12 Reasons to Say "Yes" to the Busway

Gareth Hughes wrote 12 Reasons to Say No to the Busway. Naturally, I can't resist responding! Here are 12 reasons to say Yes:

1. It benefits everyone. Most northern suburbs residents take buses. The busway helps everyone, not just the minority who use rail.


2. For current rail users: More frequent services - a peak-period bus once every 5 minutes, instead of a train every 13 minutes.


3. For current rail users: Service all the way to Countenary Place.


4. For current rail users (from Johnsonville): Faster, non-stop express service.


5. For current bus users: avoids road congestion - leading to shorter trips and, perhaps more importantly, more predictable journey times.


6. For current bus users: helps buses run on time. As a bus user, you don't just suffer from congestion when you are in the bus, you also suffer from it while you wait for late buses that have been held up in traffic. At the affected times of the day, its not uncommon to see a bus arrive 10 or even 20 minute late. The busway will vastly reduce those delays.


7. Cost effective. Let's quote TransMetro's own pamphlet: busway $120 to $130 million; rail $125 to $160 million.


8. A resilient, reliable service. If a slip blocks the rail corridor, buses can temporarily revert to running roads.


9. It can reach new suburbs. New suburbs will be built (whether you like it or not, Tom and Gareth) and only buses will be able to reach them.


10. One unified service, instead of two parallel ones. Say, it's 7:15 at night, and you want to get to Johnsonville. Should you catch a train, or a bus? Which leaves first? Which arrives first? Where do they depart from? With the busway, there is exactly one clearly defined service, instead of two competing ones with different timetables and departure points.


11. It will encourage more residents to leave their cars at home. Why? Because it's more frequent, goes into the CBD and reaches everybody (not just people who live close to train stations). When the Newlands bus service boosted frequency and extended service to Courtenay Place, patronage jumped by 40%.


12. Cheaper, better off-peak services. The busway could provide an off-peak service that's better than the existing peak rail service!

And, one more as an extra bonus:

13. A chance to buy New Zealand Made. Buses are made in New Zealand, trains are not. Come on Green Party, support your own campaign ;-)

(I have just phoned Designline to confirm that they do indeed build here, not just design here. They always build the body in NZ usually, but not always, on an imported chassis.)