What are current methods of transportation and what effect have they had on the Wellington City settlement?
The changes in transportation in Wellington have played a large part in the patterns of residential and commercial buildings in and around Wellington city. It has affected the way that the city operates and how it interacts with its hinterland.
Public transport in modern Wellington consists of buses, trolleybuses, trains, ferries and a funicular (the Wellington cable Car). Historically, it also included trams.From the 1850s sheep farms developed, and Otaki and Paekakariki became small service and railway towns to create a transport link to Wellington. By the 1870s it was clear that Wellington’s future as a trading centre rested on farming and so dairying dominated from the 1890s with factories at Otaki, Te Horo and Paraparaumu.
Improved roads and new railways linked the capital with its hinterland. In 1858 a road was built over the Rimutaka Range to the Wairarapa (part of Wellington province). By 1878 it was joined by a railway. The improved access encouraged farming in the Wairarapa.
In the 1930s Wellington obtained electric suburban trains, and today it is the only city with them. For this reason, Wellington is regarded as having the best passenger train system in New Zealand. Picture below: An electric suburban train at Wellington Train Station. (a)
Between the 1880s and 1960s, many train stations were constructed on the Johnsonville, Hutt, Paraparaumu and Masterton lines with over 40 in use today.
These extensive railway lines have lead to urban sprawl with much of Wellington’s population living further a field in the suburbs. The picture below is a map of the modern Wellington railway system.(b)
The first trolleybus system in Wellington operated between 1924 and 1932.
The current trolleybus system in Wellington is much more extensive and has operated since 1949. Trolleybuses are an integrated part of the regular Wellington bus service, allowing easy and efficient travel in and around the CBD.
Ferries in Wellington also form a part of the Wellington public transport system, carrying commuters and tourists on the Wellington harbour. Today, ferries travel between central Wellington and Days Bay, Petone, Seatoun and Matui/Somes Island. They have previously served Miramar, Karaka Bay, and Eastbourne. The development of road connections around the harbour's edge has reduced the importance of ferries to the city's transport network, but regular services still run.
The importance of public transport to Wellington is clearly shown through through statistics. According to the Regional Council, around 35 million passenger trips are made by public transport in Wellington each year, and this number has been growing in recent years. Of the approximately 35 million trips, around 23 million are made by bus, 11 million are made by train, 1 million are made by funicular (the Wellington Cable Car), and 150,000 are made by ferry.
Motorway: The Wellington Urban Motorway is the major road into and out of Wellington. It is 7 km long, ranges from three to six lanes wide, and extends from the base of the Ngauranga Gorge into the Wellington CBD. It was built between 1969 and 1978. The motorway provides a direct route from the hinterland into the CBD, encouraging city workers to live outside of Wellington city and commute in from the suburbs. Below: The Wellington Urban Motorway in 1994, looking north out of Wellington. (c)
The changes in transportation in Wellington have played a large part in the patterns of residential and commercial buildings in and around Wellington city. It has affected the way that the city operates and how it interacts with its hinterland.
Public transport in modern Wellington consists of buses, trolleybuses, trains, ferries and a funicular (the Wellington cable Car). Historically, it also included trams.From the 1850s sheep farms developed, and Otaki and Paekakariki became small service and railway towns to create a transport link to Wellington. By the 1870s it was clear that Wellington’s future as a trading centre rested on farming and so dairying dominated from the 1890s with factories at Otaki, Te Horo and Paraparaumu.
Improved roads and new railways linked the capital with its hinterland. In 1858 a road was built over the Rimutaka Range to the Wairarapa (part of Wellington province). By 1878 it was joined by a railway. The improved access encouraged farming in the Wairarapa.
In the 1930s Wellington obtained electric suburban trains, and today it is the only city with them. For this reason, Wellington is regarded as having the best passenger train system in New Zealand. Picture below: An electric suburban train at Wellington Train Station. (a)
Between the 1880s and 1960s, many train stations were constructed on the Johnsonville, Hutt, Paraparaumu and Masterton lines with over 40 in use today.
These extensive railway lines have lead to urban sprawl with much of Wellington’s population living further a field in the suburbs. The picture below is a map of the modern Wellington railway system.(b)
The first trolleybus system in Wellington operated between 1924 and 1932.
The current trolleybus system in Wellington is much more extensive and has operated since 1949. Trolleybuses are an integrated part of the regular Wellington bus service, allowing easy and efficient travel in and around the CBD.
Ferries in Wellington also form a part of the Wellington public transport system, carrying commuters and tourists on the Wellington harbour. Today, ferries travel between central Wellington and Days Bay, Petone, Seatoun and Matui/Somes Island. They have previously served Miramar, Karaka Bay, and Eastbourne. The development of road connections around the harbour's edge has reduced the importance of ferries to the city's transport network, but regular services still run.
The importance of public transport to Wellington is clearly shown through through statistics. According to the Regional Council, around 35 million passenger trips are made by public transport in Wellington each year, and this number has been growing in recent years. Of the approximately 35 million trips, around 23 million are made by bus, 11 million are made by train, 1 million are made by funicular (the Wellington Cable Car), and 150,000 are made by ferry.
Motorway: The Wellington Urban Motorway is the major road into and out of Wellington. It is 7 km long, ranges from three to six lanes wide, and extends from the base of the Ngauranga Gorge into the Wellington CBD. It was built between 1969 and 1978. The motorway provides a direct route from the hinterland into the CBD, encouraging city workers to live outside of Wellington city and commute in from the suburbs. Below: The Wellington Urban Motorway in 1994, looking north out of Wellington. (c)
No comments:
Post a Comment