christchurch
Stats NZ released a big bunch of the detailed results form the 2023 census a few weeks ago. They've released it all via a new tool, the Aotearoa Data Explorer. Sounds great but for me it was impossible to use. They've built it so that instead of spitting out excel files as they've done for … Continue reading 2023 Census Results 1/3
This is a guest post from Tim Frank If you’ve used the ferry between Lyttelton and Diamond Harbour recently, you will have noticed that there’s now a brand new ferry operating across the harbour. The Black Pearl was built locally by Icon Custom Boats in Rangiora and entered service in September 2024. It seems there … Continue reading Black Pearl – the new Diamond Harbour Ferry
Local government can sometimes become a bit of a punching bag for dissatisfied residents, but when they get it right - man it's a beautiful thing. For seven years I've been biking through this path with my kids to and from school. And for seven years these barriers have frustrated us. I don't know why … Continue reading Credit where credit’s due
A few months ago Wellington Regional Council commissioned economics consultancy Sense Partners to produce a study which I found really interesting. The methodology is complicated but the conclusion is simple. Firstly they mapped how much rates each household pays, for different areas in Wellington. Like most of New Zealand, rates in Wellington are charged in … Continue reading Suburban Sprawl is Expensive
I haven't blogged anything for a while, so this is just a quick update on a few things going on in the transport world in Christchurch right now. A lot of these are quite dry and only the transport tragics will know much about them. So for everyone else here’s a quick summary – I’ve … Continue reading What’s happening in the transport world right now?
This is a quick dump of transport-related photos I've taken recently around Ōtautahi Christchurch. I'm very excited to see construction start on the Halswell Road bus lanes. And it's not just because of the bus lanes. Several new signalised crossings will mean school kids and Mum's with bubs on their backs won't have to frantically … Continue reading Photo Dump
People seem to get very idealistic very quickly when it comes to transport. Pension fund manager Sam Stubbs wrote an unintentionally ironic post on linked in the other day accusing a rail advocate of being too ideological, before immediately setting off on an intensely ideological rant about how much he hates trains. ... It got … Continue reading Mass Rapid Transit: Harry Potter fantasy or basic common sense?
This is a guest post from Tim Frank Up to 2019 most of the bus services in Christchurch were operated by the Red Bus Company, with Go Bus operating many other routes. Go Bus itself had purchased two other Christchurch bus companies: in 2010 the relatively recently established company Christchurch Bus Services; and in 2013 … Continue reading The age of Christchurch buses
If I told you I could save the ratepayers of Christchurch 200 hundred million dollars for no cost and no impact on 80% of residents, and only a fairly minor impact on the other 20%, what would you say? Too good to be true? Well that's what's been quietly happening in Christchurch over the last … Continue reading How to save ratepayers 200 million dollars
A few weeks ago I looked at the latest cycling numbers. In short, they are booming. This post is a quick update regarding public transport numbers. In short, they are also booming. The graph below shows the public transport patronage in Greater Christchurch each month over the last decade. Last month had the highest patronage … Continue reading Bus Patronage Update
