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FITWellington.​MoveMorePeopleWithFewerVehicles History

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16 January 2020 at 04:22 PM by John Rankin - final word changes
Changed lines 3-4 from:
LGWM has proposed Rapid Transit linking Wellington Rail Station to the eastern suburbs and airport. It seeks to achieve a high-capacity service that is frequent, fast and comfortable, giving people an attractive alternative to using their cars. The proposed route is along the waterfront Quays, Taranaki Street, past the Basin Reserve and Regional Hospital, through Newtown to the zoo, then a tunnel under Mt Albert to Kilbirnie, Miramar and the Airport. An alternative route via Kent and Cambridge Terraces and Mt Victoria would be more direct and faster, but miss the opportunity to create medium-density, transit-oriented communities along the route.
to:
LGWM has proposed Rapid Transit linking Wellington Rail Station to the eastern suburbs and airport. It seeks to achieve a high-capacity service that is frequent, fast and comfortable, giving people an attractive alternative to using their cars. The proposed route is along the waterfront Quays, Taranaki Street, past the Basin Reserve and Regional Hospital, through Newtown to the zoo, then a tunnel under Mt Albert to Kilbirnie, Miramar and the Airport. An alternative route via Kent and Cambridge Terraces and Mt Victoria would be more direct and faster, but miss the opportunity to create medium-density, transit-oriented communities along the Newtown route, and associated greater ridership.
Changed lines 7-8 from:
Rapid transit is by far the best option for moving more people using fewer vehicles. Building rapid transit from the railway station to the airport as a single project, completed within 10 years, will quickly offer people in the eastern suburbs a congestion-free journey to and from the city centre. A weakness of LGWM's 2-staged construction -- to Newtown first, followed later to the airport -- is that stage 1 may not generate sufficient patronage to make it financially viable on its own.
to:
Rapid transit is by far the best option for moving more people using fewer vehicles. Building rapid transit from the railway station to the airport as a single project, completed within 10 years, will quickly offer people in the eastern suburbs a congestion-free journey to and from the city centre. The risk in LGWM's 2-staged construction -- to Newtown first and to the airport later -- is that stage 1 may not generate enough ridership to make it financially viable on its own.
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'Trackless tram' is a commercial guided-bus system developed by CCRC in China. Proponents believe it will be a significantly cheaper than light rail with similar passenger-carrying capacity. But, as it runs on existing roads, pavement rutting may be a major problem and require expensive road strengthening. We have no way of knowing whether trackless tram will attract transit-oriented development along its route. It is a proprietary option dependent on one supplier and is unproven for commercial use. These and other unknowns make TT a high-risk choice.
to:
'Trackless tram' is a guided-bus system developed by CCRC in China. Proponents believe it will be significantly cheaper than light rail with similar passenger-carrying capacity. But, as it runs on existing roads, ruts may become a major problem and require expensive road strengthening. We have no way of knowing whether trackless tram will attract transit-oriented development along its route. It is a proprietary option dependent on one supplier and is unproven for commercial use. These and other unknowns make TT a high-risk choice.
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=>730 words
to:
=>733 words
16 January 2020 at 12:21 PM by John Rankin - may not generate
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Rapid transit is by far the best option for moving more people using fewer vehicles. Building rapid transit from the railway station to the airport as a single project, completed within 10 years, will quickly offer people in the eastern suburbs a congestion-free journey to and from the city centre. A weakness of LGWM's 2-staged construction -- to Newtown first, followed later to the airport -- is that stage 1 will generate insufficient patronage to make it financially viable on its own.
to:
Rapid transit is by far the best option for moving more people using fewer vehicles. Building rapid transit from the railway station to the airport as a single project, completed within 10 years, will quickly offer people in the eastern suburbs a congestion-free journey to and from the city centre. A weakness of LGWM's 2-staged construction -- to Newtown first, followed later to the airport -- is that stage 1 may not generate sufficient patronage to make it financially viable on its own.
16 January 2020 at 12:06 PM by John Rankin - word count
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=>730 words
16 January 2020 at 12:05 PM by John Rankin - safety and health
