David Farrar: Hurdle on light rail

Tim Hurdle writes:

Building new rail networks is super expensive as the Auckland light rail debacle showed. The Australian ABC TV show Utopia has mined a rich vein of comedy explaining the realities of their boondoggles, such as “the Very Fast Train” between Melbourne and Sydney. Perhaps NZ On Air could fund a similar show so we could explore some of the projects that Kiwis mythologise.

That’s a great idea. Someone should apply to do that.

People also like to dream about inter-regional travel. Before rail, getting to Auckland took several days of rough sailing, because there was no State Highway 1. The end to viable regional rail services was signalled in 1968 with the arrival of the new Boeing 737. This fast and reliable aircraft made Wellington to Auckland a two-hour return journey.

Business travellers knew time was money. Patronage on any transportation system is determined by speed, comfort and convenience.

I did travel between Auckland and Wellington by train in my 20s a few times. But that was when I was studying, not working, and it was actually cheaper than flying.

Today I can’t justify 12 hours on a train when I can fly in one hour. I prefer train to flying but it isn;’t there on speed, convenience or cost.

But traditional traffic patterns are fading with flexible and digital working. Working continues through weekends. Physical deliveries and tradies use road networks enhanced by new technologies to improve their productivity.

Rail attracts the attention of dreamers and romantics. The practicality and expense of their ideas will leave them as arguments for blog posts, Twitter experts and smoko rooms. Dreams are free, concrete and steel are not.

I saw a mention somewhere that merely using Google Maps has made road networks significantly more effective. I often let it take me off the main route, as it says it will be faster.,

David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders.