tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post4505528687510042607..comments2024-03-28T09:22:36.967+13:00Comments on Offsetting Behaviour: Are ODI Scores Increasing? UPDATEDEric Cramptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15831696523324469713noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-24930783236389889382014-09-03T07:23:49.416+12:002014-09-03T07:23:49.416+12:00What is most frustrating is that Labour (or any pa...What is most frustrating is that Labour (or any party) could propose a solution that works for the long haul and is "free" (er... politically anyway).<br /><br /><br />My wife makes the commuter run from beyond Rangiora into central Christchurch regularly and has done for many years. She tells me her trip has improved over the last few months. So what's going on?<br /><br /><br />First of all there is little congestion on the motorway itself the problems start as traffic exits the motorway onto the three main routes in and around the city. They are hopelessly congested and it's the tailback that makes the motorway appear clogged.<br /><br /><br />As it turns out there are plans to declog two of those routes that have been in place for ten years. I don't know when CCC's Northern Corridor is scheduled for implementation but the government announced this year it would not start work on the Belfast Bypass (SH1) until 2018.<br /><br /><br />What should Labour have announced? Throwing money at those two projects today would do it. What's more the money is already there and doesn't have to be found. This year's Vote Transport has a significant lump of new money built in for new State Highways and new local roads. I don't know what this government had in mind for this money but if I had been in Labour's shoes I would have recognised that, (i) as the significant planning work has all been done and (ii) the money is already there, and (iii) declogging those two routes will do more for accessing CHC from North Canterbury than anything else, that it would be a no- brainer to advance that work.<br /><br /><br />In the meantime my wife has found that as earthquake damaged streets in Christchurch get fully restored and useable, and as CCC make some improvements to Marshlands Rd in anticipation of the Northern Corridor project there are already discernible improvements to travel time.<br /><br /><br />Again it's a no-brainer.Donaldnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-44592868818211567432014-09-02T20:55:00.607+12:002014-09-02T20:55:00.607+12:00Except it wont, because the trains would go to Add...Except it wont, because the trains would go to Addington, not the CBD. You might find 40 at best going to Addington. To build a CBD station requires restoring the east to north link at Addington, and finding a site for a station at, Moorhouse Avenue, which also isn't exactly convenient, but better than Addington - which explains pretty much why Christchurch lost commuter rail first. The fetishisation of railways over relatively modest improvements that could be made to allow buses to bypass queues is bizarre. You need bespoke infrastructure, bespoke vehicles (and much more signalling) that is largely useless for anything else if it fails. Widen some hard shoulders and a few intersections, and you can use existing buses on an express service from where people live to where they want to go. If it fails, then little is lost and the buses can be used elsewhere. In Wellington, private commercial bus services thrive alongside commuter rail because of this - the Otaki-Wellington express bus lasted for many years, Wainuiomata-Wellington, and the Hutt Valley Flyer bus service, indicating that what matters is cnnvenience and speed.Liberty Scotthttp://libertyscott.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-64930513279588175172014-09-02T16:30:06.993+12:002014-09-02T16:30:06.993+12:00You seem to be underestimating the effect of shift...You seem to be underestimating the effect of shifting even a relatively small number of people to rail from driving instead. Traffic congestion/delay is exponential; as it gets near capacity the costs sky-rocket. The initial rail plan is focused on the Northern M'way Corridor, which was suffering from at-capacity flows. With peak congestion it only takes a<br /> little change in numbers to have a big effect on delays. 40,000 vehs <br />cross the Waimak Bridge each day; over 6000 would be during the peak <br />periods. Back of the envelope calc: If shifting ~400 people to train <br />reduces everyone else's peak trip by even 10 minutes (quite likely), then using NZTA travel time rates <br />that's about $15,000 saved each day in travel time, or over $3 <br />million/yr. A useful payback, even without the more direct benefits...Glen Kooreynoreply@blogger.com