A few months ago, I was wrong. The Government announced the ability for Regional Councils to charge for congestion. I was happy: by increasing the cost of using a car, you can raise revenues for public transport and get more people using fast, frequent bus and train services. In isolation,
The Greater Wellington Regional Council, via Scoop: Tuesday was the busiest day on record for Wellington’s public transport network, with an estimated 84,000 rail journeys and 80,000 bus trips. There was a lot to be proud of in Wellington on Tuesday. One small achievement was the astounding
transport
Aotearoa has a stunning railway history. As a country, we built an astonishing 2000km of track within a decade. Yet, mismanagement, policy, and neglect in the 20th Century drove us to cars and trucks. In this final part of my series on rail, I want to explore what is possible
society
Advertising has long been a seductive interest of mine. Until a couple of weeks ago, I was working at a small digital marketing agency. I’m fascinated by how it influences people, frames debates and shapes our community’s vision for the future. Advertising has power, which is why I’
transport
When you travel across Aotearoa, have you noticed the train tracks everywhere? My hometown, Whanganui, has rail weaving through town. It even has a dedicated train bridge in Aramoho. Rail runs along the far north and the deep south. A century ago, people travelled towns and cities by train. Now
society
You have five minutes left in your break. You’ve read the latest news article about climate change or it’s a particularly hot day and that’s got you unnerved. Time is running out before heading back to work. You want to make a difference. What do you do?
transport
Joel MacManus, writing for the Spinoff: The theory behind Wellington’s rapid rollout is that people will adopt cycling in much higher numbers once there is a connected network of protected bike lanes that cover most daily trips. To get there as quickly as possible, Wellington City Council is taking
energy
Our power bills are too expensive. Why? Because we haven’t got enough power plants to make all the power we need. It is a dry year, meaning that our dams are running low on water. When there’s less water, we can’t make as much electricity. Demand has
food
Next time you’re in Newtown, take a walk down Hospital Road. Nestled near the Blood Service and behind a kindergarten is something you wouldn’t picture in the central city: a farm. What was an underutilised bit of council land has become a thriving spot for growing kai and
transport
Ever wondered how to fix Wellington’s transport woes? Can we get the buses running on time? Can trains run more frequently? Can we stop people from sitting in traffic for so long? We can. The Regional Council has many plans underway to reduce congestion and improve how we get
politics
This week is huge for New Zealand’s plan to halt climate change. The Emissions Reduction Plan (thrilling name I know) has been released. It is a mammoth 123 page document that shows how the Government will stop us polluting more carbon into the atmosphere. They’re required to make
food
I need to admit something. I feel thrilled by climate change. It’s not because I want bad things to happen, or revel in the idea of a hotter climate. I am thrilled by climate change because it is a fantastic catalyst for smart people to solve an unprecedented problem.
