this post was submitted on 03 Sep 2023
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Isn't the irony here that making cars sit idling instead of getting where they're going causes more pollution?
Who are these protests convincing? Do they even say what their demands are other than a completely unspecific and unhelpful "combat climate change"?
They actually are quite specific in what they want, they want a restoration of all our intercity rail services, to a level of service that existed back in the nineties. It's not about commuter rail, as many commenters here seem to think.
In other words, they want the government to spend a few hundred mill on rolling stock, and still more on other subsidies, on a service that would take nearly twice as long to go between Auckland and Wellington as a bus. They've completely lost touch with reality.
This is also ignoring the fact that diesel rail isn't that much better than road transport, and can even be worse.
Yes, indeed, diesel trains emit lower emissions when more than 1/3 full. See also #10 here
And, diesel is not the final solution, but it's a first step. If the protesters would ask for 100% electrified rail it would be shut down as well by opponents that it's too hard. So I think it's a very good option to switch to diesel rail for now.
You're comparing private to public transport though, while ignoring another public alternative that is already operating.
I don't get why people are so snobby about buses.
Buses are less comfortable than cars, and are probably also slower than a car.
Trains are more comfortable and can be faster than driving.
They're also far more affordable though. Rail is expensive.