snaps

Just got a call about the queue of traffic from 18km south of Auckland airport to 10kms north of the airport this morning on the way into the centre. Sounds like it is a standard there. Took three hours to do around 30kms. I was kind of hoping all this was left back in the UK.

Here in the 'Beating Heart' it's a crisis if there are more than three cars not moving.

Is there an easy route into the centre by chance?

davros1984

LOL - I am sorry, but this is absolute reality of living in Auckland. These people who say go and buy a cheaper house somewhere like Pukekohe or Waiuku really have no clue when it comes to commute times.

Why would you move to the other side of the world to live there and then have to spend several hours a day sat in traffic. Its the same if you live on the N. Shore. I catch the bus from Beach Haven (this is the last week of it though - hurrah) and it takes an hour to get from Beach Haven to the CBD (just 13 KM, so less than 10 miles) as traffic on Onewa Road is so heavy (even with bus lanes). The buses are always packed as well, they often have to go past people who are waiting for the bus as its too full.

I can't wait to move on.

lisamct

I used to travel the 40ish kms from Papakura in South Auckland home to the North Shore at 7:30am 3 or 4 times a week, I was never home any later than 9, more often around 8:30 so 3hrs is most definitely not standard.

Charismatic

Good idea, can you not commute off-peak? I'd be tempted to get a little motorcycle for filtering through standing traffic on dry days.

davros1984

this week has been a shocker for traffic!

scrubbedexpat094

New year start at AUT , Massey, Auckland Uni, etc. It's a yearly event and known as Mad March locally. It will settle down in a week or two once the students know which lectures they can skip. Happens every year Davros.

gazmac

I actually did go a buy a house in Pukekohe based on "These people..." and the commute time was exactly the same as when I lived in Meadowbank only longer in distance.

The main point being that it was the only place I could afford to buy a house that was within commuting distance. In the end the commute was a contributing factor in our decision to leave Aucks.

Now I realistically could walk to work if i wasnt so lazy.

lisamct

Sure has been shocking

Justcol

There are NO traffic lights where I live, we just don't need em.
We have a bridge closure at the moment which adds an extra ten minutes to my journey home...its infuriating

davros1984

Yes, loved how the journey from Cambs to central Tron took around 15 minutes. Different world down there - lucky man.

mickey_d

This is about as bad as it gets down here

barnsleymat

One of the most liveable cities in the world!!!!!!!

A right old crock of shite.

Clappy

If you say something enough times then that automatically makes it true.

That's the New Zealand way!

davros1984

Couldn't agree more. Lived in the city for 1 day, ventured out for tea for 10 minutes. Got asked twice if I have any spare change......

Still - we're happy to experience some time in the CBD.

Justcol

I put up with Aux traffic for two years, it was way worse than the stuff I had to deal with when I was back home in Manchester.
The whole city road system is so badly designed with all the ridiculous over and underpasses, it cant be any better than it is now.
I think the designers must have used the computer game Sim City as a design tool....useless, totally useless !!