When it comes to comes to analysing a man who has already described himself as some kind of an ass it gets rather tricky. His surname though gives some insight into his actions. The man is as thick as a short plank. Perhaps a piece of 4×2 is more appropriate. Take light rail as an example. He is 4 it but denies it will cost x2 as much as forecast. When it has just become apparent that x billions will have to be spent on numerous main highways to keep the country moving post-Cyclone Gabrielle what do we find Michael talking about?
Light rail. HIS pet Auckland project that he is determined will one day come to fruition. No matter that, as Minister of Transport, roading should be the priority; this self-confessed donkey is banging on about Thomas The Tank Tram. That should be last on his list of priorities. Wayne Brown doesn’t want it and neither do the majority of Aucklanders. As for taxpayers elsewhere in the country, they won’t want a bar of it and why should they? This is no more than a vanity project for the Brylcreem boy from Mt Roskill. In terms of enhancing Auckland’s transport problems via a business case, it’s a no goer.
The entire route, including the airport, is very well served by buses going to and from the city centre. The $30 billion or thereabouts is another example of this Government’s propensity to waste taxpayer dollars. $50 million has so far been thrown at light rail with nothing to show for it. This is yet another of these shovel-ready projects that is not ready. Think what better use could be made of that $30 billion plus the $50 million fixing people’s lives following the recent weather events. Michael Wood however is fixated on his left-wing ideology.
His priority is to get everyone out of their cars and onto the non-existent Auckland public transport that is in its worst state ever. Half the trains aren’t running due to track maintenance, the same with the buses due to driver shortages, and the ferries are also facing manpower issues. Minister Wood was aware all of these problems were on the horizon and, in the typical fashion of this Labour Government, did nothing.
There are now more cars than ever on the motorways in Auckland with the weekends no better than a weekday. I read on Backchat that not only are the majority of buses in Auckland running nearly empty but the same applies in Christchurch and other parts of the country. Timaru has ditched buses for vans and most of them are empty. Michael Wood needs to get real about public transport usage.
Where it works, as in parts of Auckland on spine routes and busways, by all means look to improve it. Elsewhere, where 37 seats are empty on a 40 seater bus at any given time, think again. This is a very poor use of both ratepayers’ and taxpayers’ monies. On the proposed light rail instead of trams they could use electric buses for the same environmental gain. The problem with this government is that they’re consumed by ideology.
Michael Wood is telling everyone to catch a bus or a train or a ferry while Auckland Transport is busily telling everyone not to.
Auckland Transport is in chaos and, thanks to Cyclone Gabrielle, so is most of the North Island. This is where the Minister’s priorities should lie. The dream of a tram running through his electorate is wet, woke and completely off the rails. The idea should be parked permanently on a siding. Which reminds me, that third world CO2 belching arrangement called Te Huia deserves the same fate.
