This page contains blog posts and articles, in chronological order, relating to urban design + transport
Category Archives: Transport+Urban Design
Cycling Public Transport Transport Transport+Urban Design Urban Design
Submission re Dublin Transport Study
2015, August 7 – 18:28
In the context of major construction works in the central city to accommodate a new tram line, Luas Cross City, the 2015 Dublin Transport Study made several progressive proposals. I’ve made the following personal submission. read more
Jottings on cycling in the rain
2015, July 17 – 11:15
Written for Bicycle Nelson Bays.
Don’t put your bike away when the clouds are grey! For the cost of a couple of tanks of petrol, you can keep cycling comfortably through the seasons. Here are some thoughts on utility biking in the rain- read more
Submission for Cycling Advocates’ Network on climate change
2015, June 3 – 16:15
Submission to Ministry for the Environment regarding climate change target
CAN is deeply concerned about climate change.
CAN strongly supports evidence-based decision-making, and the evidence available strongly supports robust action.
CAN is concerned that the current Ministry for the Environment discussion document calculates the cost of action on climate change, but fails to set out the far higher costs of taking little or no action, which is the current national policy.
read more
Motorists Getting Angrier? I don’t think so…
2015, June 3 – 12:34
Opinion piece for Motoring section of Stuff.co.nz, NZ national media organisation- read more
Nelson’s Retro Ride
2015, May 20 – 13:01
The Get Moving Retro Fun Ride has been a pretty awesome day…
Excellent costumes and amazing bikes show the creativity and passion for cycling that abound in Nelson.
We had just under 150 registered entrants, and a few unofficial ones… a good result for the postponement/rain date, which clashed with Mother’s Day and a 5km fun run.
The best thing to see was the wide spread of ages – barely one to nearly ninety. And that went for the bikes too! It’s clear that Nelsonians of all ages can head out on a bike for trips as long as 10km and come back smiling. The demonstration -that for several decades bikes were used as daily transport- is a good one for our community. read more
Cycling at night
2015, January 17 – 12:47
Going for cocktails in Dublin with Sophie and Rachel, August 2014. Transportation as integrated health and social enjoyment…
How Bikes are Taking Over Dublin City
2015, January 11 – 13:02
Excellent infographic from Tracey Solicitors showing the dramatic increase in use of DublinBikes hire bikes, and increases in cycling mode choice in Dublin County generally.
Low-Vis Vest Campaign
2014, December 20 – 18:32
Someone has come up with these grey-on-matte-black vests with ironic slogans, apparently as a riposte to well-meaning but flawed ‘vulnerable road users should wear hi-visibility clothing’ campaigns.
We don’t think they’re commercially available.
Progress on Sprawl
2014, November 11 – 13:26
Christchurch City Council has reportedly considered a restructure of its system of charging house-builders levies when granting consent to build. Levies for building in rural areas may increase, while higher-density developments nearer the city centre would be charged less.
Development contributions are gathered to help fund Council expenditure like drainage, water supply, roads and parks.
In the interests of reducing car-dependence and increasing active travel, as well as perhaps encouraging more socially inclusive living spaces, the adoption of this sort of measure by Councils looks like good thinking.
Text of Radio NZ article, downloaded 2014 November 11th, follows-
The change is proposed in a report going to the council this week under which developers will pay more for the costs the council incurs in providing roads and sewerage to service new subdivisions.
Up until now, development contributions have mostly been at a flat rate, regardless of the amount of new infrastructure a subdivision may require.
A change to the Local Government Act earlier this year asked that councils apply more of a user pays-type model, charging developers in so-called greenfields areas where infrastructure is non-existent, more than those in brown fields areas, where roads and sewerage are already in place.
Property Council spokesman Connal Townsend, representing property developers, said while the new formula would increase prices for green fields housing, the cost of brown fields homes should come down.
Mr Townsend said the proposal was fairer and more transparent.
In Christchurch, the maximum amount a developer could be charged in a green fields area would increase 30 percent, from $45,000 to just under $60,000.
Mr Townsend said while the change would help meet the council's aim of moving development away from green fields areas to brown fields locations, it should not be used as a tool to help meet the council's planning objectives.
"I have a real anxiety about trying to use changes to development contributions policies to try to encourage particular types of development that might appeal to local planners," he said.
"I think that's an extremely dangerous approach. The best way to view it is that the actual true cost of the infrastructure needed for the development be part of the development contribution. And that should be the beginning and the end of it."
Gary Garner, a senior lecturer in property studies at Lincoln University, said it remained to be seen if a proposal to further discount development contributions for those building apartments would encourage more intensive housing.
"In the bigger picture of things, if you're talking about what will make a difference for individual property development projects, to me it's the macro-economic policy, rather than these micro issues that are going to make the biggest single difference."
But Mr Garner said any movement towards bringing down the cost of housing had to be welcomed.
The proposed changes to development contributions need to be signed off by the council by the end of the month and will be consulted on as part of the Long term Plan early next year.
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