We Say/You Say: Queen Street
Kia ora Auckland,
Should Queen Street be car-free?
Major roading upgrades are set to get underway on Queen Street which the council says will improve pedestrian spaces.
The work is set to begin on Monday between Shortland and Customs streets, limiting traffic to a single lane each way and with bus priority in the evening peak.
Some have expressed their concerns for the project including a group of businesses and landlords calling itself Save Queen. The group applied for an interim injunction to halt the council's planned Queen St upgrade and a High Court Judge will decide whether to approve the injunction later today.
Should the upgrade go even further and ban passenger vehicles altogether? Let us know in the comments and don't forget to type NFP if you don't want your comment used in your local community paper.
Poll: How should Guy Fawkes be celebrated?
While it is a fun occasion, fireworks on Guy Fawkes Night has caused much conflict over the years, upsetting our pets and disrupting the sleep of neighbours.
How should we celebrate Guy Fawkes Night? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts below.
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28.6% With a city-wide public fireworks display
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19.7% Small fireworks displays in each community
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7.8% Keep it as is
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33% We shouldn't celebrate it!
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10.5% Anything but fireworks
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0.4% Other - I'll share below
What's your favourite recipe for gooseberry?
Love gooseberries? Share your favourite way to enjoy them. We're looking for our readers' favourite family recipes for this delicious crop. Send yours to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the magazine, you will receive a free copy of our December 2024 issue.
Whangaparaoa Future of the ferry Please have your say Option 3
Update from John Watson - Auckland Councillor
This month AT are surveying every single household on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula as part of their Whangaparaoa Public Transport Study.
This time around AT have put up 3 scenarios for the Coast’s public transport future they want people to choose from (along with a host of other questions). Scenario 1 has the existing buses and ferry but running more often, Scenario 2 has the NX2 bus via Penlink to city and a new 99 bus service (but importantly no ferry service) while Scenario 3 has the Gulf Harbour ferry service and the new 99 bus service.
On the face of it option 3 looks like the scenario that would benefit most parts of the Coast – the ferry service is retained, a new frequent bus service (99) runs along the peninsula while the NX2 is retained at the HBC Station (ensuring other Coast commuters don’t have to transfer further down the busway just to catch it).
Some of the assertions relating to travel times and the so-called 'viability' of a future Whangaparaoa bus terminal need to be challenged through this process as they don't bear scrutiny. For most people a combination of bus, ferry and utilisation of the $835m Penlink connection will resonate with all modes working together as part of an integrated network.
People using the ferry from the eastern half of Whangaparaoa reduce pressure on both the internal roading system and the connection point where Penlink will merge with the northern motorway. People off the road in one part of the network inevitably aids the overall network...especially when there are no plans to widen the northern motorway or add designated bus lanes over the next 30 years (meaning travel times as a consequence of ongoing development north of Silverdale will inevitably increase).
For those wanting to support the ferry service there are 4 specific questions you can respond to including the introduction of weekend sailings (but be aware that scenario 2 has no ferry service). Finally it should be noted there's an opportunity here for AT to create a more resilient network (with modest investment) but that will only occur if all the travel options Whangaparaoa Peninsula is fortunate enough to possess, are utilised
haveyoursay.at.govt.nz...