Reinventing the Wheel - Sustainable Transport Solutions for Auckland City
As Auckland's population continues to grow, incredible strain is placed on the cities transport infrastructure. This blog will focus on sustainable solutions to these issues, whilst acknowledging international success of such feats.
The choices for a more sustainable city are quite sparse and politically they are much harder to promote as the allure of building more road capacity remains very high. Cities based on freeway's are often accompanied by a dependency on private cars. This is because freeways and greater vehicle speeds go hand-in-hand, and catalyse urban expansion out towards low density areas.
If on the other hand a city does not encourage freeway development and instead promotes streetscape design, roads are likely to contribute much more significantly to sustainable transport solutions. Instead of favouring vehicle flow, streets can favour a multiplicity of purposes for pedestrians, and cater for cyclists and public transport initiatives. Many of Australia’s main cities such as Adelaide are pleasantly surprised with how pedestrian strategy initiatives such as this have made their cities more attractive and business-friendly. (McCarthy, C. 2007).
Pedestrian zones make Adelaide is more attractive and business-friendly. (McCarthy, C. 2007).
Pedestrian malls make Adelaide is more attractive and business-friendly. (McCarthy, C. 2007).
Pedestrian zones make Adelaide is more attractive and business-friendly. (McCarthy, C. 2007).
For the past two and a half years, most of my evenings have ended with a walk down Queen Street and during this time, I have become much more aware of my surroundings and of what Auckland City is doing to accommodate pedestrians. Recently I have witnessed such development taking place deep within the heart of Auckland City where a shared space had been developed on Darby Street, and progress is still underway on Fort Street. While I am a firm believer that shared streets are host to significant benefits such as enhancing a cities liveability, some (probably motorists) argue that they are hazardous due to the close proximity of pedestrians and vehicles. I believe that a ‘safe space’ dedicated purely to pedestrians is a much more effective means of tackling Auckland’s congestion issues as roadspaces are replaced completely, thereby eliminating congestion in that particular area altogether.
The finished product of Fort Streets shared vehicle-pedestrian area. (Auckland Council. 2011).
Darby Streets completed shared pedestrian-vehicle area. (Auckland Transport Blog. 2011).
Construction of Fort Streets shared street. (Auckland Transport Blog. 2011).
With this changed approach to city planning the small scale systems of pedestrian movement and cycling is to become much more important. Pedestrian strategies in the heart of Auckland City have given it priority to the most fundamental of human interactions, the walking-based face-to-face contact, that gives human life to a city and in the process reduces ecological footprint. While Queen Street has undertaken a number of initiatives that involve this principle, I personally believe that it has the ability blossom and function effectively as an area that is shared more evenly by pedestrians and motorists, or is fully pedestrianised.
The density of a city determines how close to urban activities most people can be. (Newman, P. 2009). High density development in city centres is an effective means of reducing peoples reliance on private vehicles, as most destination are generally within walking distance, are accessible for cyclists and can be accessed my effective public transport.
Low density suburban cities on the other hand require development to be based around cars as they allow people to reach a destination in a reasonable amount of time. For public transportation, it is difficult to compete with this as there is simply not enough people to utilize these services effectively. Essentially, if we are to reduce our dependency on private vehicles, desired destinations must be easy to access by foot, cycle or public transport.
Low Density Suburban Development in KAEC. (Emaar The Economic City. 2009).
Density is an effective planning instrument and is best utilized by a system of transit orientated development. While this will effectively reduce people’s reliance on private cars, it will also help to reduce the city’s ecological footprint and debilitate car-based sprawl that eats away at its surrounding green areas. In the U.S. according to a 2007 study by Reid Ewing, shifting 60 percent of new growth to compact patterns would save 85 million metric tons of CO2 annually by 2030. (Gillman, J. 2007).
Transit Orientated Development in China (Leach, J. 2006).
However, high density can also result in much greater congestion if private vehicles maintain their reputation as a primary means of travel. The problem with this is that too much traffic can cause dysfunctional public transport systems to develop. If this is case, then why not simply make Auckland City’s CBD car free? If people are not willing to give up their cars, they may need a bit of a push to do so.
