Interislander and Kiwirail

Update 12 December, 2024

OMNISHAMBLES - New Zealand's word of the year which beautifully describes the all encompassing shambles produced by Labour, National, and ACT in providing new Interisland ferries. The new ferries ordered by Labour were too large but were at a fantastic price and I am not convinced that the current terminals could not have been modified at vastly lower cost than planned by IREX. The CEO appointed to manage the IREX project was always going to go for vastly over costly shore side arrangements as he did as CEO of Auckland Transport. $2 billion for facilities which should have been designed and paid for by the Port authorities - the cost to be born by ongoing berthage fees which all ships pay - no taxpayer money required. The Korean ferries could have been downsized by 20% and use the current ferry facilities. Wellington harbour authorities have already advised that the earthquake strengthening required was their problem. We still have no clear idea of the way ahead and we are reliant on the current geriatric ferries for at least another 5 years. I hope their engineers and deck officers have their maintenance and training up to speed.

The new ferries must be rail enabled. If National was in charge they would pander to their trucky mates and remove rail with vague promises of transferring freight from rail to truck or trailor at one ferry terminal and reload to other trains on the other side. Totally inefficient and expensive. Competent Kiwirail management would have daily express freight services offering daily 24 hours transit between Auckland and Christchurch railyards. Freight delivered to either railyard by 4pm any day monday-friday would be available at the other end by 4pm the next day. It is too early to know whether Winston Peters has the knowledge and ability to make competent decisions quickly.

I have no faith in the ability of Kiwirail and Interislander management to provide the best possible transport service in the shortest possible time at the lowest possible cost. In public transport (my other passion) National wrote the PTOM (Passenger Transport Management Act) for the benefit of the bus companies - not the local commuters and transport authorities. In the case of Auckland this has cost Auckland ratepayers and taxpayers at least $1.7 billion dollars through failure to introduce SUPERMAXX when it was presented in 2007. Competent politicians would have abolished PTOM and introduced public friendly legislation long ago. I pointed out the problems to them first in 2008! Read more:

SHADES OF THE INTERISLANDER - THE AUSSIE FIASCO. Two new ferries and no berth for them for 2 years!!! (Update 05 December, 2024)

The brand sparkling new Spirit of Tasmania IV has sailed from the shipyard in Helsinki where it was built and arrived in Leith in Scotland on the 3rd December - and will probably be laid up! It is reported to cost $47,534 per week in berthing fees.The Aussies just haven't got around to building the terminal facilities to enable them to berth and unload and load in Devonport, Tasmania! (I hope they didn't employ anyone from Kiwirail) The berths are expected to be available in February 2027! They are trying to lease the ship out but with noble intentions to provide work in Tasmania much of the final fitout of the public areas was to be done in 6 weeks in Tasmania before going into service. The fitout will have to be done first which creates problems if they are leased to a European operator. The Spirit of Tasmania V is due for delivery in Helsinki in 2025.

The original cost for the 2 ferries was $AUD850 million which blew out by $81 million plus! (Highlights again the brilliant deal that Kiwirail got for the Interislander contract totally wasted by Nicola Willis.)

Could Spirit of Tasmania IV be used across Cook Strait in the interim? Its length is 212 metres, Beam 31 metres. The Kaiarahi is 180 metres long with 25.2 metres beam so probably not but it would be worth a quick check out. The ship has a service speed of 26 knots so could use the northern route via Queen Charlotte Sound rather than Tory Channel - at least in dubious weather.! The Spirit of Tasmania 1 and 2 are 194 metres long and 25 metres beam - very similar to our current ferries. They are a similar age but may have been kept in better condition than our ferries.

21st November, 2024.

The unfortunate saga of the Interislander ferry replacements rolls on with no end in sight. The current ferries continue to age, costs of new ones keep rising, and people worry whether the current ferries will be able to keep operating during the frantic holiday season.

The contract between Kiwirail and Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in South Korea to build the ships was superb value however the ships were too large and should never have been ordered - or cancelled. The ships design should have been 'shrunk' by 20% which could have been done quickly by the naval architects who did the original design. This would make them almost identical in size to the current ferries and able to use the current terminals in Wellington and Picton with little or no modification and expense. Wellington Harbour Board have already advised that any modifications would have been included in their upgrade of the current terminal and paid for in the normal berthing fees paid to them by Kiwirail. The contract with the Korean Dockyard should have been renegotiated to build the new ferries with no delay and little extra cost - if any. The contract appears to be have been cancelled with costs of cancellation expected to be in the region of $200-$300 million at least and no new ferries in sight. Crazy dumb!! For my qualifications to comment see below.

