Episode 57 on SkyTV Channel 083 FACETV. Mondays at 9pm - Repeats Tuesdays 12.30pm

The Little Port of Waitemata

Our closest overseas cargo port is Botany Bay Port in Sydney. It has 170 full sized berths. The Port of Waitemata has eight and a half.

At the moment a lot Waitemata's cargo is cleared at the wharf so is cheaper than lugging it out to Wiri. Never mind the traffic congestion in the city. And the inevitable demand for further reclamation.

For $60m we could build a third rail line from the Strand to Wiri, which would unlock huge efficiencies in the way the Port handles cargo. Much of it could come straight off the ship and then on to rail to Wiri - or MetroPort's Neilson Street facility. Which would take a big load off State Highway 1. But guess what. Ports of Waitemata don't like that idea. They say it would advantage Ports of Tauranga and their Neilson Street hub.

At this point I'd like to remind you that the Council signed away $60m on a ridiculously expensive computer system three years ago, only to have the project 'Reset' and recapitalised with a FURTHER $100m. We could have built the Third Main line and a dedicated passenger terminal at the Tank Farm for that.

Auckland Council made a start on Stage 2 of the Port of Auckland study last week. The Mayor had promised Aucklanders an in depth study of the upper North Island ports that would generate options for future investment.

The report wasn't due to start till after the Unitary Plan had been approved, but with all the heat around the Ports extensions the report has been fast tracked.

I scope out the study with geographer and commentator Ben Ross, down at MetroPort, Port Of Tauranga's inland port hub on Neilson St, Onehunga.

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It's Hard to Hide 60 Buses

Auckland Transport came in for some stick over their performance at the Round the Bay's earlier in the year.

What went wrong? For many people, special events are their first contact with public transport. We're turning them off Public Transport by not offering a seamless experience.

I talk through the logistics of transporting a lot of punters to and from the big event with ATs Operations Manager for Special Events, Logan Christian.

Half the Time AT's Service is Excellent

Jon Reeves of the Public Transport Users Association has a different take on how AT should be handling public transport to and from big events.

I ask Jon for his opinion.

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