Cycling in New Zealand is popular, and has the potential to be a safe, healthy and enjoyable means of travel. It also reduces greenhouse gas emissions when it replaces other forms of transport. Cycling can even be a much way to commute, especially over shorter distances and in Auckland's city centre. Communities that encourage cycling are vibrant, prosperous and a pleasure to live in. Cycle-friendly initiatives show that combining walking with cycling improves quality of life in local businesses and communities. Why you might ask? Because high levels of foot traffic support business and social networks.
Then why is it that less than 1% of New Zealand's annual spend on road transport goes to cycling? While cycling has some support in transport policy, cycling and walking initiatives are inhibited by a decent amount resistance. In addition, many motorists are against cycling initiatives. Why? Because New Zealanders rely heavily on their private motor vehicles and often regard cyclists are a nuisance. Econation. (2011) http://www.econation.co.nz/cycling.html, Cycling, (Accessed: 29/05/2011).
If any of you caught the 60 minutes segment on cyclist a year or so ago, you would have been introduced to Susan who is a lifelong Kiwi and cyclist. Susan has lived most of her life in Auckland and has been riding her bike for almost as long as she can remember. She grew up in a family of eleven; even before she knew how to ride on two wheels, she recalls riding her tricycle with her siblings along the coast in Mission Bay.
Today she works as a housekeeper and rides her bike to her various jobs around Auckland. She says the bike is a little heavy, but she loves it. “I like the exercise. It makes the legs strong, and helps me breathe better.” What does she not like? “The 18-wheelers. Those aren’t so nice.” She feels safer in the new bike lanes in Mission Bay, but states that the shared "bus/cycle lanes in Auckland's CBD are constantly occupied by motorists who think they own the place."
And it turns out that for Susan, biking is more than just a cheap way to get to work. “Even when I’m not working, sometimes I ride for hours, just for exercise.” These rides often take her into the Michael Joseph Memorial Park, and even down to Saint Heliers. While Susans dedication to cycling means that there is one less car on the road, it also means that she knows all the surrounding neighborhoods really well. “You always see interesting things around you on a bike." More of us need to be like Susan in order to counter Auckland growing congestion issues.
Want a better understanding of Bus Rapid Transit? Watch this video and see for yourself how Bus Rapit Transit works in Bogotá, Colombia. This is an example of "an efficient, modern and relatively speaking, inexpensive way of moving 1.3 million people per day. (Eckerson, C. 2008).
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) existed in just a few cities a few decades ago but has quickly turned into a viable solution for addressing Auckland's growing congestions issues. With approximately 35% of kiwi's now living in Auckland and its population expected to reach 2 million by 2031, perhaps Auckland should be looking at how to include BRT, a relatively cheap, sustainable, and flexible transportation option in comparison with more highway overpasses.
Dr. Hidalgo is the manager of EMBARQ and its Network’s international team of transport engineers and environmental scientists. He acknowledges the fact that there are now 200 bus corridors running over 4,000 kilometres worldwide, and consist of 7,000 stations providing more than 30,000 bus stops. Each day about 1% of the worlds urban population is now using Bus Rapid Transit and both China and India are experiencing significant increases in demand for these services. (World Resources Institute, 2011). The video below illustrates the success of BRT in China.
North Shore City’s Northern Busway at
peak hour. (Searle, M. 2010).
In addition, more cities are catching on as 15 more bus corridors were established throughout the world in 2010. The North Shores Northern Busway was opened in 2008 and has become the spine of an enterprising bus-based public transport system. As of 2010, 80 buses were running per hour at peak times and facilitated reductions in travel times of up to an hour. There is no wonder that the Northern Busway has removed the equivalent of 5,100 cars from the road. (North Shore Council, 2011).
Perhaps the benefits of BRT should not simply be confined to Auckland’s North Shore. A Southern Busway connecting Auckland City to Mount Wellington, and even Manukau could significantly reduce congestion on Auckland’s Southern Motorway, and also result in fewer vehicles occupying the CDB. A busway could even be established linking Auckland City with West Auckland.
A transport crisis of major proportions remains the Auckland City's horizon and road travel speeds during peak hours are continuing to fall below that of horse-drawn carriages.Perhaps Auckland could learn from Wellington's innovative attitude of plans to ban the use private vehicles within the cities CBD and promoting walking and cycling as complementary modes of transportation to get around.
