Cycleways: Hutt Valley Beltway Consultation

Hutt City want feedback on the proposed beltway cycleway which will run from Seaview to Taita in Lower Hutt. The Beltway Cycleway will use spare space on railway land, and super-wide roads around Lower Hutt to start the project, and will eventually become a network of cycleways that are planned around the city.

There is an open day this weekend:

When: 11am-3pm, Saturday 1 December
Where: Walter Nash Centre, 20-22 Taine Street, Taita

The Hutt City webpage has more information about the proposal, including concept drawings, and how you can get involved.

Are KiwiRail’s Electric Trains Really Uneconomic?

Just before Christmas, KiwiRail announced that they would be withdrawing electric freight train services in two years. Their decision is not only at odds with other railways around the globe, but also with global environmental direction.

The timing of the withdrawal will coincide with their newest diesel locomotives arriving from China; but the official rhetoric is that they will not replace the electric locomotives.

The full KiwiRail press release and some commentary is here, but I’d like to expand and break down some of the points in that press release. KiwiRail’s words are in Blue

How many new diesel locomotives will be bought and how much will they cost?

Eight locomotives will be required to replace the EF fleet. The cost is commercially sensitive.

They cost $3.8 million each, 2012 money. (ODT) The first 40 locos were plagued with reliability problems and then asbestos contamination which cost a whopping $12 million to clean up. The asbestos added $300,000 to the cost of each loco, nudging the price to $4.1 million each. You could then add the opportunity cost of the trains not working, and the resulting loss of business, but that would mean facing their real issues.

A big, beefy american train costs about $3 million US dollars or $4.3 million NZD (quick interweb search).

Clearly, buying Chinese means good quality, and also good value. 

Why doesn’t KiwiRail buy new electric locomotives?

They would be more expensive and would take longer to get into service. Simply replacing the existing locomotives also would not address the difficulties caused by operating both electric and diesel locomotives on one network, which creates a railway within a railway. It is equivalent to an airline requiring those flying from Auckland to Wellington to change planes at Hamilton and again at Palmerston North.

Balking a the term ‘expensive’ without qualifying it is a cheap shot. A new electric locomotive would cost slightly more than the Chinese-made DL loco, but would be much cheaper to operate over it’s life. 

As to this changing planes at Hamilton and Palmy – you’re only changing the pilot/driver, who normally gets out at Hamilton and drives a different train back to Auckland anyway. KiwiRail is making a big deal over the changeover time at Hamilton and Palmerston North, while actively adding hours to the journey time by ditching their road ferries and not maintaining tracks for higher speeds.

Why don’t you electrify the whole North Island system?

It would be very expensive. The cost estimate is $2.5 million per kilometre of single track. Electrifying the parts of the North Island Main Trunk currently not electrified would cost at least $1 billion for the infrastructure alone and feeder lines would still require diesel trains. There are additional complications in that the Wellington electric network uses a different power system to the Auckland electric network.

‘Complications’ between the different overhead wire voltages are fictitious; again KiwiRail are trying to put up a smokescreen. Trains in Europe and Japan commonly operate between two or three different power supplies. Its just not an issue.

The term ‘very expensive’ is Donald Trump rhetoric, and misleading; no infrastructure project is ever cheap. Lets have a look at a few recent transport infrastructure projects – unsurprisingly, roads get the lion’s share.

• Waterview Connection: $1300 million
• Auckland CRL $1200 million
• Christchurch Motorway Projects $800 million
• Kapiti Expressway $660 million
• Transmission Gully $640 million
• New Auckland Trains (Depot, Trains, Electrify) $550 million
• Waikato Expressway$500 million
• Nelson Street Tunnel $240 million
• Dowse to Petone $90 million
• Wellington ‘smart’ motorway $50 million
• Wellington Railway Throat $40 million

So, how would adding electric trains between Hamilton and Auckland fit in that list?

The Auckland Electrification project cost $80 million for 200 km of electrified tracks and supporting infrastructure – a cost of $0.4 million per km of track. So electrifying the mostly double-track, 80 km between Hamilton and Papakura would cost $64 million for 160 km of overhead wire. Seems reasonable given the Auckland Electrification Project was installed in a busier and more constrained environment, with a lot of work on weekends and Christmas shutdowns.

KiwiRail estimate $400 million, we reckon $64 million. Even if it were $100 million, the KiwiRail estimate is four times more.