Formed in 2007 out of frustration at the incompetent management of Auckland's public transport Auckland Transport Consultancy has offered the SUPERMAXX public transport solution for Auckland: Read More, SUPERMETLINK for Wellington, and SUPERMETRO for Christchurch. Experience in introducing the "Connoisseur" deluxe rail service in the South Island in 1988 contributed to my knowledge and experience and operating and escorting many rail tours around the world (including 14 groups from Hong Kong to Helsinki through China, Mongolia, and Soviet Union), and taking an interest in their rail operations contributed to my knowledge and experience. Drawing on my extensive seagoing and coach and rail tour experience I have offered solutions for the woes of the Interislander and rail passenger services as well as Auckland public transport.. See adjacent column.

Top issues for the Government

1. Eat some humble pie and renegotiate the ferry contract with Hyundai

2. Implement SUPERMAXX immediately to massively reduce costs to ratepayers, taxpayers, and commuters, and lower carbon emissions for public transport in Auckland. As soon as Auckland is fixed extend to Wellington and Christchurch. It can be done within 6 months!

3. Sack the Board of Kiwirail and get a competent CEO and management team with a passion for providing the best possible rail and Interislander services for both passengers and freight in the shortest possible time at the lowest possible cost. Find 4-5 carriages among the current stock or refurbish some others and run the "Northern Explorer" 6 days a week in both directions, Monday to Saturday. Move all weekend freight friday night/saturday morning and sunday night and shut the network down from last train saturday to sunday afternoon to allow for track upgrading to reduce travel times and avoid continuous disruption.

Interislander current fleet

"Kaitaki".... Built 1995..... Length 181 metres.... Beam 23 metres......22,365 tons.... 1400 passengers....600 cars.... 1780 lane metres

"Kaiarahi"... Built 1998..... Length 180 metres.... Beam 25.24 metres...22,160 tons...550 passengers.......1900 lane metres

"Aratere"... Built 1998..... Length 183 metres.... Beam 20.5 metres.... 17,186 tons...600 passengers....230 cars.. 32 rail wagons

IREX ferries ordered and cancelled were to have been: Length 220 metres....Beam 30.8 metres.... 50,000 tons... 1910 passengers...42 rail wagons, 62 trucks, 170 cars OR 652 cars.

Bluebridge current fleet

"Connemara" ... Built 2007....Length 187 metres...Beam 25.6 metres...27,414 tons....500 passengers..120 cabins...2255 lane metres

"Feronia" ...... Built 1997...Length 186 metres... Beam 25 metres....21,856 tons...400 passengers....150 cars. 2150 lane metres

My history with ships, trains, planes, and coaches.

I guess it started wth a train set my father bought me as a kid then extended when we boarded the "Maui Pomare" in Auckland in 1953 and our family sailed to Rarotonga for 3 glorious years before returning to New Zealand and settling in Christchurch in 1959 to complete my education. In 1961 I joined the Union Steamship Company in their Christchurch office and worked in the freight department often chasing New Zealand Railways for freight on wagons that should have been in Lyttelton to load on ships and finding it scattered around the South Island. I also worked in the passenger department selling tickets for the Interisland Steamer Express ferries plying between Lyttelton and Wellington each night and a prime perk was going to Lyttelton to despatch the interisland ferry each night.

In 1963 I had the opportunity to go to sea and joined the t.e.v. "Maori" interisland ferry as junior assistant purser and during 6 wonderful years enjoyed 2 years on the ferries, including the Aramoana and Aranui when they first arrived, Pacific Island run from Auckland to Fiji, Samoa, Niue, and Tonga on the "Tofua", "Matua" and Taveuni' and finally 15 months on the "Waitaki" to Singapore, Malaysia, India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka before returning to the "Maori" as Chief Purser for a year and coming ashore in 1969. After working in the Air New Zealand office and at the airport in Wellington for a year and gaining my private pilot licence with the Wellington Aero Club decided to form my own tour company to take people to the more exotic parts of the world and shifted to Auckland. I operated tours overseas with groups during winter and around New Zealand in our summer which has enabled me to visit 93 countries, and drive around 2 million km on tour in New Zealand between Cape Reinga and Bluff numerous times in the past 54 years.

My first major rail journey was in 1966 when on leave between ships I flew to Tokyo and took the ferry from Yokohama to Nakhodka, local train to Khabarovsk and the Trans Siberian 7 day journey from there to Moscow and on to St Petersburg and Helsinki and then took 2 overnight ferries from Helsinki to Stockholm, and Esbjerg to Harwich to compare them with New Zealands offerings, This was to prove useful, along with some later experience of overnight ferries, when discussing with Head Office a replacement for the "Wahine" when I was Chief Purser on the "Maori" in 1969.

