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Is light rail the panacea for our transport ills?

Is light rail the panacea for our transport ills?

Light rail is currently again in the discussion for Auckland and Wellington. It would be lovely to have a fast, cheap and efficient public transport system for all of our cities. Light rail though is running on street level and for cities like Wellington that has serious geographical challenges, this is a problem. For any light rail to be established something has to give, pedestrians, parking, cyclists or cars. There simply is no room to move.

The other aspect is cost, not only of the establishment but also the ongoing price of using the system. Nobody seem to talk transport fares? Why not? Public transport can only have a large number of participants by keeping the price as low as possible. The pricing structure of our current system of bus and rail does not make the light rail remotely attractive. Or are we talking transport for the rich?

Novelty value of light rail is certainly an attraction in New Zealand. We had it, we threw it out and we want it back. Are these the swings and roundabouts of public transport?

Let’s divorce ourselves from any transport issue for a moment and look at growth industries in New Zealand. Maybe it is not an Industry in the classic sense but tourism is on an ongoing growth trajectory. With our image overseas and the current political climate in many overseas areas, the visitor numbers will keep on growing. Most of these will have experienced light rail on a daily base in their home country. There, the systems were often established in the beginning of the last century and upgraded and maintained to accommodate growing populations and need. So could we not build what we had, but look into the future and build a public transport system for our cities that is a tourist attraction at the same time?

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Monorail, gondolas and suspension railway are all proven public transport systems in various cities overseas. Yes their number is small but they are unique and interesting. They are different and curious. As a visitor to Wuppertal you HAVE to ride the suspension railway it is one of the attraction there. A visit to Bogota must see you ride the new urban gondola. They all offer great views and unique experiences. Yes and they take minimal space on the ground.

Should we not investigate other transport possibilities that could enhance our cities well into the future and create a tourist draw card at the same time? Have passengers ride it for the cheer experience? Let’s be bold, have a vision of something extraordinary to enhance our cities for the next hundred years. It’s little known but Kiwis can fly! We as a nation proved this many times in our history. Let’s lift it up and have a look from above.


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