The existing light rail track and central station at Memorial Park
We already have an existing light rail transport system in Memorial Park. It just needs to be extended to cover the rest of the city. It is all run by volunteers from the Tauranga Model Marine & Engineering Club. We will need more train drivers, so perhaps we can employ pensioners. The pensioners are going to have to go back to work to pay their rates, so we can kill two pensioners (birds) with one bad Long Term Plan (stone)[1].
Wellington City Council spent $180million on the Lets Get Wellington Moving (LGWM) project. The LGWM project was supposed to have been a major overhaul of Wellington’s transport system, including a light rail network. Instead most of the money was frittered away on endless planning, consultation, and busywork[2], without achieving anything substantial. The only tangible results for the $180million spend was a bus lane and cycle way, a roundabout, a pedestrian crossing, and lower road speed signs ($180million Spend On Lets Get Wellington Moving LGWM). Exceptional value for money for Wellington ratepayers.
I am keen to work with the Tauranga Model Marine & Engineering Club to explore the light rail option. I am sure that we could get even better results than Wellington City Council. Tauranga City Council could easily waste $180 million on busywork[2]. I want Tauranga to be the most innovative city in New Zealand for wasting ratepayers money [NOT].
This is just one more example of councils all around New Zealand, including Tauranga City Council and Wellington City Council, losing their core competence. All around New Zealand, there are too many busywork[2] managers working for councils. Many councils no longer have the competence to get things done.
[1] I am a pensioner myself so I understand how difficult it is on a fixed income with spiraling costs. It is not a joke. And yes, pensioners are having to go back to work to make ends meet, including several of my pensioner friends.
[2] I love that word busywork (credit Tom Hunt from The Post). It captures council managers to a Tee.
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