In the late 1970's I saw the potential of the magnificent scenery of the Tranz Alpine route from Christchurch to Greymouth for rail tours and integrating the trains into the New Zealand tourist industry. I put a proposal to New Zealand Railways to charter the "Southerner" train to operate day excursions to Arthurs Pass. at the weekend. The track was not in a sufficient state to allow trains to operate over to Greymouth and back in one day but I would have operated a coach on the Christchurch-Mt Cook-Queenstown-West Coast-Arthurs Pass circuit and drop one group of passengers for the train to Christchurch and pick up another group for the return coach journey. New Zealand Railways raised all sorts of objections which I was able to answer and in the end just refused any hint of private enterprise on 'their' railways. At the time New Zealand Railways (under) employed around 24,000 staff and was losing over $100 million a year. I took it to Colin McLachlan, then Minister of Transport and Minister of Railways. He raised the same excuses fed from NZR and when he had exhausted all reasons and found there were no valid ones finally got me by agreeing to let me do it but gave me an outrageous cost which was almost the same as chartering a B737 from Christchurch to Sydney and back!!. I could sense the congratulations in NZR headquarters that they had finally got me. How dare anyone in Railways alllow private enterprise to be enterprising - and increase their profits!

Richard Prebble was appointed Minister of Transport and Minister of Railways when Labour came to power in 1984. In 1987 New Zealand Railways was changed to an SOE and a highly competent Board of Directors were appointed. By that time the track from Christchurch to Greymouth had been upgraded and the "Tranz Alpine" daily return service introduced. I believed there was a need for a de luxe service to cater for higher end tourists and provide a higher standard of service and meals. I put a proposal to the Board to lease one of the old first class carriages from NZR which they no longer used and fit it out to a higher standard and operate it on the "Tranz Alpine", "Coastal Pacific", and "Southerner" as required. The board did due diligence and gave me the go ahead and were completely supportive. For the first year I flossied up the carriage, put sheepskin rugs on the seats, food heating system, had my own dedicated carriage attendant on the carriage and provided juice and snack on departure and a meal en route including half crayfish put on board fresh as we passed through Kaikoura! The "Connoisseur" service started on January 19, 1987. I cannot speak highly enough of the co-operation of the operations team at NZR in Christchurch in getting the carriage ready and attaching it to the correct train as required during the next 3 years, and the unions who allowed me to choose 2 of their members to specifically work on my carriage and provide superior service to my clients. In 1988 the staff at Addington Workshop did an amazing job of totally refurbishing the carriage including fitting new seats, soundproofing, installing 4 track stereo with headphones to each seat, and a better food preparation area.

To see the 1988/90 brochure showing the Connoisseur click 'more info' at the bottom of this page

Patronage grew catering for local and international travellers and it was interesting that my best supporter was Contiki tours, operators of more budget tours for young people. Unfortunately I ran into financial headwinds in 1990. I was the biggest operator of tours to China in the late 1980's with up to 10-12 tours a year and lost over 80% of that business after Tian an Men Square in 1989. I was also caught in the outrageous activities of the New Zealand Government 1990 - 1993 when our Government took over $1 million dollars from Chinese students under false pretences and never paid it back and outright stole around $5 million dollars of Chinese students money. Don McKinnon (then Minister of Foreign Affairs) refused to give it back when I asked him and it was only partly remediated later by a payment of $3.2 million to the Centre for Scholarly Exchanges in Beijing for students to apply for a refund.

Unfortunately I had to hand the "Connoisseur" back to New Zealand Railways in 1990 albeit we had developed, along with a Palmerston North engineering company a new form of carriage for these services based on using the deck of almost new FM guards vans with a lounge for 12 people at each end glassed in on three sides with a central services and baggage storage unit. It would have been fabulous!! Typical of Railways continuous mismanagement was the fact they had bought a large number of FM guards vans at a time when guards vans were going out of fashion! In 1993 the National Party destroyed my business and a $4 million dollar a year contract for education and exports and wrecked any chance of a revitalisation of Connoisseur.

It took Kiwirail almost 30 years to introduce Premier services to its passenger trains.

The mismanagement of New Zealand Railways in all its forms since then has continued to the present highlighted by the current (01 July, 2024) fiasco with the Interislander and failure to maximise revenue and services and minimise costs. National continued their practice of destroying value and supporting big business by selling NZR to an American operator who stripped the cash out of it, minimised maintenance, then sold to Toll who continued railways demise. The Labour government finally bought it back in 2008 for $665 million and changed the name to Kiwirail. The history of incompetent management with no great experience or vision for railways has continued and successive governments have continued to feed vast sums of money into the bottomless pit of Kiwirail without much obvious improvement. The last competent Minister of Transport was, in my view, Richard Prebble and the last one before that Peter Gordon!

