Subscribe to RSSGreens Launch CBD Loop Petition
Greens MPs Gareth Hughes and Keith Locke this afternoon launched their petition calling on the government to fast track the proposed CBD rail loop.“Auckland has missed out on having the rail network that it needs because for decades the Beehive has failed to provide the necessary funding,” Mr Hughes told the gathering in Britomart’s main foyer.
“The Supercity offers a real opportunity for Auckland to speak with one voice, and let the Government know that the CBD Rail Loop is the smartest way to deliver real transport progress to the fast growing Auckland region.”
Rail patronage had been growing at a phenomenally high rate in Auckland; last month ARTA reported the second highest rail patronage on record, after March this year. Growth in the last few years had been over 10 percent annually, contrasted with “declining traffic volumes on many state highway routes around Auckland, including the Harbour Bridge.”
“The Government can bring this project forward, and indeed must to meet the fast growing demand for rail.”
Manukau Mayor Len Brown adds his voice to the campaign
Joining Green MPs Keith Locke and transport spokesman Gareth Hughes were Manukau mayor and supermayor candidate Len Brown, Labour’s Mt Albert MP David Shearer, former Auckland mayor Christine Fletcher, Auckland City Council transport chairman Ken Baguley, Heart of the City’s CEO Alex Swney and representatives of the ARC and councillor Graeme Easte representing the CBT group.
Former Auckland mayor and C&R candidate Christine Fletcher
11 Comments
Shame they did it today and not in the weekend. I would have gone along otherwise.
Good on Gareth Hughes he’s been quite impressive since he took the transport portfolio for the Greens.
Was Nikki Kaye there?
@ Karl No mention of her
I haven’t heard a pep from Nikki Kaye in regards to Auckland’s issues - what does she actually do?
10% annual rail patronage growth and declining traffic volumes? Wasn’t Joyce telling us just last week that the car will remain the dominant form of transport for all time?
“I haven’t heard a pep from Nikki Kaye in regards to Auckland’s issues – what does she actually do?”
She’s been active on cycling matters, which I applaud. She’s also been opposing mining on Great Barrier, which took a bit of guts. And she’s been on the select parliamentary committee for the Supercity laws.
But for someone who got elected on a platform of improving public transport for Auckland, she’s jut NOWHERE when the talk is about rail, or buses or anything. Not a peep. Sad, very sad.
If the loop could be built, then this would have a dramatic effect on Auckland. Even when an announcement is made to proceed with this then things will start changing behind the scenes.
The CBD Loop will seem a more obvious step by the time the network is electrified. The problem is, by then it will be nearly critical and overdue. Mr Joyce’s first action will be to call for further feasibilty studies, so he doesn’t have to make any decision himself no doubt!
Joyce ALWAYS needs new feasibility studies. Amusingly, that is true both for the things he hates (lower drink-drive limits, CBD tunnel) and the things he loves (Anzac Bridge instead of tunnel, Holiday Highway).
For the first projects, he needs the research to delay them, for the second he needs the research to bolster their feeble merits.
He’s a consultant’s dream.
I am always a little sceptical of rail intiatives, rail, beacuse of its poor flexibility, requires considerable urban density to be effective. For some reason all the discissions are about transport, as if people would rather spend an hour on a train or a bus instead of an hour in their cars? Are areguements for cost of public transport about the cost of transport ie the cost of a car versus a bus to the user, I always thought hat to get an econimically efficent and enjoyable city, public transport should be able to deliver shorter ride times? Getting commuter transport working without reducing commute times is only half the answer. There’s better things to do with you life than spend hours a day in cars, buses or trains.
Richard, I agree to some point but I would prefer to spend an hour on a train relaxing than an hour in rush hour traffic (a bus would be a different story). The reality is I pretty much do this already. Of course if the trip was made faster that is better for me and other passengers and would provide even more growth.
Out west I think we should be aiming for a CBD to New Lynn trip being 20 mins and a CBD to Henderson trip being 30 mins, this would easily compete if not be much better than what is possible with a car and I think patronage would jump to reflect this.