transport Archive

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  The Nubrella and other cycling news

  
  
  
  Tip of the pen to the Cycling Advocacy Network who provided me with most of these links. First off – welcome to the Nubrella – a hands-free umbrella you can wear while cycling. So long, as CAN says, “you don’t mind looking like you’ve been partially devoured by a giant transparent caterpillar”. So will the Nubrella revolutionise [...] read more
  March 18, 2010 9:00 am - 8 Comments
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  Obama makes liveability central to transport funding

  
  
  
  President Obama’s administration has recently announced progressive new changes to the way future transport projects will be funded. Obama’s administration is now adding “liveability” to the measures used to evaluate new transport projects. “We want to base our decisions on how much transit helps the environment, how much it improves development opportunities, and how it makes [...] read more
  January 27, 2010 9:13 am - 9 Comments
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  Raising the driving age?

  
  
  
  A Herald survey of 2,300 people has shown that 80% favour raising the driving age to 18. It’s hard to work out how representative that survey truly is but 80% seems unbelievably high. Raising the age to 18 would be a huge step up from the current age of 15. It’s more likely the government will raise [...] read more
  January 11, 2010 9:58 am - 34 Comments
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  National Out of Touch on Transport?

  
  
  
  I’ve blogged before about the gap between what Steven Joyce wants for Auckland (more roads) and what the average Aucklander wants (more public transport). It’s nice to see the Herald agrees with me (for a change). They rate Joyce’s performance as a Minister 6 out of 10 – not because he isn’t an effective Minister – he [...] read more
  November 6, 2009 12:10 pm - 6 Comments
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  A host of cycle signs!

  
  
  
  The Central Connector is an excellent project that has improved Symonds Street for buses and cyclists alike. City Councils need more funding for projects like these. read more
  October 29, 2009 3:21 pm - 2 Comments
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  Green Streets for Our Cities?

  
  
  
  The North Shore Times reports that a new trial of permeable paving in Birkdale has been highly successful, decreasing storm water run-off by up to 75 per cent. The run off also had a much lower content of harmful metals like copper and zinc.  Stormwater contamination is something Auckland has a bit of a problem with [...] read more
  September 16, 2009 12:14 pm - 1 Comment
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  Compulsory minimum parking requirements

  
  
  
  Interesting video about the absurdity of minimum parking requirements for commercial and residential developments. These requirements subsidize driving and encourage urban sprawl. read more
  August 16, 2009 10:00 pm - 33 Comments
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  Cycleway shifts up a gear

  
  
  
  A journalist remarked to me on Monday that they found it strange to see John Key and I sitting together (one green tie, one blue) to answer media questions about the New Zealand Cycleway Project. My position is that when the Memorandum of Understanding with National was signed he (correctly) indicated that there were some [...] read more
  July 29, 2009 1:30 pm - 21 Comments
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  Procurement: which costs are saved?

  
  
  
  The Government has just announced it is to review and reform state sector procurement. The Government Procurement Reform Agenda is based around four key themes: ·         Cost savings. ·         Building procurement capability and capacity. ·         Enhanced business participation. ·         Improved governance, oversight and accountability. Cost savings:  just to the Government’s expenditure or also saving costs to our natural capital? After all, [...] read more
  June 11, 2009 11:55 am - 4 Comments
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  A walk across a bridge

  
  
  
  They say that revolutions start with small actions. Today the people of Auckland started a transport revolution by walking over a bridge. They refused to be intimidated by the NZ Transport Agency and walked and rode across their iconic bridge on its 50th birthday. It was small thing – 10,000 men women and children strode [...] read more
  May 24, 2009 3:14 pm - 203 Comments