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To realise the city-shaping benefits of LGWM's proposed Newtown route, the design needs a dedicated rapid transit corridor, with priority at intersections and a target minimum average speed of 30 km/hr. Travel to and from the eastern suburbs will be faster than by car at peak times.
to:
To realise the city-shaping benefits of LGWM's proposed Newtown route, the design needs a dedicated rapid transit corridor, with priority at intersections and a target minimum average speed of 30 km/hr. Travel to and from the eastern suburbs will be faster, safer and healthier than by car at peak times.
16 January 2020 at 12:03 PM by John Rankin - tweak words on TT
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'Trackless tram' is a commercial guided-bus system developed by CCRC in China. Proponents believe it will be a significantly cheaper than light rail with similar passenger-carrying capacity. But, as it runs on existing roads, pavement rutting may be a major problem and require expensive road strengthening. We have no way of knowing whether trackless tram will attract transit-oriented development along its route. It is a proprietary option dependent on one supplier and is unproven for commercial use. These unknowns make TT a high-risk choice.
to:
'Trackless tram' is a commercial guided-bus system developed by CCRC in China. Proponents believe it will be a significantly cheaper than light rail with similar passenger-carrying capacity. But, as it runs on existing roads, pavement rutting may be a major problem and require expensive road strengthening. We have no way of knowing whether trackless tram will attract transit-oriented development along its route. It is a proprietary option dependent on one supplier and is unproven for commercial use. These and other unknowns make TT a high-risk choice.
16 January 2020 at 11:52 AM by John Rankin - semi-colon
Changed lines 11-12 from:
'Trackless tram' is a commercial guided-bus system developed by CCRC in China. Proponents believe it will be a significantly cheaper than light rail with similar passenger-carrying capacity. But, as it runs on existing roads, rutting may be a major problem and require expensive road strengthening. We have no way of knowing whether trackless tram will attract transit-oriented development along its route. It is a proprietary option dependent on one supplier and is unproven for commercial use. These unknowns make TT a high-risk choice.
to:
'Trackless tram' is a commercial guided-bus system developed by CCRC in China. Proponents believe it will be a significantly cheaper than light rail with similar passenger-carrying capacity. But, as it runs on existing roads, pavement rutting may be a major problem and require expensive road strengthening. We have no way of knowing whether trackless tram will attract transit-oriented development along its route. It is a proprietary option dependent on one supplier and is unproven for commercial use. These unknowns make TT a high-risk choice.
Changed line 15 from:
The answer to the question ""What kind of city do we want?"" gives the blueprint for our desired urban form. Design the transport system to fit that urban form. Our council representatives and NZTA make up LGWM and their 5 years of research answers the question of what Wellington citizens want for the city: a system that will ''move more people with fewer vehicles''. The time for more consultation is over. FIT's call to central government is to quickly adopt LGWM's rapid transit plan, using light rail on a Newtown route. In the face of our climate emergency and increasing congestion, we need no further delay -- just get on and do it.
to:
The answer to the question ""What kind of city do we want?"" gives the blueprint for our desired urban form; design the transport system to fit that urban form. Our council representatives and NZTA make up LGWM and their 5 years of research answers the question of what Wellington citizens want for the city: a system that will ''move more people with fewer vehicles''. The time for more consultation is over. FIT's call to central government is to quickly adopt LGWM's rapid transit plan, using light rail on a Newtown route. In the face of our climate emergency and increasing congestion, we need no further delay -- just get on and do it.
16 January 2020 at 11:39 AM by John Rankin - Roger's changes
Changed lines 1-10 from:
Good transport plans start with the question: ""What kind of city do we want?"" The answer will shape our city. Do we want a polluted, congested city, or one that is people-centred, safer and more liveable? Population growth and Transmission Gully traffic threaten to clog our roads. Building more road space and road tunnels attracts more vehicles; but the Let's Get Wellington Moving (LGWM) programme, supported by its 5 years of widespread public consultation, is ''moving more people with fewer vehicles''. Transport is Wellington's largest source of emissions, so more roads will flout WCC's climate change emergency declaration.

