The Standard say that the IMF is saying that oil prices will double over and above inflation in the next decade.The Greens crunched the numbers and say that means we will be paying $5.00 a litre for petrol in 2022. So what use is Nationals Roads of National Significance $14 Billion dollar white Elephant highways??

Why spend $1.7 billion on the Puhoi to Wellsford highway if it will only break even if traffic volumes double in next 15 years.? @$5.00 Litre is that guaranteed.?

Might just start learning to ride a horse.....and smokes will be $100 a packet. Pensioners will have to get back to work.

Part of that report quoted said NZ's 'traffic volumes are down to 2004 levels'.

That was the bit that struck me - the rest of it I more or less knew - but I hadn't realized that fewer of us are driving private vehicles, and less often, already. Given the population has grown, I think that's a really significant point.

We had to cut our cloth as petrol prices rose, along with all the other costs, sold our big car, bought a small one, bought motorbikes, cut back on trips to town and 'going for drives' - it was one area where we could make savings.

But there's no public transport available here and driving from home to work is a necessity. So, the next thing will be to move home closer to where we work and play.

And that's another cost - immediately to those moving but, also, long term to the infrastructure needed to support so many more people moving into towns.

Gayebelle, don't ride - thinking of that photo, you'd look wonderful driving a horse and carriage! So elegant.

$5.00 a litre for petrol .... and traffic volumes falling Chucking $14 Billion at them makes no economic sense unless you are John Key & Steven Joyce & Gerry Brownlee.Gerry head in the sand made personal attacks on the Greens transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter who just happens to be a transport expert when she suggested his white elephant highways are a poor use of $14 Billion.

In the past wages have risen with fuel prices so we have kept up the travel with the exception of the petrol shock back in the 70s.

But wages have been falling behind inflation for the last three years while the economy has been stagnating.

If things go on as they are at the moment I can see us doing all our travel and visits via the internet.

Cheers

With spending $8 Billion a year importing oil and petrol prices building up to record levels Brownlee can only say petrol prices are cyclical.Well yes they spike and send the world into recession, then fall and spike again as soon as there is a glimpse of an economic recovery but oil prices are never going to go back down to the low prices that the RoNS are costed at on any long term basis.

Just watching the coal train going past, as it does about 3 or 4 times a day. Why can't they stick a carriage on the end and offer a passenger transport to town. I would use it.

Has Wrights Bush got a railway station GB?

Freight trains seem to go through Stratford en route to Port Taranaki every day too.

I'd use it like a shot. I'd even sit in the little red caboose. If there was one. Don't care. Like trains. Sick of driving. Sick of wasting expensive fuel that could be better used for something else. Rather pay to improve Rail Service. Could read the paper on the way to work. Could sleep. Could do my paper work. Or the crossword. Could just sit back and enjoy the trip.

What's not to like???

It used to SF,a small pickup called 'Woodfield', as well as a dairy factory, a blacksmith, butcher and general store. All gone now!
The trains could still stop near the road crossing. Theyv'e taken out the track to Thornbury and other places, even to Riverton, which used to be popular for travelling to the beach for the day for a picnic.
One has to have two vehicles or more per household to live out of town there is no bus service.

I agree Arandar, we used to leave our car at Avondale (lived in Blockhouse Bay in Auckland) and travel by train into work, and do all those things.

There really was awesome times to be had growing up, and going on the trains Nth n Sth Islands with Rellies or friends overnight sleepers or just getting from A to B..

Loads of happy memories thats for sure,,

You mentioned the Little Red Caboose Arandar have prob mentioned it before,, but that was my first and probably Only Golden Book when I was small..They cost about 2/-6d appparently,, so expensive in the day,,,,

Loved it, and when ours were little toddlers you guessed it they all got one ,and then when their lil ones came along ,we made sure each got one from a few months old and of course as Nana was my job to read it to them,, as I had done with our kiddies ..

They all catch trains now as part of city life,, but I think cos they are packed in like sardines,,

I prefer the older way where the old NZR trains were spacious and had that awesome Huge Cup n Saucer full of tea with a sandwich or pie,,, from the refreshment rooms

Hows the wee Shop going Gayebelle ??.. Must be good working near home with winter on its way ,,,, least you can make a cuppa even the work you do is all Koha Lol


Cheers Kai