So if the Hamilton to Papakura electrification costs $100 million, it would fit somewhere at the lower end of the new infrastructure scale; somewhere between the Wellington’s ‘smart’ motorway and the Nelson Street Tunnel project.

Not bad for what would bring a step-change to the transport network, and set the stage for electrifying through the Kaimai Tunnel to Tauranga – when complete, the line will serve 40% of the country’s population and the two largest export ports.

 

What was the difference in cost between buying new electric or diesel locomotives?

The exact cost of locomotives is commercially sensitive. However the overall costing of the diesel option was estimated at 20% – 30% lower than the overall cost of the electric option over its operational life.

So how much are KiwiRail paying for some Chinese rubbish their diesel trains? When they say “commercially sensitive” they really mean ‘we’re embarrassed to be paying this much for such crap’. KiwiRail locomotives are costing $3.8 million each (as above, ODT) which is a low-ballpark cost for a trains bought from established suppliers in the US or Japan. The cost of KiwiRail’s Chinese locomotives has probably increased since the South African Railways have placed orders with China,  but also, and very smartly, hedging their bets with American and European trains too.

After the asbestos was removed from each Chinese loco at a total cost of $12 million, or $400,000 each, the price of each locomotive rises to $4.1 million. A bitter pill when compared with a modern electric loco from Japan cost (yen)400 million or $5 million NZD. The key benefit is that the Japanese locomotive is a mature design while incorporating new-generation technology and systems. The locomotive is plug-and-play for New Zealand.

Claiming that electric trains are more expensive is an ‘interesting’ claim; my guess is that the rubbish Chinese trains only have a 10 – 15 life expectancy, and the lifetime cost of electric trains have been calculated over the same period; making the Chinese locos look cheaper.

Key benefits of electric trains are:

• Fewer moving parts compared with a diesel train – the still have wheels, brakes and a few cooling fans though
• More powerful and faster acceleration
• Chinese trains have a ten year service life, electric trains last 30 years+.
• No exhaust fumes are emitted; good for passenger trains
• Power is cheap, renewable and resilient to oil price shocks, especially in NZ
• In NZ, renewable power is used for electric trains and the price of power is insulated against oil shocks, whereas diesel carries a full-exposure to international fuel prices.

 

What part in the decision did environmental issues play?

Environmental factors were considered as part of the overall decision, which also looked at operational efficiency and economic viability. When KiwiRail delivers a more consistent and reliable service it encourages more freight to move by rail. Emissions from rail are less than 1% of all transport emissions, with transport accounting for 17% of New Zealand’s overall emissions. A shift to diesel on the NIMT will increase the emission factor for freight carried by rail in New Zealand from 30.80 gms per Net Tonne Kilometre to approximately 34 gms per NTK (The sum of the tonnes carried multiplied by the distance travelled). There is no comparable figure for road freight in New Zealand but the United Kingdom produces an annual figure for Heavy Goods Vehicle. This is currently 114 gms per NTK.

And almost none by electric train.

 

What will happen to the old electric trains?

They will be decommissioned over a two year period

Not if a Labour-led government is formed “Regional and long distance rail”

 

Ngauranga to Petone: Easy changes, better riding

I asked for more detailed plans of the Ngauranga to Petone cycleway which were outlined in the NZTA documents being used for consultation, but surprisingly, there weren’t any – just the sketch they had in one of their consultation documents:

NZTA’s only drawing of their shared path between Ngauranga and Petone.

Instead of some massive changes with big sea walls which will take years to fabricate, there are a few immediate changes that, if implemented, would make the ride much safer, usable and better for all users. The main problems are:

• Lack of protection from fast-moving traffic for part of the route
• A poorly laid and maintained pavement
• Significant debris from the road like stones, glass and rubbish with the occasional truck tyre.
• Weeds and Trees left unchecked
• With NZTA’s sea-side proposal, the exposure to the sea will make the path unrideable in a moderate Wellington wind.

The existing path is mostly about 2 metres wide and feels really unloved. The pavement is cracked and weeds grow out of the retaining wall, and stones and debris from the road cause lots of punctures. There are even bits of  broken fence, road-cones and orange construction netting in some parts.

While a temporary orange fence, weeds, trees and debris are common on the path, the stoney shoulder above the retaining wall will make a good cycleway platform one day.

 

The cycleway is set below the road and next to the railway. The surface condition means that most bike commuters ride on the road instead.

