A nation so rich of nature needs to protect itself against human pollution. Wellington is the capital of New Zealand and it is one of the very few cities on New Zealand that actually got a proper public transport system. In fact it is the only country in Oceania that got a Trolleybus system and the only city in New Zealand that actually have a healthy public transportation that is within a city. Yes, there are some train systems but that is no local at all even though Wellington named it’s local train system for Metro.
Trolleybuses is Way better than Diesel buses
All of the 50km of trolleybuses lines in Wellington is in danger in having their last drive sometime during this year, unless the actions against the closure will be heard. Trolleybuses is one of the most healthy bus transportation options, except for electric driven buses that is. But those needs to be charged and would interrupt too much for now until new technology have been found or stronger batteries have been invented. Trolleybuses runs in many Russian and a few European cities today. They are the most healthy option after a tram solution. But to choose diesel buses instead of repair the trolleybuses is just a cheap politician decision right now that in the end will be way more expensive.
For one! Diesel buses must be replaced way more often. Trolleybuses have almost same lifespan as trams, except that the wheels needs to be changed now and then much more often. Trolleybuses is also much better for people that have allergies or asthma issues. Also, when temperatures is below 14C or even 0C, which can happen in Wellington. Then trolley buses is way more healthier to have.
Politicians in Wellington tries to tell people about the power issues as a reason for getting rid of the trolleybuses.
Wellington on New Zealand got Trolleybuses since 1924
With only a small break from 1932 to 1945. Wellington with its population that is reaching 405 000 in the urban area, have got trolleybuses running on its streets for a very long time. So, to see such city taking none healthy decisions back in 2014 about the closure in 2017 is pretty disturbing. While the rest of the world is building up their tram and trolleybus lines. Wellington choose to ignore the health risks. Even Bergen here in Norway, which have the exact same population is now only expanding its tram line that reached the airport back in April 2017. They also have one trolley bus line also. But, Wellington politicians seems to want to kill all of the only Trolleybus system in Oceania. Why!?
Even though trams is a little bit healthier to have, trolleybuses is for sure a very good solution for the town type like Wellington is. Australia is also expanding it’s cities with trams and light-rail solutions. But Wellington, which sits in a country that got so much wonderful nature needs this.
Auckland, which is the biggest city on New Zealand is bigger in size though. But the public transport solution there is even worse. There is a railway tunnel project there, but towns with this size of population needs proper public transportation needs. Diesel buses can’t make the air healthier at all.
Save the Wellington Trolleybuses on Social Media
New Zealand the clean Green Nation, and yet here we have Wellington a region dominated by the possession of the dark lord oil, facing the destruction of clean green trolley bus system for diesalisation by stealth. Come on Wellington cant you see what those puppets of big oil, Paul Swain and his fellow Councillors are going to do to our lovely City? Our City is beautfull and clean. Most central bus services at peak hour are trolley buses. Removal of the trolley buses means dieselisation. Hybrid buses, are an ineffective technology, a backdoor way to dieselisation. In the end, in a few years gone will be our silent clean trackless trams, to be replaced by the noise and fumes and vibration of hundreds of diesel buses. Its not a pleasant thought so make sure you make a stand against the destruction of the trolleys. Make your views known today. Call Talkback, write letters to the Newspapers and members of parliament. Make your opposition to the destruction of our City electric trolley buses known NOW!
Scrapping the Clean Trackless Trolleys in Wellington is a really stupid idea. What a stupid retarded little nation we live in, to allow the destruction of clean electric transport systems, in an age when the full damaging effects of large scale of fossil fuels in vehicles is known.
Scrapping Wellingtons Trolley Buses, in an age when we are ALL aware of the impact of fossil fuels on the environment. Scrapping the Clean Electric Trackless Trolleys is a really stupid idea. More Typical short sighted decisions from New Zealand.
The next three years will indeed be interesting to watch. Will the people of Wellington allow significant public benefit infrastructure, the trolleybus system, to be junked before their eyes, when the alternatives proposed are simply diesel in drag and lack the significant clean benefits and performance of the tried and true electric trolley bus? Significant public infrastructure now stands at risk of being destroyed. This infrastructure enables sound effective competition to the diesal bus. Remove the overhead wires and Wellington, Like Auckland, will be stuck with a city transport system entirely reliant on polluting fossil fuels. A horrible thought indeed. We may be unable to stop the GWRC signing service contracts that will result in the end of trolley bus service. However we would hope that the Wellington City Council and its new Transport man, Chris Calvi-Freeman would have enough vision to ensure that the all important wires, and substations are protected from removal. In respect to the sub stations. These should be publicly owned. The Wellington City Council ought to buy these off Wellington Electricity and so bring the whole system back into public ownership. It is conceivable that in a few years there will be renewed calls to return to clean electric trolley buses in Wellington. Its important the significant infrastructure assets remain. They currently are used to support data communications systems, and this provides income. The cost of maintaining the overhead in a mothballed state, is cheaper then having to rebuild the system. Mr Calvi-Freeman needs to consider this. Likewise its fair to say, that if Wellington wanted a tram system now, it could develop such because the overhead infrastructure, one of the biggest components of a Tram System, is already in place. Infact to be honest, the trolley bus system is the tram system without the rails. People should be actively opposed to removal of trolleybus infrastructure because in doing so, in so far as the tramway system is concerned, when the trolley infrastructure is removed it really will be the end of trams in Wellington and there will be no coming back from this.
Until January this year, the Save the Wellington Trolleybuses Facebook group was active with comments. It seems its a challenge that they have issues with managing to win. Distrita found about this yesterday and we have chosen to publish this today and eventually add information as we get it. The destruction of such system is pretty violent against the green nature on New Zealand. Humans should not just care about money, but about health and also the health of our planet.
So! If you have anything to say regarding this issue. We recommend you to have a say on their Facebook page regarding this situation.
Source
Save the Wellington Trolleybuses
