Bob Parker to be re-elected mayor of Christchurch

[www.stuff.co.nz]

Some reading covering the main local body elections and stocks on iPredict.

MAYOR.CHCH.OTHER has been launched, pays $1 less MAYOR.PARKER and MAYOR.ANDERTON payouts, and a bundle has been launched also.

Thanks admin

Sweet.

Great - Thanks Admin

The market is certainly indicating Bob Parker is despised versus the triple dipper of public funds. Be great to get a quality third candidate to spice this up.

@TraderV: It's hard to read Parker vs Anderton on the merits of a rail system for Christchurch and not come out pretty pro Anderton.

@ECrampton

I'm ambivalent towards the light rail proposal, however would be interested to see if there is any private interest in building some routes.
The debate as I read it exists in a fairly abstract form at the moment.

Interesting that Anderton is the perceived crusader against expenditures. I forget how much the Ministry of Economic Development shovels into the furnace each year?

@TraderV: Light rail and subways make sense when you've a lot of people making single trips on a dedicated route. New York's subway, Washington DC's metro - those are well worthwhile. A million people live in Fairfax County and lots of those commute into DC daily - light rail there makes sense.

Christchurch doesn't have similarly large population hubs that could be connected to downtown through a rail network. There's no way that traffic on them would cover the system's costs.

Light rail in Christchurch makes me think of the Simpsons monorail episode, with Bob as Lyle Lanley.

Cool and fun, but expensive and pointless.

What we need is a better bus service and ways to get people using those buses. I'm no fan of Anderton, but he's at least realistic with his ideas.

Heh, you too? See here

@ECrampton

True, people want individualised point-point service, which is only really achieved by car/motorcycle/bike/walking.

NYC subway, DC metro, San-Fran BART are heavier forms of 'light rail', definitely too much for Chch. However once the density of population reaches a certain threshold maybe 2000sq/km or so a tram network would probably be feasible.

The question is do you start work planning these things out now (if only on paper) - where land will need to be acquired over time etc, or do you do the Auckland approach and wake up in 50 years and say there is now a problem?
I put JA in the latter category.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/04/2010 02:11PM by TraderV.

ECrampton Wrote:
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> Heh, you too? See here


Hah, hadn't even read that. Great minds etc...

TraderV Wrote:
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> The question is do you start work planning these
> things out now (if only on paper) - where land

Sure there is no harm in forward thinking, if population growth in 50 years means light rail will be suitable in 50 years, then starting to draw up loose plans, think about land acquisitions, etc is a good idea.

But the impression I have is that Bob Parker wants light rail and he wants it NOW.

I don't think I'd necessarily agree with that population growth assessment anyway.

That's right- immigration and birth rates aren't exactly red hot.

These weird, senseless things when people in power sense they're on the way out reek of trying to find some way of being remembered.

You know, like KiwiRail.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/05/2010 12:34AM by Fender.

I just can't see light rail making sense for Christchurch. I can see expanding Riccarton Road, Ferry Road, Main South (for the parts not already done) and Papanui Road to four lane and making the second lane each way dedicated bus-only. Or, even just expanding them to three lanes with a dedicated bus lane that changes direction by time of day if space is too tight.

As best I understand things, light rail systems in smallish, low population density towns almost always wind up being complete money sinks that cannot operate without very large subsidy.

First best response to increasing demand on the system is a move to congestion charging rather than light rail.

@ECrampton,

All good points. Although methinks after the battle to widen Fendalton road, the council might take 10 years to build up the courage to look at widening Papanui/Riccarton roads.

Incidentally I wonder what cost of the old tram network was on the ratepayer?

Seems to be a bit of volume on old Jimbo/Parker today?

Well now, thought I'd start this, which of the 2 major leaders will lead the way in a civil state of emergency?

Can you afford to initiate change in this environment?

Parkers on the move, up to 0.30 . While Parker may have seemed the less likely choice before the earthquake, Christchurch will be now looking to him to fix all, if he delivers, he'll be fresh in the mind of every voter

Could even be a situation where someone else comes to the fore?

I doubt Anderton stands to gain anything.

Alan.

Anderton as a Christchurch MP could probably neutralise any potential gains Parker makes out of this.

Christchurch would be silly to ditch Parker now. Parker will share the limelight along side John Key. Anything Anderton does will be seen as opportunistic. All ipredict winners on ChCh Mayoral stock should donate it to the good folk of Christchurch.

I made a dollar. Where should I send it?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/04/2010 03:34AM by Ploppapus.

Sell Wrote:
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> All ipredict winners on ChCh
> Mayoral stock should donate it to the good folk of
> Christchurch.

Why?

Why? Because the internet is so crappy here with the earthquake that we can't trade on it, that's why!

Lousy earthquake.

I get internet in 5 second bursts every 30 seconds. It sucks.

Go Bob go!

If Bob was any %^&*ing good he'd put a stop to these bloody aftershocks!!