Dialogue: Trams - there's a way to travel

By SANDY BURGHAM

Recently we uncharacteristically decided on a whim to visit Motat, Auckland's favourite ghost town. It was during our search for the exit that we wandered into the tram workshop, where a team of dads and poppas, as industrious as Santa's elves, were purposefully and cheerily restoring the relics of some of New Zealand's finest old trams.

It was like stumbling across a fascinating parallel universe.

The tram gang are all volunteers who give their leisure time freely in order to painstakingly and conscientiously breathe life into these grand old dames, taking great pride and satisfaction in the glorious machines as they start to take shape again.

One volunteer, who seemed to appreciate our interest, rewarded us with a tour deeper into the lair, behind a secret door, in fact, which revealed more poppas restoring a shell of an aged double-decker tram. He enthusiastically shared their vision for the project, which we lapped up like children with bedtime stories.

My understanding is that they have around 20 trams to restore, and I have no doubt that their efforts will one day result in all 20 being fit and ready to roll.

What remains to be seen is what will happen to them then. We can't have them all running from the zoo to Motat.

This raises a question: why couldn't we one day have a few of these fine specimens, in addition to some new ones, on the road for civic use?

Alongside the careful craftsmanship of the tram-restoration project, we have the highly controversial (and expensive) Britomart venture. Britomites will no doubt be tut-tutting at silly old me and the big issues my poor little head is unable to grasp. But I am still searching to find enough citizens and ratepayers in support of it to make a quorum.

I read scattered news items about overseas transport experts questioning why Auckland is so hellbent on Britomart. They seem to be asking if we have gone mad. Apparently they wonder why we don't invest in rolling stock itself.

Indeed, to break the private-transport dependency we'll need a better reason than a great big white elephant of a transport hub.

The Britomart "if you build it, they will come" attitude has always astounded me. I fail to see how it will be a reason to change the lifetime habit of avoiding public transport. Britomart may serve those who already use public transport, but the rest of us will stick to driving into the city and forking out wads of cash for parking.

What may break us out of a stubborn rejection of using public transport is transport that delivers an exciting experience. Fullers has struck on this with its new ferry service from Half Moon Bay to the city. There seems no good reason not to take it when faced with the congestion of Pakuranga Highway.

Trams and possibly a subway (oh, how we laughed at Robbie's rapid rail) would be the only thing to get this committed car-driver into low heels for a 10-minute walk to meet public transport. Both are standard in many cities overseas, so why are we missing out?

I have heard the Link buses have been successful, which is encouraging. But in cases such as mine, buses have had my whole lifetime to entice me to use them. And they have missed the opportunity.

But trams, now there's a way to travel. They add to the city's flavour and character, be it a tourist adventure or a local thing.

The tram experience is rich and rewarding, with the polished brass fittings, fancy wood panelling and other finely detailed bells and whistles. Not to mention the contemporary concept of indoor-outdoor flow.

My transport vision for Auckland features a Dominion Rd unchanged except for a steady tram line running down the middle. I would like it to connect to Ponsonby and Karangahape Rds and I guess it may as well extend to Jervois.

Let's have another line running down Queen St, cleverly cramping the style of those pubescent boy racers. And how about a scenic route from the city to St Heliers?

While my extensively thought-out tram plan won't serve the whole of greater Auckland, neither will Britomart. And at least it will add character and charm to the more historic and picturesque areas.

Thank you, tram volunteers, for igniting my imagination and for creating a legacy for Auckland that one day we may have the good sense to appreciate.