Until someone proves my claims are wrong or implements Supermaxx and brings a total revamp of Kiwirail Including Interislander and trains I will continue to advocate for better transport services in New Zealand. Simeon Brown does not inspire confidence in his abilities as Minister of Transport and the disaster of Nicola Willis cancelling the new Interislander contracts, seemingly with no plans for replacements, means we will suffer greatly as a nation and our transport woes will not be fixed.

More info ( 806 KB)

Also sent to Nicola Willis and other Mnisters

Emails sent:

12 April, 29 May, 20 June.

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Cook Strait Interislander service - Ministerial Advisory Group.
Date: 2024-04-12 11:19
From: steve@aucklandtransportconsultancy.co.nz
To: paul.goldsmith@ministers.govt.nz
Cc: simeon.brown@ministers.govt.nz, christopher.luxon@ministers.govt.nz

INTERISLANDER SERVICES

I would like to offer my services to bring some maritime experience to the Ministerial Advisory group. The whole situation is an absolute fiasco but consistent with the mismanagement of Interislander and Kiwirail. I was employed by Union Steamship Co from 1960 - 1969, firstly in their Christchurch and Lyttelton offices then 6 years at sea as a Purser from 1963 to 1969. My first and last years were on the Wellington/Lyttelton overnight Steamer Express service rising from junior purser to Chief Purser of the t.e.v. "Maori" in 1968, the top job in the fleet. I also did stints on the Aramoana and Aranui when the Union Steamship had a management contract in the early days. During this period I was involved with Head Office on the design of the replacement ship for the "Wahine" including travelling on 3 overnight ferry services in Europe to examine new trends. My suggestion to the Management was that they should get two new ferries to the maximum size that could safely handle Tory channel and maintain the overnight service but have the ship in Wellington for the day do a service to Picton. My suggestion was that there should be berths for 300-400 passengers with full cabin service and around 1,000 reclining seats and dormitory accommodation for those who wanted economical travel. Travel patterns were changing fast in those days with the move to air. Plus of course space for around 300 cars and 100 trucks. Management refused to change with the times and designed the "Rangatira" which was a nice ship - for the 1950's! I have kept an interest in things maritime ever since. I am not at all satisfied that "Interislander" have the expertise to relinquish the Korean contracts and make the best decisions for the future solutions. It may well be possible to redesignthe ships to make smaller (and comply with Port of Marlborough regulations in regard to size of vessels in Tory Channel) and avoid cancellation fees. I was involved with 2 shipyards in the 1960's where Union Company had ships building.

KIWIRAIL PASSENGER SERVICES
I commenced my tour company in 1970 and when Richard Prebble turned New Zealand Railways into an SOE was able to start the "Connoisseur Express" de luxe rail service on South Island trains and gained considerable experience on operating passenger rail services including pioneering tours from Hong Kong to London by train in 1979. Brochure attached.

AUCKLAND'S PUBLIC TRANSPORT WOES
In 2006 I spent over 3,000 hours totally remodelling Auckland's public transport under the SUPERMAXX brand which, if implemented, would provide a vastly better more integrated and frequent service than AT provide, reduce fares dramatically, BUT also reduce subsidies by at least $100 million per annum and reduce carbon outputs by over 31,500 tons per year. AT have been unable to prove me wrong but refuse to implement the programme. Over $1 billion dollars has been paid in excess subsidies and a similar amount has been paid by commuters in excess fares since 2007. Click here to link to the Supermaxx proposal.

https://www.newzealandtours.co.nz/supermaxx

PORT FUTURE STUDY
I was involved in making submissions to the Port Future Study for Auckland and absolutely shocked to find that the committee appointed had not consulted Maritime New Zealand in regard to the safety and feasability of building a port at Muriwai or in the Manukau Harbour and the stupidity and danger of suggesting major ships navigate the Manukau Heads.

I have not got around to retiring yet and would be delighted to bring some analytical rigour and maritime experience to the Ministerial Advisory group. As a tour operator (www.nztours.nz) I am still a regular traveller and provider of passengers for Kiwirail and Interislander.

CHATHAM ISLANDS
Listening to National Radio this morning I can maybe assist with the fiasco of shipping services to the Chathams. I have escorted 2 groups to the Chathams in the past few years and am familiar with their transport problems. I was on Norfolk Island escorting a group 3 weeks ago and watching their transport problem - including a ship broken down off their anchorage!

