As regional airlines continue to struggle, there is a growing movement to revive intercity rail, starting with the extension of the Auckland-Hamilton Te Huia train service to link Tauranga with its fellow ‘golden triangle’ cities and connect half of New Zealand’s population by rail In the most recent blow to New Zealand’s regional airline sector, Sounds Air is cutting routes and selling off planes in an effort to meet rising costs. Continue →

Tolling the new Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway would have helped fund the ongoing maintenance and future resilience of the critical transport route through a ‘user pays’ approach, says Infrastructure New Zealand Chief Executive Nick Leggett Tolling a new highway isn’t about penalising the users of that road or the communities in the area. Continue →

50 cent flat fares have been made permanent for urban public transport networks state-wide in Queensland, Australia – Adventures in Transitland’s Darren Davis explores the impact and notably how parking providers have responded Queensland launched 50 cent flat fares across all urban bus networks in the state in August 2024 (including free transfers), initially as a cost of living relief measure implemented in the lead-up to the October 26 2024 state election. Continue →

While much attention focused on the replacement Cook Strait ferries still being rail-enabled, the 2024-2027 Rail Network Investment Programme has quietly surfaced, Darren Davis writes in  Adventures in Transitland This was nine months late as it should have been published before the start of the 2024/2025 financial year on 1 July 2024. Continue →

Concrete roads are well suited for high intensity traffic and are more cost effective in the long run, according to a new economic report The Case for Concrete Roads report says concrete roads are on average 17 per cent cheaper over whole-of-life, reduce embodied carbon in roading and significantly reduce the cost and frequency of road maintenance. Continue →

The Sydney Metro City line opened on 19 August, adding 15.5-kilometres of new metro rail to the city with frequent passenger services operated by driverless trains The new section of the M1 Northwest & Bankstown Line opening in August extends the existing Metro North West line from Chatswood, below the harbour and under the Sydney CBD, then out to Sydenham. Continue →

KiwiRail needs to fix problems with its systems and training for responding to foul weather and stay up to date with how well third parties maintain their waterways in the rail corridor, the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) says A new report on a train derailment in stormy weather near Te Puke, Bay of Plenty, in January 2023, identifies systemic safety issues. Continue →

The Government’s $466 million Budget 2024 investment in rail adds to the $4.7 billion committed over the last five years, with KiwiRail Chief Executive Peter Reidy saying it highlights a commitment to reliable public transport in Auckland and Wellington and supporting export growth nationally The metropolitan rail networks Budget 2024 includes $159 million to complete Auckland’s Rail Network Rebuild and $107 million for overdue track renewals in Auckland and Wellington and assistance covering council contributions. Continue →

The future of the Te Huia passenger rail service between Auckland and Hamilton is uncertain, but a review of its performance so far shows that it has delivered or is close to delivering all the targets set by the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi Board (NZTA) The interim performance assessment completed by Waikato Regional Council, is due to be discussed at this week’s Future Proof Public Transport Subcommittee and will go to an NZTA Board meeting later in May for a decision on continuation of the five-year trial based on current rates of subsidy. Continue →

The new Fairfield Freight Hub has been described as a “game changer” for Mid Canterbury, which will help shift trucks off the busy highway and keep Ashburton moving By Jonathan Leask, Local Democracy Reporter Minister of Transport Simeon Brown attended the official opening of the hub, which has been operational since April 8. Continue →

The Government plans to work with Auckland Council to implement time of use road charging to reduce congestion and improve travel time reliability. Continue →

The draft Government Policy Statement for Land Transport focuses more money than ever before on state highways, at the expense of public transport, walking and cycling. Continue →

The premature end of the Auckland Regional Fuel Tax (ARFT) marks the third time in 30 years a National-led government has repealed such a tax, and is a clear example of New Zealand’s lack of direction when it comes to infrastructure, writes the University of Auckland’s Dr Timothy Welch When the National Party announced its plan to scrap the Auckland regional fuel tax at the end of June, it removed a significant source of infrastructure funding for the region. Continue →

As KiwiRail enters talks to terminate plans for its new Interislander ferries, transport planner Nicolas Reid explores the feasibility of other options to link the North and South Islands The first question to ask is why would we even want a fixed link between the islands – what are the reasons we might have to replace the interislander ferry? Continue →

No one is asking for a Japanese bullet train, but their standard 160km/h services on the other hand already run on the same narrow gauge as New Zealand – it wouldn’t be hard or expensive to do here, transport commentator Ben Ross says The idea of hourly inter-city passenger train services between Auckland to Hamilton, and every two hours out to Tauranga, is not so farfetched. Continue →

Light rail was a key part of Labour’s policy platform when they were elected to office in 2017 – they were even handed a scheme by Auckland Transport that had seen significant design work already undertaken, yet in six years nothing was achieved and the project has been cancelled, Greater Auckland’s Matt Lowrie says I continue to feel disappointed and frustrated at the previous government for botching this project so badly that it was further from becoming a reality in 2023 than it was when they took it over in 2017. Continue →

Once again New Zealand’s rail network is under existential threat, warns Michael van Drogenbroek, following the new Government’s decision to pull the plug on ferries that would have provided a seamless freight connection between the North and South Islands I am sure the cancellation of the Interisland Project IREX has come as a big shock to many – but really is it such a shock? Continue →

While the new government puts the brakes on light rail in Auckland, Sydney is steaming ahead with its new 24-kilometre metro line and is making plans for extra stations to encourage tens of thousands of new houses Contruction of the Sydney Metro West started in 2020 and when completed in 2032 it will connect Greater Parramatta and the Sydney CBD. Continue →

A new report by Doppelmayr New Zealand reveals that in our busiest cities, urban cable car solutions could shave 30 minutes off a commuter’s travel time and reduce congestion as they have done overseas Doppelmayr New Zealand has taken the next step in its ambition to enter New Zealand’s public transport market through the release of its Urban Transport Solutions Report, which makes the case for urban cable car solutions in Aotearoa. Continue →

Upping the cost of fuel to incentivise cleaner travel options will only work if those options are available in the first place, says Malcolm McCracken in Better Things Are Possible   The Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) is a cap-and-trade scheme operating in New Zealand that places a price on domestic carbon emissions (excluding agriculture), creating a financial incentive for businesses and individuals to transition towards cleaner and more sustainable practices. Continue →