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The Star: April 04, 2019

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<strong>The</strong> <strong>Star</strong> Thursday <strong>April</strong> 4 <strong>2019</strong><br />

8<br />

NEWS<br />

Addington<br />

diesel leak<br />

spreads<br />

DIESEL HAS spread from a<br />

leak in Addington after it was<br />

discovered in a shallow bore hole.<br />

<strong>The</strong> city council has been monitoring<br />

the area to determine how<br />

far diesel from a nicked fuel line<br />

near Horncastle Arena may have<br />

spread. It has detected diesel in<br />

a shallow bore hole which previously<br />

showed no sign.<br />

<strong>The</strong> positive test result may<br />

indicate that the diesel is still mobile.<br />

However, the drinking water<br />

line in Moule St has been tested as<br />

a precaution and the results show<br />

no trace of diesel.<br />

<strong>The</strong> issue was first discovered<br />

in July when a stake was found<br />

piercing the pipeline. Since then<br />

Vbase has been working with its<br />

contractors to recover the diesel<br />

and to determine exactly how far<br />

the diesel may have travelled.<br />

“It’s not travelling in a straight<br />

line and at this early stage we<br />

believe the diesel plume may<br />

be finding a narrow pathway<br />

through the complex soil layers<br />

that make up this area,” Vbase<br />

acting general manager Chris<br />

Mintern said.<br />

“We are working to remove as<br />

much diesel as possible from the<br />

ground and have so far recovered<br />

approximately 40,000 litres of the<br />

fuel.”<br />

• By Jess Gibson and Julia<br />

Evans<br />

NEW TECHNOLOGY is<br />

being investigated to improve<br />

the reliability of the city’s bus<br />

network.<br />

Environment Canterbury and<br />

the city council have been working<br />

on a project to improve the<br />

reliability of public transport, as<br />

well as infrastructure like traffic<br />

lights, with modern technology<br />

that could see<br />

buses wirelessly<br />

communicating<br />

with lights or<br />

being tracked<br />

via GPS on their<br />

routes.<br />

“Environment<br />

Canterbury, in<br />

collaboration<br />

with the city<br />

council are investigating whether<br />

a Real Time Information System<br />

could have the ability to, among<br />

other things, integrate with<br />

traffic signal systems to enable<br />

improved bus reliability through<br />

managed intersections,” senior<br />

manager public transport Stewart<br />

Gibbon said.<br />

ECan has put out a request out<br />

to potential developers for the<br />

project, which closes next month.<br />

Mr Gibbon said there are a<br />

number of different technologies<br />

that could be used ranging from<br />

GPS based solutions to physical<br />

news online at www.star.kiwi<br />

Tech bid to improve buses<br />

Glen Koorey<br />

proximity based solutions.<br />

“We are aware of this type of<br />

technology being used in many<br />

cities worldwide, including Sydney,”<br />

said Mr Gibbon.<br />

He said the aim is to make<br />

buses more attractive to the public<br />

so that fewer cars are on the<br />

road – leading to less congestion<br />

and reduced vehicle emissions.<br />

ViaStrada senior traffic engineer<br />

and transport planner Glen<br />

Koorey said he hopes the technology<br />

will come quickly as it<br />

would be beneficial for the city’s<br />

traffic flow.<br />

“<strong>The</strong> long-term benefit is if<br />

people see that its a good way of<br />

travelling around, more people<br />

would switch to busses. <strong>The</strong>n<br />

you get benefits for everyone<br />

else because there wouldn’t be as<br />

many cars stuck in traffic,” said<br />

Dr Koorey.<br />

He said it would not take much<br />

for the current software to be<br />

improved to perform the desired<br />

actions.<br />

“It’s just the case of plugging<br />

into the existing system and<br />

EFFICIENCY:<br />

Upgrades<br />

to transport<br />

technology<br />

may lead to a<br />

shorter wait<br />

for buses at<br />

traffic lights<br />

around the<br />

city.<br />

adding additional software,” he<br />

said.<br />

City councillor Aaron Keown,<br />

who has been outspoken about<br />

a need for similar technology,<br />

said while he is glad the idea is<br />

moving forward he would like to<br />

see timelines for the project.<br />

But Mr Gibbon said ECan are<br />

not able to determine timeframes<br />

or confirm what the final solution<br />

is until it is known what options<br />

are available.<br />

Any successful outcome will<br />

require a phased implementation.<br />

Riccarton Road is<br />

for business<br />

OPEN<br />

Thank you for your patience while<br />

we upgrade the road and waste<br />

water pipes. Please drive carefully.<br />

Rimu St<br />

Riccarton Rd<br />

Straven Rd<br />

<strong>The</strong>re’s FREE parking<br />

via Straven Rd or<br />

Rimu St<br />

Rotherham St<br />

Clarence St<br />

Buses are running<br />

as usual<br />

For details visit ccc.govt.nz/RiccartonRoad

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