Comments on: Christchurch Needs More Trains

By: Chris Hutching

Chris Hutching — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:35:14 +0000

yes maybe Christchurch may need to consider this option in 20 or 30 years but not yet. The geography and layout of Auckland and Wellington makes it work in those places but the garden city doesn’t have enough urban satellites to make it financially justifiable. Forget the magic bullet train and focus on achievable goals – let’s all get on our bikes and half the problem will be resolved

By: Jeremy Harris

Jeremy Harris — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:26:40 +0000

Chris have you seen the projected traffic increases in ChCh over the next 30 years..?
Thought not…
Rail or similiar will definitely be needed within the next 30 years so why not use an existing system..?
Also the lines run through the suburbs, not just the lifestyle blocks…
Better have a look whats happening in the world, re. climate change to peak oil to realise that even though little old NZ hasn’t got it yet we are all living on PlanetRail…

By: Chris Hutching

Chris Hutching — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 02:10:29 +0000

You guys must be from Planet Rail. Christchurch doesn’t have anything like the commuter problems or the population or the rating base as anyone can immediately discern on a trip from Auckland airport to that city centre. And why should central city dwellers in Christchurch pay hundreds of millions to service a tiny number of lifestylers who want to live at Rangiora? As for pollution -try living next to coal and wood burning neighbours like I do and compare that with the average relatively clean burning modern car. Jon you’re obviously a rail enthusiast like Bob Parker. Fine, but don’t ask ratepayers to fund your hobbies or use simplistic “green” arguments to justify them. How about creating urban forms where people don’t need to drive cars so much – and I don’t mean tenements and apartments – just smaller centres with decent safe cycleways criss crossing the city. Of course there’s that other wee problem – peoples’ freedom of choice to live where they like and drive where they want.

By: Jon R

Jon R — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 11:09:43 +0000

Why are trains in a 30 year plan? Is 30 a nice sounding number for “never” really?

Onehunga line reopening was in a 30 year plan… then became 3 after getting the public on board.

By: Brent C

Brent C — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 09:49:58 +0000

Its a pity that the new Pegasus development hasn’t happened near the railway line

By: Roger

Roger — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 09:43:06 +0000

Maybe Veolia could pass on the ex-Perth DMUs. They must have a few more years left in them. The lack of hills in Christchurch would help!

By: Jeremy Harris

Jeremy Harris — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 01:20:47 +0000

I know the council has looked at re-introducing some form of train service before…

Hopefully the 30 year scope will include the possibility of some use of the rail corridors, I do some rough figures once and to double track the city (except the Lyttleton tunnel), upgrade stations, electrify and buy EMUs would run about $800 million… Maybe they could start with some DMUs..?

By: James

James — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 09:25:22 +0000

The same was said of Britomart, that seems to have turned out pretty well. Impressive proportions of walkers and cyclists.

By: dsadas

dsadas — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 01:03:46 +0000

The biggest obstacle to commuter rail from places like Rangiora is the lack of a central railway station. Putting a station in close to the CBD would be very expensive.