I work on a simple principle that there are solutions to every problem and operational issues need people with experience in the field to find them

I look forward to hearing from you and hope to be of service

Stephen Greenfield
New Zealand Tours/Auckland Transport Consultancy
Auckland, New Zealand
Telephones 0800 309 196. Mobile 021 174 9588
web: www.nztours.nz

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Email to Christopher Luxon and Chris Bishop sent 29 May, 2024

-------- Original Message --------

Subject:Cook Strait Interislander service - Ministerial Advisory Group.

Date:2024-05-29 09:43

From:steve@aucklandtransportconsultancy.co.nz

To:c.bishop@ministers.govt.nz

Hon Christopher Luxon

Prime Minister of New Zealand

Dear Prime Minister

Further to my email of 12 April I am even more concerned about the fate of the Cook Strait transport link. The power failure last weekend on the 27 year old Strait Feronia simply highlighted the problem.

The last report I saw from Interislander was that they were still negotiating the exit from their contract with the Korean shipyard. Time goes by, the current ships get older and more unreliable, and costs increase for operating and for new builds.

Competent management would have resized the vessels and renegotiated the contract with the shipyard. It may even have led to a reduction in cost with less steel needed! The original contract for ships 220 metres long should never have been made however that is in the past. The design could be easily downsized to fit within the maximum sized vessels now allowed to operate through Tory channel by the Marlborough Harbour Board which is 187 metres. Building could have been commenced. THEY COULD USE THE CURRENT TERMINALS WITH LITTLE OR NO MODIFICATION while a long term solution is found. I hope a solution is announced in the Budget tomorrow.

This matter is very urgent. I am also totally disturbed at the incompetence of the current management of Kiwirail which is not maximising revenue and minimising costs for the rail network.

I am still happy to help sort out the mess.

Stephen Greenfield

Auckland Transport Consultancy

Telephones 0800 309 196. Mobile 021 174 9588

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Cook Strait Interislander service - Ministerial Advisory Group.
Date: 2024-04-12 13:23
From: steve@aucklandtransportconsultancy.co.nz
To: paul.goldsmith@parliament.govt.nz
Cc: simeon.brown@parliament.govt.nz, christopher.luxon@parliament.govt.nz

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Cook Strait Interislander service - Ministerial Advisory Group.
Date: 2024-04-12 11:19
From: steve@aucklandtransportconsultancy.co.nz
To: paul.goldsmith@ministers.govt.nz
Cc: simeon.brown@ministers.govt.nz, christopher.luxon@ministers.govt.nz

Dear Minister
I am very very concerned at the lack of progress in resolving the issues of the Interislander. The cancelled ferries were too big to safely use Tory channel but could have been downsized to avoid cancellation fees at the Korean shipyard and save time and cost in recontracting.

If you are serious about saving money and providing better public transport please examine SUPERMAXX

Best wishes in your efforts

Stephen Greenfield

INTERISLANDER SERVICES

I would like to offer my services to bring some maritime experience to the Ministerial Advisory group. The whole situation is an absolute fiasco but consistent with the mismanagement of Interislander and Kiwirail. I was employed by Union Steamship Co from 1960 - 1969, firstly in their Christchurch and Lyttelton offices then 6 years at sea as a Purser from 1963 to 1969. My first and last years were on the Wellington/Lyttelton overnight Steamer Express service rising from junior purser to Chief Purser of the t.e.v. "Maori" in 1968, the top job in the fleet. I also did stints on the Aramoana and Aranui when the Union Steamship had a management contract in the early days. During this period I was involved with Head Office on the design of the replacement ship for the "Wahine" including travelling on 3 overnight ferry services in Europe to examine new trends. My suggestion to the Management was that they should get two new ferries to the maximum size that could safely handle Tory channel and maintain the overnight service to Lyttelton but have the ship in Wellington for the day do a service to Picton. My suggestion was that there should be berths for 300-400 passengers with full cabin service and around 1,000 reclining seats and dormitory accommodation for those who wanted economical travel. Travel patterns were changing fast in those days with the move to air. Plus of course space for around 300 cars and 100 trucks. Management refused to change with the times and designed the "Rangatira" which was a nice ship - for the 1950's! I have kept an interest in things maritime ever since. I am not at all satisfied that "Interislander" have the expertise to relinquish the Korean contracts and make the best decisions for the future solutions. It may well be possible to redesign the ships to make smaller (and comply with Port of Marlborough regulations in regard to size of vessels in Tory Channel) and avoid cancellation fees. I was involved with 2 shipyards in the 1960's where Union Company had ships building.

