Re: 50 years of Trolley Buses in Wellington NZ

[David McLoughlin <davemcl@REMOVEiprolink.co.nz>]

lbrash@my-dejanews.com wrote:
> 
> In article <19928-36FE4FC6-27@newsd-113.bryant.webtv.net>,
>   PCCSTREETCAR@webtv.net (John Engleman) wrote:
> > The trackless trolleys are what originally brought me to Wellington ...
> > To me Wellington ... has quite a lot going for it, including the trackless
> > trolleys and the electric commuter trains ...
 
> To me the disadvantage with Wellington is that the rail lines terminate on one
> edge of the CBD, and for better or worse the bus system is vital to take
> commuters on from there, with all the downside of changing modes.  It would be
> similar to Sydney with no lines past Central.  On the other hand, IIRC public
> transport has advantages because of limits to the road capacity to the north,
> and parking in the city.
> 
> Has any thought ever been given to extending the heavy rail underground,
> perhaps a loop line or even continuing to the airport?  


Many times. The most recent proposal, about five years ago, was to
convert the Johnsonville rail line to light rail and extend it on street
from the railway station via Willis Street, Manners Street, Courtenay
Place, the Basin Reserve, Wellington Hospital and Newtown and then via
tunnel to the airport.

However there is no funding/planning mechanism in New Zealand any more
which allows for such a scheme to bear fruit. This is a major downside
of the 1991 transport reforms.

David McLoughlin
Auckland New Zealand

"The national budget must be balanced. The public debt must be reduced;
the arrogance of the authorities must be moderated and controlled.
Payments to foreign governments must be reduced, if the nation doesn't
want to go bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of  living
on public assistance." – –   Marcus Tullius Cicero, 55 B.C.