TransMetro's Flyer

(Flyer? No, not a fast train; just the pamphlet they handed out during the submissions process.)

A reader sent me a copy of the material that TransMetro handed out to passengers. While the bus company has been accused of skewing the results, the same could be said of TransMetro. Here is their entire summary of the busway scenario, as printed in their pamphlet:

• No trains


• Convert line to busway


• Buses use busway in peak direction returning through streets


• Cost $120m - $130m over 25 years

Do I detect a hint of bias?

Firstly, they don't even explain what a busway is. Most people don't know about busways, especially guided ones. People need to be told that the buses are guided (for a faster smoother ride) and that the busway will use the same route and stations as the existing line.

Secondly, they don't mention the two big benefits of the busway to rail users: 5 minute frequency and service through to Courtenay Place.

The one-sided viewpoint is evident in many other parts of their flyer too (e.g. they say the busway "costs even more" in spite of having just listed it, at the top of the page, as having lower costs than the rail options!) The flyer concludes by encouraging readers to pick up a submission form and says, "We will even give free advice on how to fill it out". I bet they did!

So, it is fair to assume that many of the submissions on the standard submission form were prompted by TransMetro's flyer and consequently were favourable to TransMetro. In short, both the bus and rail companies attempted to create the appearance that public opinion was on their side. Did they succeed? Or did they merely cancel each other out?

Personally, I wish the Council had circulated an unbiased flyer to all households... but they didn't.

At the end of the day, the submission process is not a binding vote. It not about "winning" or "losing"; it's about providing public input into the Council's work.

Dom Post: Rail servicce under threat

Today's Dominion Post covers the submission results on page 2, under the headline "Rail service under threat".

That's right: on the Johnsonville line, rail is under threat, but public transport is not.

The busway will use the same route and the same stations. It will provide provide a more frequent service.

(Update, 31 Aug: the Dom Post story is here.)

Submission Results Published

Results of the submission process have just been published.

The Regional Council has published a summary, a more detailed overview, and a full report (350k PDF).

Submissions were received on two different forms, the Council's standard form, and one handed out by the Bus and Coach Association (representing bus companies). Submissions on the standard forms favoured rail, while submissions on the Bus and Coach form favoured the busway. When you add them all up, the overall majority favours the busway.

I'm sure some people will question the result, given the number of pro-busway submissions that were made on forms handed out by the bus company. However, we should bear the following points in mind:

• I have heard that the rail company also handed out material to their customers. But they didn't hand out a form to be completed, they merely handed out material that encouraged passengers to complete the standard form. So, it is fair to assume that a number of submissions made on the standard forms were encouraged by the rail company. (BTW: Does anyone have an example of the form they handed out? I never saw it myself.)



• It's not entirely suprising that a majority of rail customers support rail and a majority of bus customers support the busway. That's human nature - we feel comfortable with what we're accustomed to. The actions of the bus and rail companies only served to exaggerate that natural tendency, since each organisation campaigned amongst its own customer base. (By the way, as I've noted before, the busway is just as good as rail for existing rail users. It's a more frequent service, on the same route with the same stations, running right into the CBD - but the rail company was hardly likely to point that out!)

I think Councillor Glen Evans sums it up wisely: "We accept the sincerity of the views put forward on the [Bus and Coach] form, however the form does not include the information available on the standard consultation form. For example, the standard form allows you to comment on other scenarios, the Bus and Coach form does not."[emphasis added]

There's lots of information in the PDF report, and I'll post more about it soon...

The Busway in Brief

If you're new to this weblog, here's the place to start...

What is the busway?

The Regional Council is reviewing the future of the Johnsonville rail line. One option is "the busway". It is the only option which will benefit all public transport users in the Northern Suburbs.

• If you currently catch buses, the busway will let you bypass traffic congestion. No more slow trips down Ngauranga Gorge.
• If you currently catch trains, the busway will cut your waiting times and carry you right into the CBD. No more long waits on wet mornings. No more long walks from Wellington Station to your office.

Here's how it works: we replace the Johnsonville train tracks with a special concrete "track" for buses. Buses pick up passengers - at existing bus stops and at rail stations - then they drive onto the busway. They drive all the way down the busway to the city, with no traffic congestion or hold-ups. Once they reach city, they leave the busway and drive along Lambton Quay.

Details

Some buses will act like replacement trains. They will drive along the busway and stop at each station - just like the trains, except they'll be one every 5 minutes in rush hour (so you'll never have to wait long) and they'll drive down Lambton Quay (so you won't have to walk through the CBD).

Other buses will be express services from the suburbs. They will replace the existing buses in Newlands, Churton Park and the surrounding suburbs. They'll stop at existing bus stops all around the suburbs, just like the buses you catch now. Then, they'll drive onto the busway and go non-stop all the way to Wellington. (Express buses will be able to pass buses that are stopped at stations, because the busway will have a passing lane at each station.) Once they reach the city, they will drive down Lambton Quay.

The busway is forecast to be cheaper than buying new trains and fixing the rail tracks. Adelaide, Australia, has run a very successful busway for 20 years.

About this Weblog

I'm not affiliated with any business or special interest group; I'm just a local resident who's sick of spending hours each week stuck in traffic. I want a public transport solution that works for everybody in the Northern Suburbs. That solution is the busway. I started this weblog because the other options made me mad.

If you have any questions about the busway, please email me or leave a comment at the bottom of any page on this weblog. My email address is: