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Thomas Nash

@thomasnash.bsky.social
2K followers 247 following 385 posts

Cities, transport and economic and climate transitions

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Reposted by Thomas Nash
1News NZ (Unofficial) @1newsnz.nzcow.com · 15/06/2026
📢 Massey University researcher Thomas Nash has visited UK cities to see what NZ can learn from building communities with trains at the centre.
1news.co.nz
Why New Zealand should build cities around train stations - report
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Thomas Nash @thomasnash.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
Building communities in our most connected places makes sense, but often seems harder than it should be. So I’ve been working on a research project for Massey University documenting new or improved communities built up around public transport hubs in the UK - transit-oriented developments. 1/
Image of the Symphony Centre which will be built above the new Te Waihorotiu station in Auckland.
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Reposted by Thomas Nash
Geordie Rogers @geordierogers.co.nz · 15/09/2025
It's not a coincidence that our bus patronage numbers are hitting all time highs. This term we've delivered more bus lanes than the seven previous councils combined
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Thomas Nash @thomasnash.bsky.social · 07/09/2025
Big moment this morning to help sign the contract with Alstom for 18 new five-car trains to serve people in the lower North Island from 2029. This will allow us to quadruple rail services to Palmerston North, double services to Masterton and open up for more development around railway stations. 1/
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Thomas Nash @thomasnash.bsky.social · 02/09/2025
Bringing bus depots in the Wellington region under public control is already helping attract interest from a range of bus companies looking to operate buses for Metlink. Public ownership of critical assets can help secure public services, drive competition and get a better deal for the public.
thepost.co.nz
Fresh contenders line up for bus contracts
With Wellington’s next round of bus contracts less than a year from being put to tender, the competition is already heating up. Alongside the four current operators, another four “serious” new players...
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Thomas Nash @thomasnash.bsky.social · 15/08/2025
We just had the busiest July on record for Wellington’s Metlink bus network, with 2,326,413 bus passenger trips. This is driven by our reliability being steadily over 99% across the network. Once the government brings its rail tracks up to standard, rail patronage will see the same increase.
Graph showing July monthly bus passenger trips in the Wellington region from 2019-2025.
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Thomas Nash @thomasnash.bsky.social · 11/08/2025
Our annual public transport satisfaction survey is out, with bus network satisfaction and bus patronage at record highs, as a result of record high reliability. Satisfaction with rail is down, with the state of the government’s ageing rail assets driving lower reliability and lower patronage. 1/
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Geordie Rogers @geordierogers.co.nz · 24/07/2025
Stopping people from being able to update their electoral details on the spot just further disenfranchises voters who move often (renters, seasonal workers etc.). A bad move that’ll only harm people’s democratic right to vote www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360...
thepost.co.nz
No more enrolling on voting day, new offence for handing out treats
The Government has overhauled New Zealand’s electoral law, including closing enrolment before advance voting begins.
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Reposted by Thomas Nash
Louise Hutt @saycheeselouise.bsky.social · 23/07/2025
For local government nerds - if you haven't seen Policy for Public Good from WEALL, it's a really, really great document that summarises so many great ideas for local government. This is the kind of stuff I wish was platformed more. www.weall.org.nz/local-govt
weall.org.nz
Local Govt — WEAll Aotearoa - Wellbeing Economy Alliance Aotearoa NZ
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Reposted by Thomas Nash
Tory Whanau @misswhanau.bsky.social · 18/07/2025
Back in Pōneke after a fab few days in Ōtautahi/Christchurch for LGNZ. It was great to connect with other local government leaders from across the motu, discussing the obstacles we face and asking what kind of future we want to create. Here are my takeaways:
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Reposted by Thomas Nash
Hayden Donnell @haydendonnell.bsky.social · 10/07/2025
in what will be remembered as an innovative and possibly foolhardy move, I have tried to include numbers and even a graph in this piece of commentary about local government rates
Spinoff text: The primary culprit for Wellington’s rates rise is less wasteful spending and more a long-shirked repair bill. Politicians put off investment in Wellington’s pipe network for decades, until eventually it started alternating between leaking and spraying human excrement on passersby. Thanks to her tightwad predecessors, the current mayor Tory Whanau has had to spend tens of millions of dollars to stop the citizens of our nation’s capital being drowned in a huge poonami.
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Reposted by Thomas Nash
Bill Manhire @pacificraft.bsky.social · 01/07/2025
pmn.co.nz/read/arts/se...
pmn.co.nz
Selina Tusitala Marsh becomes first Poet Laureate for the Commonwealth
The New Zealand academic is embracing her new role to share histories and promote understanding through the power of poetry.
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Reposted by Thomas Nash
Zohran Kwame Mamdani @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social · 25/06/2025
In the words of Nelson Mandela: it always seems impossible until it’s done. My friends, it is done. And you are the ones who did it. I am honored to be your Democratic nominee for the Mayor of New York City.
Zohran looking out on a victory night crowd.
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Thomas Nash @thomasnash.bsky.social · 25/06/2025
This new Harbour Quays bus route is big. Speeding up bus trips through the city makes daily life better for people, gets more bus frequency for the same cost and services more destinations. I hope the government will reconsider its decision not to help fund this very high value infrastructure.
Map showing the proposed Harbour Quays bus route with existing Golden Mile stops and proposed future Harbour Quays stops.
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Reposted by Thomas Nash
Tory Whanau @misswhanau.bsky.social · 19/06/2025
As we head into Matariki, I was reminded how important the arts are to Wellington's cultural and economic wellbeing. It's super important we support creatives - you can read more about this in my op-ed! www.thepost.co.nz/culture/3607...
thepost.co.nz
Matariki and the value of art
OPINION: We need to continue investing in the arts if we want jobs, economic benefits and strong communities ‒ and yes, that means central government, too.
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Thomas Nash @thomasnash.bsky.social · 18/06/2025
Wellington needs council candidates to focus on serious, affordable, high value for money projects they can actually deliver. Bus lanes, especially on the Harbour Quays, are a good example. Saving 10 mins for each of the 70,000 bus trips people take each day through the city is a very big deal. 1/
Map of the proposed faster buses route through the city noir to the eastern suburbs.Fact sheet on the faster buses proposal
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Reposted by Thomas Nash
Geordie Rogers @geordierogers.co.nz · 17/06/2025
Your Wellington Greens are committing to delivering a faster and more efficient bus network with bus lanes, stop improvements, and priority lights all the way from Seatoun to the Railway station
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Henry Peach @henrypeach.bsky.social · 17/06/2025
The only thing standing in the way of real change...is a few car parks. www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
rnz.co.nz
Wellington's Green Party council candidates promote transport proposals
They say their proposal to give buses priority on key routes would cut some commuter's trips by 10-15 minutes.
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Reposted by Thomas Nash
ETSC - European Transport Safety Council @etsc.eu · 03/06/2025
Study on London 20 mph limits shows: - collisions ⬇️ 35% - casualties ⬇️ 36% - fatal/serious injuries ⬇️ 34% - child casualties ⬇️ 46% - child deaths ⬇️ 75% - walkers, cyclists, motorcyclists killed/seriously injured ⬇️ 28% etsc.eu/20mph-limits...
etsc.eu
20mph limits in London linked to sharp fall in road injuries and deaths, new report finds
A new study published by Transport for London (TfL) has shown that the introduction of 20mph speed limits and zones on local authority-managed roads in London between 1989 and 2013 led to significant…
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Reposted by Thomas Nash
Yadana @yadana.bsky.social · 06/06/2025
I can’t wait until we unlock the potential of PT for Saturday morning sport. It’s time for our transport networks to break out of 20th century patterns of work and play
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Thomas Nash @thomasnash.bsky.social · 06/06/2025
The increase in Wellington’s weekend bus use is remarkable. Saturday is up 31% from 2019. Sunday is up 45%. In this period we increased our off peak discount and boosted off peak frequency, reducing drivers’ inconvenient split shifts. Still loads of untapped potential for off peak travel I reckon.
Graph showing the increase in weekend bus patronage in the Wellington region between 2019 and 2025.
