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