Re: auckland, christchurch rail

[David McLoughlin <davemclNOSPAM@iprolink.co.nz>]

chris 'fufas' grace wrote:
> 
> David McLoughlin wrote:
> >
> > The problem with this is none of Auckland's rail lines is particularly
> > close to population centres. They run for kilometre after kilometre
> > through overgrown, run-down, almost abandoned industrial areas.
> >
> 
> This is certainly true from Penrose through to Mangere and from
> Puhinui south, but the west line through to Glen Eden is almost
> entirely residential and some of the stations such as Mt Albert are
> located in the middle of some quite densely settled areas. If the Mt
> Eden station was moved to the Dominion Rd Flyover it would pick up the
> Landscape Rd area, the New Lynn station is right across the road from
> Lynmall City, the Newmarket station could be improved to serve
> Broadway (even now it isn't that bad), Greenlane could be moved to the
> city side of the bridge, Ellerslie is right next to Ellerslie village,
> and so on.

Chris, I'd like to support what you say, but everything is a case of
"if." None of these things you suggest has a dog's show in hell of
happening, though I would love to be proved wrong.

 
> The Eastern loop is a bit far from habitation, I admit, particularly
> the section from Glen Innes to Otahuhu, but the good citizens of the
> Eastern Suburbs are hardly likely to use Public Transport anyway. 

Well I live in the Eastern Suburbs (Remuera in fact) and use the buses
frequently and by choice. The service has been improved a lot recently.
I would never drive my car to the city, I use The Link without
exception.

The good folk of Glen Innes have the lowest car ownership rate in New
Zealand, but they use neither the bus or the train. They don't have jobs
so don't need to travel anywhere.

The bus improvements I cite do nothing to address the rail issue.

David McLoughlin
Auckland New Zealand