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 →

Developed in the UK, the Pothole Pro can fix potholes in just 8 minutes and is changing the way road maintenance is done worldwide The Pothole Pro repairs potholes in a fraction of the time and cost of current manual labour methods. Continue →

When KiwiRail disconnected a level-crossing in Christchurch, no form of temporary traffic management was put in place and a bus was almost hit by a passing locomotive, but who was at fault? Continue →

The identification of a pipeline of infrastructure projects will be well received by the construction sector bringing a higher degree of certainty to future workflows and assisting in long-term planning, Colliers says The National Party, poised to lead the next government, will be expected to deliver on its campaign promises. Continue →

Sweden is the latest country to adopt low-emission zone measures after it announced plans to ban petrol and diesel cars from Stockholm city centre, Movemnt reports The City of Stockholm has announced that it will be introducing a progressive low-emission zone in parts of the city centre to help improve air quality and increase the health of pedestrians and infants. Continue →

The use of cranes was not feasible underground, so the contractor employed an ingenious solution The Cross River Rail project aimed to alleviate congestion in Brisbane’s metro transport system and improve transportation for the growing population. Continue →

The deletion of one line in the Land Transport Management (Regulation of Public Transport) Amendment Act now means that public transport that crosses a regional boundary is still subject to the objectives and policies of any applicable regional public transport plan, Darren Davis writes Numerous submitters to the Land Transport Management (Regulation of Public Transport) Amendment Bill, implementing the Sustainable Public Transport Framework, pointed out that there was no sound public policy rationale for treating inter-regional public transport any differently than intra-regional public transport. Continue →

An interim review of Auckland’s City Rail Link (CRL) project, commissioned by the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission – Te Waihanga, offers a timely reminder of the significant challenges with delivering large, complex infrastructure projects and the consequences when risks eventuate The purpose of the review is to assist project teams and decision makers considering Auckland Light Rail and similarly complex projects to learn from the lessons of New Zealand’s biggest infrastructure investment to date. Continue →

Not to be outdone by National’s mega roads plan, Labour announced a $35-45 billion harbour crossing programme that doubles down on the transport planning mistakes of Auckland’s past, Greater Auckland’s Matt Lowrie writes Two new three lane road tunnels under the Waitemata Harbour, one going in each direction, and a separate light rail tunnel that will link to the existing Auckland Light Rail corridor is the proposed plan for a second Auckland harbour crossing. Continue →

As expected, the National Party’s transport policy is almost all about building lots of big roads, once again using the Roads of National Significance (RoNS) name, Greater Auckland’s Matt Lowrie writes I think we’re up to the fourth version of the RoNS now, and just like at the last election, one of the headline features of the policy is to build a four-lane highway from Whangarei to Tauranga.  Continue →

A new zero-emission heavy transport vehicle can remove the carbon impact of installing large infrastructure such as bridges, wind turbines and power station components The innovation by transport company, Mammoet, works by converting existing Self-propelled Modular Transporters – or SPMTs – from diesel to electric power. Continue →

While the National Party is promising a ‘Pothole Repair Fund’, the ACT Party has released a far more ambitious roading policy that would utilise tolls to change the way new and existing roads are funded   There is no such thing as a free road. Continue →

The Te Huia passenger train from Hamilton to Auckland has been ordered to terminate early in Papakura until further notice after instances of it running red lights — Darren Davis explores how it came to this and who will ultimately pay the price Te Huia has had a rough ride and already faced significant challenges to its very survival before the shock announcement on Tuesday 11 July 2023 of the service’s enforced truncation to Papakura. Continue →

The Future is Rail conference was held in Wellington on June 28th – Suraya Sidhu Singh and Laurie Winkless give a brief summary of what was discussed and the challenges facing rail in New Zealand Rail as essential infrastructure: Passenger rail is a vital piece of infrastructure like water, power, telecommunications etc. Continue →

Waka Kotahi needs to review its closure policy and risk profiles for managing Auckland’s Harbour Bridge as yet another day of productivity is lost to Auckland’s economy, says the Employers & Manufacturers Association (EMA) The current policy continues to look like a knee-jerk over reaction to the one serious damage accident we’ve had in 70 years of operation of the bridge, says EMA Head of Advocacy, Strategy and Finance, Alan McDonald. Continue →

New bike and walking paths being installed around Evans Bay are a double-win for the environment, providing the means to get about in climate-friendly ways and reducing waste by making use of recycled materials Work is underway on the 780-meter section of new walking and biking paths on Evans Bay Parade between Weka Bay and Little Karaka Bay. Continue →