LGWM has proposed Rapid Transit linking Wellington Rail Station to the eastern suburbs and
airport. It seeks to achieve a high-capacity service that is frequent, fast and comfortable, giving people an attractive alternative to using their cars. The proposed route is along the waterfront Quays, Taranaki Street, past the Basin Reserve and Regional Hospital, through Newtown to the zoo, then a tunnel under Mt Albert to Kilbirnie, Miramar and the Airport. An alternative route via Kent and Cambridge Terraces and Mt Victoria would be more direct and faster, with fewer stops, but misses the opportunity to create medium-density, transit-oriented communities along the route. The city-shaping benefits of LGWM's proposed Newtown route are critical to the project's success, provided that the design adequately mitigates the adverse effects of choosing a less direct route.

{+Rapid transit is by far
the best option for moving more people using fewer vehicles. Building rapid transit from the railway station to the airport as a single project, completed within 10 years, will quickly offer people in the eastern suburbs a congestion-free journey to and from the city centre.+} A weakness of LGWM's 2-staged construction -- to Newtown first, followed later to the airport -- is that insufficient patronage will be generated to make it financially viable. {-Building rapid transit from the railway station to the airport as a single project, completed within 10 years, will quickly offer people in the eastern suburbs a congestion-free journey to and from the city centre. Rapid transit is by far the best option for moving more people using fewer vehicles. Mayor Foster is right: we need to do something about traffic congestion east of Mt Victoria this decade.-}

LGWM is considering three forms
of rapid transit: Light rail (LRT), Trackless tram (TT) and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). LRT has far greater speed and capacity than motor vehicles at peak hours, although {+off-peak+} driving may be faster. {-off-peak.-}{+LRT lanes can carry up to 10,000 people an hour, all day, every day.+} A single lane of cars can transport approximately 1500 people an hour, but far fewer in stop-start traffic. {-LRT lanes can carry up to 10,000 people an hour, all day, every day.-} Operating along a fixed route, LRT will give developers certainty, boosting land values by millions of dollars and providing the Council with additional rates revenue that can be used to offset development and operating costs.

'Trackless tram' is a commercial guided-bus system developed by CCRC in China. Proponents believe it will be a significantly cheaper than light rail with similar passenger-carrying capacity. But, as it runs on existing roads, rutting may be a major problem and require expensive road strengthening. We have no way of knowing whether trackless tram will attract transit-oriented development along its route. It is a proprietary option dependent on one supplier and is unproven for commercial use. These {+unanswered questions+}{-disadvantages-} make {+TT+}{-trackless tram-}
a high-risk choice.
to:
Good transport plans start with the question: ""What kind of city do we want?"" The answer will shape our city. Do we want a polluted, congested city, or one that is people-centred, safer and more liveable? Population growth and Transmission Gully traffic threaten to clog our roads. Building more road space and road tunnels attracts more vehicles; but the Let's Get Wellington Moving (LGWM) programme, supported by its 5 years of widespread public consultation, is ''moving more people with fewer vehicles''. Transport is Wellington's largest source of carbon emissions, so more roads will flout WCC's and GWRC's climate change emergency declarations.

LGWM has proposed Rapid Transit linking Wellington Rail Station to the eastern suburbs and
airport. It seeks to achieve a high-capacity service that is frequent, fast and comfortable, giving people an attractive alternative to using their cars. The proposed route is along the waterfront Quays, Taranaki Street, past the Basin Reserve and Regional Hospital, through Newtown to the zoo, then a tunnel under Mt Albert to Kilbirnie, Miramar and the Airport. An alternative route via Kent and Cambridge Terraces and Mt Victoria would be more direct and faster, but miss the opportunity to create medium-density, transit-oriented communities along the route.

To realise the
city-shaping benefits of LGWM's proposed Newtown route, the design needs a dedicated rapid transit corridor, with priority at intersections and a target minimum average speed of 30 km/hr. Travel to and from the eastern suburbs will be faster than by car at peak times.

Rapid
transit is by far the best option for moving more people using fewer vehicles. Building rapid transit from the railway station to the airport as a single project, completed within 10 years, will quickly offer people in the eastern suburbs a congestion-free journey to and from the city centre. A weakness of LGWM's 2-staged construction -- to Newtown first, followed later to the airport -- is that stage 1 will generate insufficient patronage to make it financially viable on its own.

LGWM is considering three forms of rapid transit: Light rail (LRT), Trackless tram (TT)
and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). LRT has far greater speed and capacity than motor vehicles at peak hours, although off-peak driving may be faster. LRT lanes can carry up to 10,000 people an hour, all day, every day. A single lane of cars can transport approximately 1500 people an hour, but far fewer in stop-start traffic. Operating along a fixed route, LRT will give developers certainty, boosting land values by millions of dollars and providing the opportunity for additional targeted rates revenue that can be used to offset development and operating costs.

'Trackless tram' is a commercial guided-bus system developed by CCRC in China. Proponents believe it will be a significantly cheaper than light rail with similar passenger-carrying capacity. But
, as it runs on existing roads, rutting may be a major problem and require expensive road strengthening. We have no way of knowing whether trackless tram will attract transit-oriented development along its route. It is a proprietary option dependent on one supplier and is unproven for commercial use. These unknowns make TT a high-risk choice.
Changed lines 15-17 from:
The answer to the question ""What kind of city do we want?"" gives the blueprint for {+our+}{-the-} desired urban form. Design the transport system to fit that urban form. Our local body representatives make up LGWM and their 5 years of research answers the question of what Wellington citizens want for the city: a system that will ''move more people with fewer vehicles''. The time for more consultation is over. {+FIT's+}{-Our-} call to central government is to quickly adopt LGWM's plan, using light rail on a fixed route. In the face of our climate emergency and increasing congestion, we need no further delay -- just get on and do it.

