Tag: public transport

The Main North Road bus priority project in Papanui: an overview

Analysis: In late 2017 the Christchurch City Council consulted the public on a proposal for roading changes in the Papanui area, with the objective of improving public transport reliability and travel times along Main North Road. This article gives an overview of the changes being made, the anticipated benefits, and the status of the project at the time of writing.

MNR bus lanes web'

I curate the Think Papanui community engagement initiative, and have reported on the progress of the bus priority project for several years now, observing a high level of public interest through that time. Continue reading “The Main North Road bus priority project in Papanui: an overview”

Recap: Council’s DEMP decision – why not investigate delaying the CNC?

Item 15 on the agenda for the Council’s 13 June meeting was the Christchurch Northern Corridor Downstream Effects Management Plan (DEMP). As the name suggests, this is the plan to manage the traffic impacts downstream of the Christchurch Northern Corridor (CNC) – the motorway (currently under construction) that will run between Cranford Street and the Waimakariri River.

DEMP protest at Council
A view of the community protest ahead of the 13 June Council meeting

I attended the community protest ahead of the Council meeting, caught part of the discussion on the DEMP via the livestream, and the rest through the Council’s incredibly handy video archive. At the time I was left wondering: what happened to the recommendation that the Council investigates delaying the opening of the CNC south of QEII Drive? Continue reading “Recap: Council’s DEMP decision – why not investigate delaying the CNC?”

Boards reject Northern Corridor traffic management plan? Not really?

Recap: “Boards reject northern corridor traffic management plan” ran the headline on the Council’s article summarising the outcome of Friday’s joint Community Board meeting. What happened at the meeting, and what happens next? What does it mean for those intending to use the Christchurch Northern Corridor, and for those living downstream of it?

Council protest
Part of the ‘interactive installation’ protesting congestion and traffic increases downstream of the Christchurch Northern Corridor – see previous article for details.

I was in the public gallery of the Council chambers when the Community Boards met on Friday. I also captured some images of the ‘Turn On The Heat’ community protest held ahead of the meeting. Continue reading “Boards reject Northern Corridor traffic management plan? Not really?”

Adding up the benefits of the Christchurch Northern Corridor

Analysis: It’s fair to say that the Christchurch Northern Corridor (CNC) is a contentious project. There are significant costs involved (both financial – more on that in a future article – and in terms of community impact, especially on those living downstream). Given these costs, surely there must be significant benefits on the other side of the ledger?

CNC benefit icons
CNC benefits from the project website

In a previous career in the technology sector, I’ve been involved in big-ticket product development decisions. These might have been an order of magnitude smaller than a Road of National Significance, but they still required a comprehensive business case. Continue reading “Adding up the benefits of the Christchurch Northern Corridor”

Commentary: Kmart moving to Papanui

Kmart no plans in Papanui redactedI’ve seen a massive public response to recent news that Kmart Shirley will be relocating to the new Northlink shopping precinct on Langdons Road in Papanui. Rumours of Kmart opening a store in the Papanui area have been circulating for a while. I’ve asked Kmart’s corporate office about this several times, and as recently as two months ago, the response was “We do not have plans in Papanui at this stage.” I’ve passed on these responses to Think Papanui readers in good faith. Decisions to close and open major retail stores aren’t made overnight, so I’m left wondering if the person I was communicating with was not aware of the plans being made at higher levels in the organisation, or was simply being economical with the truth? Continue reading “Commentary: Kmart moving to Papanui”