Aurecon proposal; is for trackless trains.

We must not use plastic/nylon tyres as they emit toxic tyre dust that can kill many.
Consider;
“Road dust: an overlooked urban pollutant”
https://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf/277na4_en.pdf

Quote
“This EU article refers to “tyre dust as ‘overlooked ’urban pollutant”.
Particles from vehicle emissions are not the only traffic-related factor that causes deterioration of air quality in cities. Suspended road dust, caused by studded tyres, road salt and sand used in winter, may be at least as important in contributing to mortality rates, according to a new study in Stockholm, which suggests that these coarse particles should be controlled separately to fine particles.”
Un-quote;

So if Aurecon plans to use ‘trackless trains’ that use tyres then we still will have poisonous tyre dust air pollution still threatening all residential areas according to this scientific document.

https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1911/S00137/a-rail-journey-from-dinosaur-to-digital.htm
“Our public transport history is one of brilliance and innovative genius. If we want to stay true to our pioneering roots, we must be prepared to play with space and be open to melting the track barriers with our imagination to reveal a world of opportunity and possibility to fight the extinction of our railways.”

“Trackless trains and trams are moving beyond a thought and into implementation, with trackless trains now operating on virtual rail lines or shared road space in the Chinese cities.
What opportunities can we unlock if we repurpose some sections of railway to a trackless system and potentially enable a multimodal shared space for mass transit alongside individual AVs?
In addition to trackless trains, which are way cheaper to build, Hitachi also developed ‘Digital Brain‘ to cut down train maintenance hours by using thousands of sensors providing valuable data analytics to engineers to monitor its performance.
And while we might retain the rails themselves, if high-speed rail is to conquer distances such as those in Australia and New Zealand to shrink our vast geography, we need to consider our appetite for elevated railways across country, instead of hiding them away in tunnels and underground.
Advances in managing noise and other intrusions that the first railways brought with them may mean we need to reconsider how to build new systems more visibly than in many European models, with the reduced costs and increased speed of construction that that will bring.
We already have the technology for this growth, it is our mindset that seems to be the barrier to faster progression. If the limit has been reached on fixed infrastructure of legacy systems, we need to leverage technology and automation to minimise our transport footprint and maximise mobility outcomes.
Our public transport history is one of brilliance and innovative genius. If we want to stay true to our pioneering roots, we must be prepared to play with space and be open to melting the track barriers with our imagination to reveal a world of opportunity and possibility to fight the extinction of our railways.” Unquote;

Also CEAC asks if this UK study suggests living 50 meters from m a busy road will harm our health also, then how will we remove children and adults from harm’s way near trackless trans?

Are trackless trains just buses?

Quote; “Living near a busy road can stunt children's lung growth, a UK report has shown.
Children's health was found to be affected by staying within 50 metres of the road.”

Read the press release today below.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2019/11/living-near-a-busy-road-may-stunt-children-s-lung-growth-study.html

Quote; “Living near a busy road may stunt children's lung growth - study
The study also revealed one-third of Londoners are thought to live near a busy road.

Living near a busy road can stunt children's lung growth, a UK report has shown.

Children's health was found to be affected by staying within 50 metres of the road.

The study recorded the effect of roadside pollution across 13 cities in the UK and Poland.

It found 14 percent of kids in Oxford had stunted lung growth, while in London 13 per cent were affected and 8 percent in Birmingham.
The study also revealed one-third of Londoners, an estimated 3 million people, are thought to live near a busy road.

According to the research, written by King's College London and released by a coalition of 15 health and environment non-governmental organizations (NGO) said, living near a road with heavy traffic may increase your risk of developing lung cancer by up to ten percent.

The new study also showed an increased risk of cardiac arrest, heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, bronchitis as well as reduced lung function in children who live near a traffic-ridden road.

Amongst the report, the coalition of NGOs has been calling on politicians to commit to taking steps to in order to reduce the drastic state of illegal air pollution across the UK to meet World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines.

"Air pollution makes us, and especially our children, sick from cradle to grave, but is often invisible. This impressive research makes this public health crisis - which affects people all across the UK - visible, and shows the urgency with which all political parties must prioritise cleaning up our air," said Dr Rob Hughes, Senior Fellow at the Clean Air Fund in the King's College London press release.

This is the first time a wide range of health conditions and cities have been analysed in one report.”
End

Again CEAC is asking;
Why is NZTA (the road controlling agency) (RTA) not yet advising residents living alongside ‘their busy roads in residential zones’ - to be aware of these public health damaging effects and offering to discuss solutions with residents affected?

TO NZTA - CEAC finds NZTA lack respect of environmental stewardship

• CEAC say; - Use rail to reduce busy roads ‘
• NZTA – must engage in active solutions to busy roads being a threat to public health.
• NZTA must offer reasonable effective mitigation to protect residents health and wellbeing.
• NZTA must keep this evidence as a record of residential health concerns to be mitigated by your agency NZTA for our public health and wellbeing.’

CEAC encourage to see a Government who is caring, considerate inclusive and responsive to citizens’ health and wellbeing concerns.

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