{+Mayor Foster is right: we need to do something about traffic congestion east of Mt Victoria this decade. The best time to start building rapid transit was 10 years ago. The next best time is now.+}
to:
The answer to the question ""What kind of city do we want?"" gives the blueprint for our desired urban form. Design the transport system to fit that urban form. Our council representatives and NZTA make up LGWM and their 5 years of research answers the question of what Wellington citizens want for the city: a system that will ''move more people with fewer vehicles''. The time for more consultation is over. FIT's call to central government is to quickly adopt LGWM's rapid transit plan, using light rail on a Newtown route. In the face of our climate emergency and increasing congestion, we need no further delay -- just get on and do it.

We need to address traffic congestion east of Mt Victoria this decade.  BRT won't work in Wellington; TT is high risk; LRT meets all requirements. The best time to start building rapid transit was 10 years ago. The next best time is now.
16 January 2020 at 09:06 AM by John Rankin - tweaks
Changed lines 13-15 from:
The answer to the question ""What kind of city do we want"" gives the blueprint for {+our+}{-the-} desired urban form. Design the transport system to fit that urban form. Our local body representatives make up LGWM and their 5 years of research answers the question of what Wellington citizens want for the city: a system that will ''move more people with fewer vehicles''. The time for more consultation is over. {+FIT's+}{-Our-} call to central government is to quickly adopt LGWM's plan, using light rail on a fixed route. In the face of our climate emergency and increasing congestion, we need no further delay -- just get on and do it.

{+Mayor Foster is right: we need to do something about traffic congestion east of Mt Victoria this decade. The best time to start building rapid transit is 10 years ago. The next best time is now.+}
to:
The answer to the question ""What kind of city do we want?"" gives the blueprint for {+our+}{-the-} desired urban form. Design the transport system to fit that urban form. Our local body representatives make up LGWM and their 5 years of research answers the question of what Wellington citizens want for the city: a system that will ''move more people with fewer vehicles''. The time for more consultation is over. {+FIT's+}{-Our-} call to central government is to quickly adopt LGWM's plan, using light rail on a fixed route. In the face of our climate emergency and increasing congestion, we need no further delay -- just get on and do it.

{+Mayor Foster is right: we need to do something about traffic congestion east of Mt Victoria this decade. The best time to start building rapid transit was 10 years ago. The next best time is now.+}
16 January 2020 at 08:57 AM by John Rankin - typo
Changed line 13 from:
The answer to the question ""What kind of city do we want"" gives the blueprint for [+our+}{-the-} desired urban form. Design the transport system to fit that urban form. Our local body representatives make up LGWM and their 5 years of research answers the question of what Wellington citizens want for the city: a system that will ''move more people with fewer vehicles''. The time for more consultation is over. {+FIT's+}{-Our-} call to central government is to quickly adopt LGWM's plan, using light rail on a fixed route. In the face of our climate emergency and increasing congestion, we need no further delay -- just get on and do it.
to:
The answer to the question ""What kind of city do we want"" gives the blueprint for {+our+}{-the-} desired urban form. Design the transport system to fit that urban form. Our local body representatives make up LGWM and their 5 years of research answers the question of what Wellington citizens want for the city: a system that will ''move more people with fewer vehicles''. The time for more consultation is over. {+FIT's+}{-Our-} call to central government is to quickly adopt LGWM's plan, using light rail on a fixed route. In the face of our climate emergency and increasing congestion, we need no further delay -- just get on and do it.
16 January 2020 at 08:53 AM by John Rankin - can't hide revisions; why not
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(:revisions:)
16 January 2020 at 08:52 AM by John Rankin - show and hide revisions
Added lines 2-3:

(:revisions:)
15 January 2020 at 05:56 PM by John Rankin - move words around for clarity
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{+Rapid transit is by far the best option for moving more people using fewer vehicles.+} A weakness of LGWM's 2-staged construction -- to Newtown first, followed later to the airport -- is that insufficient patronage will be generated to make it financially viable. Building rapid transit from the railway station to the airport as a single project, completed within 10 years, will quickly offer people in the eastern suburbs a congestion-free journey to and from the city centre. {-Rapid transit is by far the best option for moving more people using fewer vehicles.-} Mayor Foster is right: we need to do something about traffic congestion east of Mt Victoria this decade.

