br /><br />A. GreenAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com