Opinion: Move to rail may be what we need

How Cameron Rd could look near the intersection with Elizabeth St if trams were introduced to decongest city roads. Image/supplied

Urban designer Mark Wassung's vision for Tauranga's transport network is ambitious - and possibly just what is needed to counteract growing traffic congestion in the city.

His plan to stop Tauranga degenerating into a city plagued by congested roads and long queues of traffic was unveiled last week.

Under his plan, construction would kick off in 2020 with the replacement of Cameron Rd's green median strip with a light rail system.

Another line, a "city direct" monorail system with its own raised harbour crossing, would link into a new cruise ship terminal and whisk passengers into the city centre. It would also have connections to the airport and city heritage sites such as The Elms. G-Link trams could take 300 people per tram, with 10 trams on a line.

The inspiration for his city-wide integrated transport system was Australia's Gold Coast, which began planning its network in the late 1980s, with construction taking place over the past 10 years.

Another major focus of his plan was improving off-road cycling networks and filling in the gaps.

The ambitious plan is likely to attract criticism from some quarters over the cost of such a project but he points to the fact that the alternative is incremental, haphazard growth.

You only have to look at Auckland's traffic woes to see the impact such growth can have on a city.

In a recent "state of the nation presentation", Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller identified traffic as one of the major issues facing the city. The other was housing.

Given the growth the city was experiencing, hoping to invest only in roads and that everyone could be in cars at peak times "was not going to happen", he said.

Traffic queues are a relatively new experience for many Bay commuters.

They are one of the downsides of living in a city that is experiencing rapid population growth.

Mr Wassung's plan offers a chance to shift the focus from building more roads to creating a public transport network for the future.

It is worth exploring.