But if the path is raised above road-level and paved as wide as it’ll fit,  the instant extra width and its an awesome cycleway:

The three curves along the path look hardest to widen and improve the ‘feel’ of, but by filling and retaining a new bank the result is a cycleway about 3 – 4m wide.

Changes to widen the cycleway on the embanked corners aren’t rocket science:

• Raise the height of the path to above road level
• Change the road barrier to wire type
• Add fence next to railway track

Design for the embanked corners

 

The straight and flat parts of the path are mostly wide enough, but need a bit of love. The path needs to be raised above the road and a new fence installed on the railway side.

Level parts of the path get raised above the road

 

The hardest part is from the Petone over ramp down to the entrance to the shared path.

Island Bay Cycleway Re-Consultation

Four options for a re-modelled Island Bay Cycleway have been drawn-up after almost a year of  consultation with various community groups. Consultation on ‘Love the Bay Cycleway’ ends on August 13

Links to WCC’s consultation can be found below:

Make a Submission (before August 13th)

Consultation page with supporting documents

pdf document with the options outlined and explained 

It will be great to have the Island Bay cycleway is finished so that the next stages of the cycleway can be started; giving the masses closer to town more good and safe options for their daily commute

NZ’s ‘Foremost Transport Economist’ ?

Why is the $1.8b East-West Link is being funded but a $58 million rail project is being ignored despite yielding more value?

Julie Anne Genter’s line of questioning leaves little doubt that idealology is the main driver in funding the 2-billion-dollar road, and Bridges’ ‘answers’ confirm it.

With Maggie Barry looking as smug AF in the background, Bridges tries to hack his way through the argument with distractions and slander. So muddled in old and new reports, costs and benefits, that Bridges begins to claim a transport policy that sounds a lot like the Greens’, and even goes as far as calling Genter NZ’s foremost transport economist, twice!

Check out the full clip on Julie Anne’s Facebook Page (below) or InTheHouse – Bridges quip about NZs transport economist might be on the money.

 

Waikato Commuter Train: Council Gets on Board

Waikato Regional council has commissioned a report to investigate a rail option to connect Hamilton and Auckland. Quotes are from a Stuff Article published on May 17

Campaigners have had a few tries at getting the service resumed, but with no luck – although Hamilton’s Councillors appear to be softening with worsening congestion in Auckland, and the contrasting success of the new Auckland Trains. With more people commuting between Auckland and Hamilton, and the likely rubber stamp for the 3rd mainline into Auckland will make train journey times more attractive.

The good news is that the timing is good. Auckland’s old trains have been parked as new electric trains have entered service, and could be refurbished cheaply or even rebuilt to re-establish the services. The Wairarapa Connection style of train is an example of what Auckland’s old trains could be rebuilt into.

The Wairarapa train connects Wellington to Masterton five times each day, and has become more popular since the introduction of the new carriages in 2008 and an expansion of the service is likely in the next couple of years.

Wellington to Masterton train provides a modern and comfortable commute that rivals car journey times. The train is also popular with young people in the holidays, and gold card holders in off-peak times.

 

The decision to investigate an inter-regional commuter rail service has been heralded as a sea change in regional council thinking.

Waikato District Mayor Allan Sanson said the results of a detailed business case were in more than seven years ago, and outgoing Labour MP Sue Moroney said it’s about time regional council got on board.

On Tuesday, Waikato Regional Council’s strategy and policy committee voted in favour of a detailed business case into a passenger rail service between Hamilton and Auckland.

Indicative costs are set at $30,000 to $50,000. The business case will define the need, recommend solutions and funding options.

Hamilton City councillor Dave Macpherson, who has been nudging regional council on the issue at regional transport committee meetings, said a comprehensive study is a big step forward.

“They’ve been unenthusiastic in the past about taking on any leading role in that,” said Macpherson. “It is their role to manage public transport operations in the region and it’s always been difficult in the passenger rail debate when they have been lukewarm.”

In 2010, rail advocates collected more than 11,000 signatures in support of a rail link between the two cities. It was taken to the select committee but failed. The following year, the Rail Working Party made its case with a feasibility study but has been in limbo ever since.

The need for commuter rail is even greater now, said Macpherson, adding that the regional council’s position is “clear cut”.

Labour MP Sue Moroney has advocated for a commuter rail service to Auckland since 2008. | FAIRFAX NZ

“It signals their willingness, if all of the other ducks line up, to go ahead,” he said. “Several things might derail it and it might be outside of anyone in the Waikato’s control.”

