[MarkJerling]

The Tararuas are sitting around doing nothin! Great raw material for a tidal dam / roadway. Need some big dozers tho!

But those Southerners will be ropable. I think the cost of a ferry ride is an evil plot to keep most of us Northerners out!

[Kiwizinho]

That's why a floating bridge is really the only realistic option.

Given that every new generation of ferries gets significantly longer, at the current rate, given a thousand years or so, we should have a floating bridge.

[pixelsaurus]

Given that every new generation of ferries gets significantly longer, at the current rate, given a thousand years or so, we should have a floating bridge.

Which end would get the Shane Jones Pie Emporium and Tearooms?

[Kiwizinho]

Which end would get the Shane Jones Pie Emporium and Tearooms?

Oh, I thought you meant the Shane Jones cinema? I understand he's been quite a patron of indie films.

[zkarj]

I'd settle for moving the southern terminal of the current ferry service to Clifford Bay as has been mooted for many years already. It would shorten the trip a little and if they bought decent modern boats I'm sure they could shorten it further with a bit of extra speed. Never mind the winter crossings, I only want to use it in the summer!

I've seen the 'Freighter trundling round Omaka. Never mind cost, there are none flying in the world. Slightly more modern but I don't think there are any of these either (that's me on the right). Someone should look at converting a 737-400 freighter to carry cars. Woodbourne's runway is about the same as Welly's so it should be doable.

I do wish someone — gummint I suppose — would do a proper cost study to find the most efficient and resilient answer to getting people, freight, and vehicles across the strait. Surely it should be considered a national "road" of significance?

[NZ_Ross]

I do wish someone — gummint I suppose — would do a proper cost study to find the most efficient and resilient answer to getting people, freight, and vehicles across the strait. Surely it should be considered a national "road" of significance?

Now you are talking my line of work. There have been plenty of studies done.

The core of the issue is government policy (generally not a particular political party) regarding the Strait and the transportation costs associated with it.

Balance that against the growth and transportation needs around Auckland, the congestion issues around Wellington, the need for extending public transport networks, the Manawatu Gorge Replacement, Kaikoura earthquake fix ups etc. and you start to get a handle on the size of the issues.

[zkarj]

Balance that against the growth and transportation needs around Auckland, the congestion issues around Wellington, the need for extending public transport networks, the Manawatu Gorge Replacement, Kaikoura earthquake fix ups etc. and you start to get a handle on the size of the issues.

The congestion issues around Wellington would in fact be solved by moving investment in roading over to the existing public transport networks. Wellington, on the other end of the scale from Auckland, is superbly laid out to take advantage of public transport, but decades of pandering to road users and decades of under investment (largely in private hands) in the rail network have left us with a right old mess.

Approximately 90km of Wellington's "congested" arterial roads (essentially SH1 to Waikanae and SH2 to Upper Hutt) are paralleled by an existing commuter rail network that has for so many years been unreliable only due to underinvestment. The government recently announced some number of millions to "upgrade" it, but that's any empty gesture considering the same has happened every few years for as long as I can remember and while it generally runs well enough, there is no hope of increasing capacity without a dive in reliability unless investment is significantly increased. I think WRC should spend up large on the rail, and connecting bus networks, and charge it to every motorist who enters the city on a weekday in a single occupancy private vehicle.

Note that I do support Transmission Gully, but not because it solves any commuting problem (there is no problem to solve there), rather because it solves a resiliency problem.

[NZ_Ross]

The congestion issues around Wellington would in fact be solved by moving investment in roading over to the existing public transport networks. Wellington, on the other end of the scale from Auckland, is superbly laid out to take advantage of public transport, but decades of pandering to road users and decades of under investment (largely in private hands) in the rail network have left us with a right old mess.

Approximately 90km of Wellington's "congested" arterial roads (essentially SH1 to Waikanae and SH2 to Upper Hutt) are paralleled by an existing commuter rail network that has for so many years been unreliable only due to underinvestment. The government recently announced some number of millions to "upgrade" it, but that's any empty gesture considering the same has happened every few years for as long as I can remember and while it generally runs well enough, there is no hope of increasing capacity without a dive in reliability unless investment is significantly increased. I think WRC should spend up large on the rail, and connecting bus networks, and charge it to every motorist who enters the city on a weekday in a single occupancy private vehicle.

Yup, that is a fair statement of the problems

[Arpe]

I'd settle for moving the southern terminal of the current ferry service to Clifford Bay

THAT! Would be sooo much better.

[Kiwizinho]

I'd settle for moving the southern terminal of the current ferry service to Clifford Bay as has been mooted for many years already. It would shorten the trip a little and if they bought decent modern boats I'm sure they could shorten it further with a bit of extra speed. Never mind the winter crossings, I only want to use it in the summer!