KIWIRAIL PASSENGER SERVICES
I commenced my tour company in 1970 and when Richard Prebble turned New Zealand Railways into an SOE was able to start the "Connoisseur Express" de luxe rail service on South Island trains and gained considerable experience on operating passenger rail services including pioneering tours from Hong Kong to London by train in 1979. Brochure attached.

AUCKLAND'S PUBLIC TRANSPORT WOES
In 2006 I spent over 3,000 hours totally remodelling Auckland's public transport under the SUPERMAXX brand which, if implemented, would provide a vastly better more integrated and frequent service than AT provide, reduce fares dramatically, BUT also reduce subsidies by at least $100 million per annum and reduce carbon outputs by over 31,500 tons per year. AT have been unable to prove me wrong but refuse to implement the programme. Over $1 billion dollars has been paid in excess subsidies and a similar amount has been paid by commuters in excess fares since 2007. Click here to link to the Supermaxx proposal.

https://www.newzealandtours.co.nz/supermaxx

PORT FUTURE STUDY
I was involved in making submissions to the Port Future Study for Auckland and absolutely shocked to find that the committee appointed had not consulted Maritime New Zealand in regard to the safety and feasability of building a port at Muriwai or in the Manukau Harbour and the stupidity and danger of suggesting major ships navigate the Manukau Heads.

I have not got around to retiring yet and would be delighted to bring some analytical rigour and maritime experience to the Ministerial Advisory group. As a tour operator (www.nztours.nz) I am still a regular traveller and provider of passengers for Kiwirail and Interislander.

CHATHAM ISLANDS
Listening to National Radio this morning I can maybe assist with the fiasco of shipping services to the Chathams. I have escorted 2 groups to the Chathams in the past few years and am familiar with their transport problems. I was on Norfolk Island escorting a group 3 weeks ago and watching their transport problem - including a ship broken down off their anchorage!

I work on a simple principle that there are solutions to every problem and operational issues need people with experience in the field to find them

I look forward to hearing from you and hope to be of service

Stephen Greenfield
New Zealand Tours/Auckland Transport Consultancy
Auckland, New Zealand
Telephones 0800 309 196. Mobile 021 174 9588
web: www.nztours.nz

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Email sent 20 June, 2024

To the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, all Cabinet Ministers, all Members of Parliament, Wayne Brown - Mayor of Auckland, all Auckland Councillors, all media

What could central government do with an extra $200+ million dollars per annum?

Fund a lot more drugs for Pharmac including the promised cancer drugs?

Employ a lot more nurses and doctors and upgrade our health facilities?

Employ a lot more teachers and upgrade their training?

Buy a new passenger jet for the air force?

Fill all the potholes in New Zealand and build better roads?

Purchase two new Interisland ferries urgently?

Give themselves a pay rise?

What could Auckland Council do with $100 million less costs per annum

Reduce the rates burden, increase the public services, and add security to the city, sack the Board and senior management of Auckland Transport

It is not a dream or a scam, or too good to be true. It is available to you and would start feeding through in 6 months time with the introduction of SUPERMAXX for a cost of less than $1 million - paid for in the first week of savings when fully implemented!

SUPERMAXX provides more revenue by using unlimited travel passes, reducing commuter costs from $230 a month for AT to $75 per month for Supermaxx, reducing operating costs by creating a better and more efficient network, and takes at least 31,000 tons of carbon from the air each year. Please do the math and check it out, and then explain why it is not introduced. LOWER FARES ARE CRITICAL IN THESE FINANCIALLY DIFFICULT TIMES FOR MANY AND DO NOT NEED MORE SUBSIDIES. Supermaxx can be introduced across Auckland within 6 months for a cost of less $1 million and will bring savings of at least $5 million per week when fully implemented. It needs a critical mass of around 200,000 people to fully implement the frequency, network, and fare level but Wellington and Christchurch qualify and a modified version can be implemented in smaller cities. With the agreement of the councils (and introduction of unlimited travel passes) one pass could cover every public transport service in New Zealand with huge benefits to the public.