Mayor Sanson said the regional council  is recreating the wheel.

“It has been done. I can get why they probably think there may be some differences but I can’t see anything that has fundamentally changed in seven-and-a-half years,” Sanson said.

“I’ve been banging on about it for that long that we have to do something, but let’s do it in baby steps.”

Cost blowouts, the capacity of Auckland’s network to take extra services, getting a Waikato-based train into Britomart Station and a two-hour trip still exist as huge barriers, he said.

“It took 2 hours 20 minutes and it just took too long to travel that distance. It’s still, probably in a lot of cases, faster by car.”

The first of Sanson’s baby steps is to extend Auckland’s rail network to Mercer.

“What we’ve always advocated is getting a train down as a far as Mercer and putting in a park and ride, allowing those people to commute from there by train.

“That is the key to getting a start in Waikato.”

Moroney, who has advocated for the rail connection since 2008, said regional council needs to represent the region’s needs.

“I really hope this time they will press ahead, irrespective of whether they get push back from central government or not,” Moroney said.

“Can we please just learn the lessons from the mistakes made in Auckland.

“That’s exactly what I’ve been saying to those organisations for years now.”

 

Wellington’s CRL: A reStart

Wellington Station. It’s probably the most glorious and identifiable building in the city, and it’s status is warranted: about 30,000 people travel through it each day – not bad given it’s location on the outskirts of the CBD.

The station sits close the New Zealand’s Parliament and its Governmental Ministries, the 40,000 people working  along Lambton and Featherston Streets, and the supporting shops, bars, schools, and the waterfront. If you work around this area, the train’s just a short walk. But if you work further down Lambton Quay, or in the Courtenay and Cuba end of town, you’ll have a 20-30 minute walk from the train – on a nice day its one of the best; but on a real Wellington day, it leaves you wondering why you left home without a car (or why the train doesn’t go further into the city!).

The concept is easy:

• extend the commuter line closer to the jobs in Lambton and Te Aro

• allow people to quickly make trips within the CBD

In particular, the concept provides better transport options for people working at the Courtenay & Cuba end of town.

A number of studies across the decades have been undertaken to extend the passenger rail further into Wellington, though none have gained traction – even light rail has been discounted in favour of a BRT system recently – albeit through a very conservative (and pessimistic) costing model provided by consultants.

Part of the proposed 1970’s Wellington Underground traveling under Thorndon to Parliament, Lambton and George Stations. The full plan continues to Newtown, Kilbernie and terminates at the Airport

While the proposals might be a hard-sell to a society raised on infinite, cheap oil, unquestioned car dependence and toll-free roads, the project would probably make more economic sense than Transmission Gully and any other RoNS motorway projects that have been sold on supposed ‘benefits to the economy’.

If the Kapiti expressway can be built through 17km of swamp, or if the Transmission Gully Road can be built steeply across an active fault line, then a couple of rail lines can be extended further over, under, or even through the city.

In the next few posts I’ll have a look at some options to see what could work, what’s been done in other cities around the world and how it could add real value to Wellington as a city, province and capital.

Wellington to Hutt Valley Cycling Link – a commuting path?

NZTA have announced their latest round of cycleway consultations for the Wellington to Hutt Valley Cycling link. You can go to the NZTA W2HV webpage to download consultation documents and make submissions. I’m a former Petone to Wellington cycle commuter, and I absolutely love the idea that a decent cycleway could be built between the two cities.

BUT

A “decent” cycleway means that it’s separated from cars, free of obstacles and pedestrians and doesn’t just end abruptly. And it should be rideable all the time. Lets unpack this.

Shared path upgrades on Hutt Road

Awesome to see work beginning on one of the worst sections to the daily cycle commute into Wellington, from Ngauranga. Getting rid of the poles is a fantastic start, and it’ll be great to see the project link up with the Thorndon Quay and Ngauranga sections of the cycleway.

The full story from Wellington City Council is here.

Wellington to Hutt Valley Cycling Link – NZTA Consultation

NZTA have announced their latest round of cycleway consultations for the Wellington to Hutt Valley Cycling link. You can go to the NZTA website to download consultation documents and make submissions, the main document . As a former Petone to Wellington cycle commuter, I absolutely love the idea that a decent cycleway could be built between the two cities, and I strongly encourage you to make a submission before the 31 May closing date!