Within the next 10-20 years, Wellington aims to inhibit CBD access for private vehicles and develop a public transport route that features electric buses, or even light rail systems. This aims to not only establish a more pedestrian friendly city that encompasses pedestrian friendly entertainment and shopping corridors, but is also likely to encourage the use of alternative means of accessing the CBD, thus discouraging private vehicle use.
While, it is true that not everyone can use bicycles, the problem is that growing levels of auto mobility in Auckland City have provided more for private vehicle than walking and cycling. Auckland’s CBD must be designed in a manner that de-markets travel via private vehicle, while actively promoting alternative transportation modes. Comfort and specialised environments are factors that can encourage more walking and bicycles use within Auckland’s CBD, and the exclusion of private motor vehicles in an effective means of achieving this. When Auckland’s growing population is taken into consideration, it is clear that more roads and catering for more vehicles is simply not a logical option.
This idea is also prominent in several parts of Hong Kong such as Discovery Bay, where streets are laced with pedestrian bridges, a vast array of public transport and cobblestone roads. However, this policy of vehicle exclusion does not include buses, taxis, and delivery vehicles, as well as bicycles and motorcycles. Internal travel encompasses the use of the 24 hour shuttle bus services and even private golf carts, which are restricted to 500 vehicles within the city. Commuters travel to destinations outside the city via ferry or external bus services which connect transit systems in areas throughout Hong Kong.
China is investing heavily in its urban infrastructure, especially mass transit. Its latest and most unique transit solution is the ‘three-dimensional fast bus’ that operates like a mobile tunnel, travelling over the top on motorcycles and cars. While commuter’s board from stations that are elevated one story above the ground, when the bus stops to pick up as many as 1200 passengers at a time, it’s does not have an effect on traffic flow.
China's proposed 3-dimensional bus system (Smart Travel Guide. 2011)
While projects such as these often appear to be just out of the reach of man-kinds technological capabilities, construction of a 115-mile line in Beijing’s Mentougou District is set to begin by the end of 2011. The straddling buses are suggested to be three times faster and more affordable to construct than subways and rail transport. Operation costs are also considerably lower as the wheel-rail-hybrid is to be powered by municipal energy and solar energy. Motion sensors will also alert motorists if they swerve too close to the bus or if their vehicle is too large to travel through the tunnel. Beijing is predicted to experience a 25% reduction in traffic jams as a result on the three dimensional fast bus.
Perhaps the future of Auckland’s public transport will see the establishment of pod-car networks. While many aspect of this concept may seem straight from science fiction, the reality is far from it as construction is already well underway in a number of countries.
Pod-car system in Stockholm
This pod-car network in Stockholm provides immediate service and means that passengers are rarely required to wait for a vehicle. An empty pod-car can arrive at the station within a few seconds. Journeys are also non-stop to the passengers desired destination, thereby eliminating the needs to plan trips in advance or transfer between vehicles.
“The Eco Factor is a zero-emission public transport concept that is based on magnetic levitation.” (Instamedia Pvt. Ltd. 2010). Industrial designer Chris Hanley has come up with a public transportation system that offers a zero-emission ride, remarkably similar to that of a roller coaster. Chaotic traffic jams, crowded parking spaces and pollution will become a thing of the past as these pods will run along tracks that are suspended above lanes and streets of major cities.
With an ability to rotate 360 degrees, the system can maneuver sharp corners to move down narrow roads within cities. The wings of the system move along the magnetic track, while the two cabins are kept completely still making it safe for people to travel without any seat belts.
The Proposed Eco-Factor pod-car system.
Unimodal Systems is a private organisation based in California that also specializes in transport solutions that leave congestion, pollution and road rage at the door. The Sky Tran personal rapid transport system will use three-seater pods that run on elevated magnetically levitated rails and contain robot control software that is also being used by NASA.
Each pod-car will be able to travel at speeds of 150mph and navigate automatically in order to reach the passengers desired destination
This is very much a possible solution for Auckland’s public transportation issues. Unlike conventional services that often run at a loss, pod-cars are mass produced, thereby bringing the cost down while being profitable to operate. This concept has the ability to eliminate the need for private vehicles, local buses and even taxis in Auckland's CBD, thereby transforming it into a pedestrian haven. Weaving through CBD traffic will also no longer be an issue as Auckland pod-cars would operate on their very own tracks, thereby providing reliable, predictable, congestion free transit experiences. This initiative also supports a car free Auckland City.