SUPERMAXX Update 20 June, 2024

Supermaxx was first presented to the Auckland Regional Council and various Auckland City Councils then in existence in February 2007. It has been presented to every Mayor, Auckland Super City Councillor, and central government Prime Minister, Minister of Transport, Minister of Finance, and central government politician since. No one has proven me wrong! No one has implemented Supermaxx

Failure to implement Supermaxx in the past 17 years has

** Cost Auckland ratepayers over $1 billion in excess subsidies

** Cost New Zealand taxpayers over $1 billion in excess NZTA subsidies

** Cost Auckland commuters over $1 billion in excess fares

** Caused at least 560,000 tons of excess carbon emissions.

** Provided less connected, less frequent and slower services.

Auckland Transport has INCREASED Public Transport costs

Budget for operating costs 2019/2020.... 537,300,000

Budget for operating costs 2021/2022.... 627,000,000

Budget for operating costs 2023/2024.... 837,100,000

56% increase in costs from 2019/2020 to 2023/2024

Auckland Transport has DECREASED Public Transport fare revenue!

Budget for fare revenue 2019/2020.... 189,300,000

Budget for fare revenue 2023/2024.... 149,017,000

29% decrease in fare revenue from 2019/2020 to 2023/2024

Half price public transport fares were in force March 2022 to 30 June 2023 which were still higher than Supermaxx fares!

Auckland Transport has INCREASED TOTAL SUBSIDIES from Auckland Council and NZTA by 105% between 2019/2020 ($328,000,000) and 2023/2024 ($674,400,000

SUPERMAXX SAVINGS 2023/2024

REVENUE

Supermaxx projected Pass revenue 338,937,000 (See attached brochure for calculations)

Auckland Transport budget fare revenue 149,017,000

Supermaxx - extra Revenue per annum!! 189,920,000

COSTS

Supermaxx refined network and schedules means more capacity with less buses, less congestion, less road damage, less pollution.

346 less buses on the road at average cost of $323,755,000 = $112,019,230 further savings per annum.

Supermaxx Passes - difference in revenue 189,920,000

Plus savings through less buses 112,019,230

SUPERMAXX TOTAL SAVINGS AT LEAST - $301,939,230 PER ANNUM - approximately 60% NZTA and 40% Auckland Council.

For more detailed costings and revenue projections plus how West Auckland services would look under Supermaxx with all Primary services starting and ending in urban centres rather than dormitory suburbs, more frequent and direct services, 24 hour services on primary routes, more use of the motorways for faster travel times, and how Dominion Rd services are a case study for the incompetence of Auckland Transport see the attached update

INTERISLANDER WOES: As a tour operator and seller of tours including trains and Interisland ferries I have a vested interest in what is happening with the Interislander replacements and am deeply, deeply, concerned. I started my working life in Christchurch with Union Steamship Company and spent 3 years in their office and 6 years at sea as a Purser. This included the first and last years on the Wellington/Lyttelton ferries and a few months on the first rail ferries, plus the Pacific Islands and South Asia services. In 1968 I was appointed Chief Purser to the t.e.v. Maori and was involved in the discussions at Head Office in regard to the replacement for the "Wahine", plus travelling on a few overnight ferries in Europe while on leave to see trends. My suggestion to them was 2 ships to the maximum size capable of handling the treacherous waters of Tory channel entrance safely. These would have been capable of carrying around 300 berthed passengers, 1,000 on recliner stye seating, plus vehicles serving both Lyttelton and Picton. The suggestions were not adopted and the Union Company built a great ship for the 1950's ("Rangatira") and killed the service.

The Kiwirail oversized new ferries should never have been ordered. I was in Picton on a cruise 18 months ago and the Marlborough Harbour Board were expressing concern then about their size. The Harbour Board has since stated that no ship over 187 metres long can use Tory Channel. The new ferries were to be 220 metres. Size matters in the tricky channel.

Nicola Willis has cancelled the contract seemingly with no clear plan as to how to meet the needs of this critical part of our transport infrastructure. She formed an advisory group on which, to the best of my knowledge, no one has any maritime experience!!

A very good fixed price contract had been negotiated with the Korean shipyard and rather than slashing and burning, a new contract should have been negotiated basically downsizing the ship plans by 20% which would have brought them very close to the dimensions of the 3 biggest current ferries. In addition to being able to handle Tory Channel they would be able to use the current berths in Wellington and Picton with little or no modification or cost.

INTRODUCE SUPERMAXX AND NZTA WILL SAVE $200 MILLION PER YEAR IN SUBSIDIES. THE FIXED PRICE CONTRACT FOR BULDING THE NEW FERRIES WAS $551 MILLION.

TWO NEW FERRIES FOR 3 YEARS SAVINGS ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT SUBSIDIES and the ferries are paid for!!! Unfortunately the concept of getting vastly better outcomes for considerably less cost is unknown to Auckland Transport and Auckland Council.