LGWM is considering three forms of rapid transit: Light rail (LRT), Trackless tram (TT) and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). LRT has far greater speed and capacity than motor vehicles at peak hours, although driving may be faster off-peak. A single lane of cars can transport approximately 1500 people an hour, but far fewer in stop-start traffic. LRT lanes can carry up to 10,000 people an hour
, all day, every day. Operating along a fixed route, LRT will give developers certainty, boosting land values by millions of dollars and providing the Council with additional rates revenue that can be used to offset development and operating costs.

'Trackless tram' is a commercial guided-bus system developed by CCRC in China. Proponents believe it will be
a significantly cheaper than light rail with similar passenger-carrying capacity. But, as it runs on existing roads, rutting may be a major problem and require expensive road strengthening. We have no way of knowing whether trackless tram will attract transit-oriented development along its route. It is a proprietary option dependent on one supplier and is unproven for commercial use. These disadvantages make trackless tram a high-risk choice.
to:
{+Rapid transit is by far the best option for moving more people using fewer vehicles. Building rapid transit from the railway station to the airport as a single project, completed within 10 years, will quickly offer people in the eastern suburbs a congestion-free journey to and from the city centre.+} A weakness of LGWM's 2-staged construction -- to Newtown first, followed later to the airport -- is that insufficient patronage will be generated to make it financially viable. {-Building rapid transit from the railway station to the airport as a single project, completed within 10 years, will quickly offer people in the eastern suburbs a congestion-free journey to and from the city centre. Rapid transit is by far the best option for moving more people using fewer vehicles. Mayor Foster is right: we need to do something about traffic congestion east of Mt Victoria this decade.-}

LGWM is considering three forms of rapid transit: Light rail (LRT), Trackless tram (TT) and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). LRT has far greater speed and capacity than motor vehicles at peak hours
, although {+off-peak+} driving may be faster. {-off-peak.-}{+LRT lanes can carry up to 10,000 people an hour, all day, every day.+} A single lane of cars can transport approximately 1500 people an hour, but far fewer in stop-start traffic. {-LRT lanes can carry up to 10,000 people an hour, all day, every day.-} Operating along a fixed route, LRT will give developers certainty, boosting land values by millions of dollars and providing the Council with additional rates revenue that can be used to offset development and operating costs.

'Trackless tram' is a commercial guided-bus system developed by CCRC in China
. Proponents believe it will be a significantly cheaper than light rail with similar passenger-carrying capacity. But, as it runs on existing roads, rutting may be a major problem and require expensive road strengthening. We have no way of knowing whether trackless tram will attract transit-oriented development along its route. It is a proprietary option dependent on one supplier and is unproven for commercial use. These {+unanswered questions+}{-disadvantages-} make {+TT+}{-trackless tram-} a high-risk choice.
Changed lines 13-15 from:
The answer to the question ""What kind of city do we want"" gives the blueprint for the desired urban form. Design the transport system to fit that urban form. Our local body representatives make up LGWM and their 5 years of research answers the question of what Wellington citizens want for the city: a system that will ''move more people with fewer vehicles''. The time for more consultation is over. Our call to central government is to quickly adopt LGWM's plan, using light rail on a fixed route. In the face of our climate emergency and increasing congestion, we need no further delay -- just get on and do it.

{+The best time to start building rapid transit is 10 years ago. The next best time is now.+}
to:
The answer to the question ""What kind of city do we want"" gives the blueprint for [+our+}{-the-} desired urban form. Design the transport system to fit that urban form. Our local body representatives make up LGWM and their 5 years of research answers the question of what Wellington citizens want for the city: a system that will ''move more people with fewer vehicles''. The time for more consultation is over. {+FIT's+}{-Our-} call to central government is to quickly adopt LGWM's plan, using light rail on a fixed route. In the face of our climate emergency and increasing congestion, we need no further delay -- just get on and do it.