I think there's one very significant reason why Clifford Bay didn't go ahead. Right in the middle of Lake Grassmere was the epicentre of a 6.6 magnitude earthquake that followed a 6.5 in the same area a month before. Buildings were damaged in Wellington, so I suspect any port at Clifford Bay would likely have been uninsurable. No mention of the quakes were made when it was announced that Clifford Bay plans had been shelved, but I'm not sure whether it was mere coincidence that the announcement was made not long after the quakes.

I've seen the 'Freighter trundling round Omaka. Never mind cost, there are none flying in the world. Slightly more modern but I don't think there are any of these either (that's me on the right).

A Carvair? I remember when there were a few of them in NZ.
I hear the Air Force is going to be disposing of some flying machines capable of transporting vehicles in the near future, only trouble is they're not very reliable any more.

---------- Post added 07-24-20 at 02:58 PM ----------

The congestion issues around Wellington would in fact be solved by moving investment in roading over to the existing public transport networks. Wellington, on the other end of the scale from Auckland, is superbly laid out to take advantage of public transport, but decades of pandering to road users and decades of under investment (largely in private hands) in the rail network have left us with a right old mess.

Approximately 90km of Wellington's "congested" arterial roads (essentially SH1 to Waikanae and SH2 to Upper Hutt) are paralleled by an existing commuter rail network that has for so many years been unreliable only due to underinvestment.

The Wellington rail network is actually a major attraction of Wellington for me, apart from making the cost of getting across Cook Strait more bearable as it's actually possible to get around reasonably well without needing a car.

I remember when they used to have a weekend pass that allowed you to ride the train anywhere on the electric network, and I took advantage of it to go up to Paraparaumu (quite a scenic trip), and then back into town and up the Hutt Valley to stay with relatives.

I like riding on trains, but don't particularly like buses, as in my opinion, the ride tends to be rougher.

I was fortunate enough to do the Taieri Gorge railway 4 years ago, as it's gone now.

I remember when I was a kid taking the inland Kaikōura road south, and the railway line still went through to Waiau, although there were no longer any trains.

[zkarj]

The Wellington rail network is actually a major attraction of Wellington for me, apart from making the cost of getting across Cook Strait more bearable as it's actually possible to get around reasonably well without needing a car.

We should never have got rid of the trams, nor the heavy rail that used to go as far as Oriental Bay!

Interesting point about earthquakes, but then... wouldn't you scrap the Wellington end as well and just sail direct to Auckland?

---------- Post added 07-24-2020 at 06:58 PM ----------

While out at the airport briefly today I was preparing a shot of an arriving aircraft when I noticed a significant "dot" in the frame. That "dot" then proceeded across the frame in a meandering path! Any suggestions on how to find/exclude the bug? It was quite a dense dot but out of focus for me looking through the viewfinder. I can't fathom how it got in there because I always cap my lenses quickly when changing them and always try to do it out of any wind or potential dust source. I can't seen any sign of it on the photos, though I've only looked on the camera back so far. So I guess it is on the mirror or viewfinder glass?

[NZ_Ross]

Interesting point about earthquakes, but then... wouldn't you scrap the Wellington end as well and just sail direct to Auckland?

If Wellington does actually cop a Force 9, then that is very likely - it will be fully munted at that point.

[bobD]

@GUB...
DigiKam's Improved Face Detection for Photos Even Works on Animals - OMG! Ubuntu!

your pooches are awaiting :-)

---------- Post added 26th Jul 2020 at 07:12 PM ----------

We should never have got rid of the trams, nor the heavy rail that used to go as far as Oriental Bay!

Interesting point about earthquakes, but then... wouldn't you scrap the Wellington end as well and just sail direct to Auckland?

---------- Post added 07-24-2020 at 06:58 PM ----------

While out at the airport briefly today I was preparing a shot of an arriving aircraft when I noticed a significant "dot" in the frame. That "dot" then proceeded across the frame in a meandering path! Any suggestions on how to find/exclude the bug? It was quite a dense dot but out of focus for me looking through the viewfinder. I can't fathom how it got in there because I always cap my lenses quickly when changing them and always try to do it out of any wind or potential dust source. I can't seen any sign of it on the photos, though I've only looked on the camera back so far. So I guess it is on the mirror or viewfinder glass?

Meandering says booklice..They're everywhere..
Tiny Booklice: How to Identify and Get Rid of Them | Dengarden

[Kiwizinho]

Meandering says booklice..They're everywhere..
Tiny Booklice: How to Identify and Get Rid of Them | Dengarden

Learn something new every day. Presumably that is what the small louse like creatures are that wander across my computer monitor from time to time, although I must say they're very 21st Century, as if they've decided to wander around on my screen does that make them e-book lice?

[bobD]

Learn something new every day. Presumably that is what the small louse like creatures are that wander across my computer monitor from time to time, although I must say they're very 21st Century, as if they've decided to wander around on my screen does that make them e-book lice?

That's them ! Do it on my monitors too

Possibly an 'old world import'....ee bah gum booklice