Kiwirail squandered around $424 million on the IREX project which was totally unnecessary

I would greatly appreciate your examining this and giving me your comments

Stephen Greenfield

Auckland Transport Consultancy/New Zealand Tours

Auckland, New Zealand

Telephone 0800 309 196. Mobile 021 174 9588

email: steve@nztours.nz

web: www.nztours.nz

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Subject: Cook Strait Interislander service - Ministerial Advisory Group.

Date:2024-05-29 09:43

From:steve@aucklandtransportconsultancy.co.nz

To:c.bishop@ministers.govt.nz

Hon Christopher Luxon

Prime Minister of New Zealand

Dear Prime Minister

This matter is very urgent. I am also totally disturbed at the incompetence of the current management of Kiwirail which is not maximising revenue and minimising costs for the rail network.

I am still happy to help sort out the mess.

Stephen Greenfield

Auckland Transport Consultancy

Telephones 0800 309 196. Mobile 021 174 9588

INTERISLANDER SERVICES

I would like to offer my services to bring some maritime experience to the Ministerial Advisory group. The whole situation is an absolute fiasco but consistent with the mismanagement of Interislander and Kiwirail. I was employed by Union Steamship Co from 1960 - 1969, firstly in their Christchurch and Lyttelton offices then 6 years at sea as a Purser from 1963 to 1969. My first and last years were on the Wellington/Lyttelton overnight Steamer Express service rising from junior purser to Chief Purser of the t.e.v. "Maori" in 1968, the top job in the fleet. I also did stints on the Aramoana and Aranui when the Union Steamship had a management contract in the early days. During this period I was involved with Head Office on the design of the replacement ship for the "Wahine" including travelling on 3 overnight ferry services in Europe to examine new trends. My suggestion to the Management was that they should get two new ferries to the maximum size that could safely handle Tory channel and maintain the overnight service but have the ship in Wellington for the day do a service to Picton. My suggestion was that there should be berths for 300-400 passengers with full cabin service and around 1,000 reclining seats and dormitory accommodation for those who wanted economical travel. Travel patterns were changing fast in those days with the move to air. Plus of course space for around 300 cars and 100 trucks. Management refused to change with the times and designed the "Rangatira" which was a nice ship - for the 1950's! I have kept an interest in things maritime ever since. I am not at all satisfied that "Interislander" have the expertise to relinquish the Korean contracts and make the best decisions for the future solutions. It may well be possible to redesign the ships to make smaller (and comply with Port of Marlborough regulations in regard to size of vessels in Tory Channel) and avoid cancellation fees. I was involved with 2 shipyards in the 1960's where Union Company had ships building.

KIWIRAIL PASSENGER SERVICES
I commenced my tour company in 1970 and when Richard Prebble turned New Zealand Railways into an SOE was able to start the "Connoisseur Express" de luxe rail service on South Island trains and gained considerable experience on operating passenger rail services including pioneering tours from Hong Kong to London by train in 1979. Brochure attached.

AUCKLAND'S PUBLIC TRANSPORT WOES
In 2006 I spent over 3,000 hours totally remodelling Auckland's public transport under the SUPERMAXX brand which, if implemented, would provide a vastly better more integrated and frequent service than AT provide, reduce fares dramatically, BUT also reduce subsidies by at least $100 million per annum and reduce carbon outputs by over 31,500 tons per year. AT have been unable to prove me wrong but refuse to implement the programme. Over $1 billion dollars has been paid in excess subsidies and a similar amount has been paid by commuters in excess fares since 2007. Click here to link to the Supermaxx proposa

PORT FUTURE STUDY
I was involved in making submissions to the Port Future Study for Auckland and absolutely shocked to find that the committee appointed had not consulted Maritime New Zealand in regard to the safety and feasability of building a port at Muriwai or in the Manukau Harbour and the stupidity and danger of suggesting major ships navigate the Manukau Heads.

I have not got around to retiring yet and would be delighted to bring some analytical rigour and maritime experience to the Ministerial Advisory group. As a tour operator (www.nztours.nz) I am still a regular traveller and provider of passengers for Kiwirail and Interislander.

CHATHAM ISLANDS
Listening to National Radio this morning I can maybe assist with the fiasco of shipping services to the Chathams. I have escorted 2 groups to the Chathams in the past few years and am familiar with their transport problems. I was on Norfolk Island escorting a group 3 weeks ago and watching their transport problem - including a ship broken down off their anchorage!

I work on a simple principle that there are solutions to every problem and operational issues need people with experience in the field to find them

I look forward to hearing from you and hope to be of service

Stephen Greenfield
New Zealand Tours/Auckland Transport Consultancy
Auckland, New Zealand
Telephones 0800 309 196. Mobile 021 174 9588
web: www.nztours.nz

Interislander and Kiwirail

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