{+Mayor Foster is right: we need to do something about traffic congestion east of Mt Victoria this decade. The best time to start building rapid transit is 10 years ago. The next best time is now.+}
15 January 2020 at 12:05 PM by John Rankin - move a sentence
Changed lines 5-6 from:
A weakness of LGWM's 2-staged construction -- to Newtown first, followed later to the airport -- is that insufficient patronage will be generated to make it financially viable. Building rapid transit from the railway station to the airport as a single project, completed within 10 years, will quickly offer people in the eastern suburbs a congestion-free journey to and from the city centre. Rapid transit is by far the best option for moving more people using fewer vehicles. Mayor Foster is right: we need to do something about traffic congestion east of Mt Victoria this decade.
to:
{+Rapid transit is by far the best option for moving more people using fewer vehicles.+} A weakness of LGWM's 2-staged construction -- to Newtown first, followed later to the airport -- is that insufficient patronage will be generated to make it financially viable. Building rapid transit from the railway station to the airport as a single project, completed within 10 years, will quickly offer people in the eastern suburbs a congestion-free journey to and from the city centre. {-Rapid transit is by far the best option for moving more people using fewer vehicles.-} Mayor Foster is right: we need to do something about traffic congestion east of Mt Victoria this decade.
Added lines 14-16:

{+The best time to start building rapid transit is 10 years ago. The next best time is now.+}

14 January 2020 at 01:45 PM by John Rankin - draft from Russell
Added lines 1-13:
Good transport plans start with the question: ""What kind of city do we want?"" The answer will shape our city. Do we want a polluted, congested city, or one that is people-centred, safer and more liveable? Population growth and Transmission Gully traffic threaten to clog our roads. Building more road space and road tunnels attracts more vehicles; but the Let's Get Wellington Moving (LGWM) programme, supported by its 5 years of widespread public consultation, is ''moving more people with fewer vehicles''. Transport is Wellington's largest source of emissions, so more roads will flout WCC's climate change emergency declaration.

LGWM has proposed Rapid Transit linking Wellington Rail Station to the eastern suburbs and airport. It seeks to achieve a high-capacity service that is frequent, fast and comfortable, giving people an attractive alternative to using their cars. The proposed route is along the waterfront Quays, Taranaki Street, past the Basin Reserve and Regional Hospital, through Newtown to the zoo, then a tunnel under Mt Albert to Kilbirnie, Miramar and the Airport. An alternative route via Kent and Cambridge Terraces and Mt Victoria would be more direct and faster, with fewer stops, but misses the opportunity to create medium-density, transit-oriented communities along the route. The city-shaping benefits of LGWM's proposed Newtown route are critical to the project's success, provided that the design adequately mitigates the adverse effects of choosing a less direct route.

A weakness of LGWM's 2-staged construction -- to Newtown first, followed later to the airport -- is that insufficient patronage will be generated to make it financially viable. Building rapid transit from the railway station to the airport as a single project, completed within 10 years, will quickly offer people in the eastern suburbs a congestion-free journey to and from the city centre. Rapid transit is by far the best option for moving more people using fewer vehicles. Mayor Foster is right: we need to do something about traffic congestion east of Mt Victoria this decade.

LGWM is considering three forms of rapid transit: Light rail (LRT), Trackless tram (TT) and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). LRT has far greater speed and capacity than motor vehicles at peak hours, although driving may be faster off-peak. A single lane of cars can transport approximately 1500 people an hour, but far fewer in stop-start traffic. LRT lanes can carry up to 10,000 people an hour, all day, every day. Operating along a fixed route, LRT will give developers certainty, boosting land values by millions of dollars and providing the Council with additional rates revenue that can be used to offset development and operating costs.

'Trackless tram' is a commercial guided-bus system developed by CCRC in China. Proponents believe it will be a significantly cheaper than light rail with similar passenger-carrying capacity. But, as it runs on existing roads, rutting may be a major problem and require expensive road strengthening. We have no way of knowing whether trackless tram will attract transit-oriented development along its route. It is a proprietary option dependent on one supplier and is unproven for commercial use. These disadvantages make trackless tram a high-risk choice.

Bus Rapid Transit was the recommended option for the 2013 Public Transport Spine Study, but failed to gain traction. It lacks the carrying capacity of light rail and trackless tram. To be effective BRT needs 4 lanes at stops so buses can pass one another, something most Wellington streets do not offer.

The answer to the question ""What kind of city do we want"" gives the blueprint for the desired urban form. Design the transport system to fit that urban form. Our local body representatives make up LGWM and their 5 years of research answers the question of what Wellington citizens want for the city: a system that will ''move more people with fewer vehicles''. The time for more consultation is over. Our call to central government is to quickly adopt LGWM's plan, using light rail on a fixed route. In the face of our climate emergency and increasing congestion, we need no further delay -- just get on and do it.
Page last modified 16 January 2020 at 04:22 PM