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Thomas Nash @thomasnash.bsky.social · 04/06/2025
Very good to have more support for the Regional Council’s existing policy on fare capping. If central government’s ticketing project is delayed any further we should look to deliver this in Wellington now, as Auckland has already done. For now we need the city council to finish the bus lanes job. 1/
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Yadana @yadana.bsky.social · 04/06/2025
Our regional council has already approved fare capping, integrated ticketing and debit card payment - this isn’t new PT policy. It’s just that we’re at the behest of the govts national ticketing system. Wellington deserves what Auckland PT users already have. We shouldn’t have to wait longer
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Assiduously Julie @awaterevalley.bsky.social · 24/05/2025
"The Government knows there’s nothing similar between household borrowing and government borrowing. But it also knows that you don’t know that. (Because no one ever explains this properly.) So why use this metaphor if it’s so misleading?" www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360...
stuff.co.nz
Verity Johnson: ‘Running the country like a household’ is a political con
OPINION: Government knows there’s nothing similar between household borrowing and government borrowing. But it also knows that you don’t know that.
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Pippa Coom @pippacoom.bsky.social · 21/05/2025
Turns out objections to Te Reo signage was never about legibility or safety .... Distracting, unreadable and dangerous signage on the right coming to over 150 school communities across Auckland to replace the sign on the left.
On the left a 30 kmh KURA speed sign. On the right unreadable and dangerous variable speed signage
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Reposted by Thomas Nash
morgan godfery @morgangodfery.bsky.social · 20/05/2025
that infrastructure commission report that said we’re rapidly running down our *pre-war* infrastructure is one of those clarifying moments: politicians should probably be falling over themselves to address this etc
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Thomas Nash @thomasnash.bsky.social · 21/05/2025
Some thoughts on the newly announced maintenance and renewal funding for the government’s rail assets. This new funding needs to be part of a wider shift towards a new and fit for purpose rail model in New Zealand that properly recognises the full value of rail for our cities and our economy.
thepost.co.nz
The Post
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Thomas Nash @thomasnash.bsky.social · 19/05/2025
This new $143m covers the next two years of maintenance and renewals of the Crown’s rail assets. Having two years of certainty should help lift some of the speed restrictions KiwiRail has put on the network due to the state of its assets while giving rail partners time to agree a new funding model.
rnz.co.nz
Budget 2025: $600m for upgrading rail network
Wellington and Auckland will see $140 million to replace and upgrade their metropolitan rail.
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Reposted by Thomas Nash
Geordie Rogers @geordierogers.co.nz · 19/05/2025
Our bus lanes have cut travel times by a third between Newtown and Courtenay Place, yet candidates are hesitant to support more of them. Bus lanes have been transformational for the city and you won’t catch me hesitating to back building more! www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/3606...
thepost.co.nz
Bus fight brewing as Thomas Nash hints at new mayoral challenger
The regional councillor turns up the heat in Wellington’s mayoral race, using bus lane data to call out a perceived lack of commitment to public transport.
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Thomas Nash @thomasnash.bsky.social · 19/05/2025
Wellington has doubled the length of bus lanes and bus priority over this council term. One result is afternoon peak travel times from Newtown to Courtenay Pl are a third faster. But the full benefits of these bus lane time savings rely on doing the Golden Mile and Harbour Quays projects ASAP. 1/
Graphic showing bus travel times on the Newtown to Courtenay Place corridor from 2019 to 2025, showing a signs and reduction in afternoon peak travel times.
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Reposted by Thomas Nash
Louise Beryl @louiseberyl.bsky.social · 17/05/2025
more bus lanes = more efficient bus trips = more people willing to use buses = less people driving on the roads = roads are less clogged up = people who have to drive can do it easier/quicker I don't get how this is so hard
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Thomas Nash @thomasnash.bsky.social · 17/05/2025
Serious candidates in Wellington’s upcoming elections will focus squarely on improving people’s everyday material needs. This means committing to the current council’s delivery of a more reliable supply of clean water, quicker bus trips and more homes to help more people put down roots here. 1/
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Thomas Nash @thomasnash.bsky.social · 15/05/2025
The government noted advice this week that “for every $40 spent on new infrastructure, we should be investing $60 in maintenance and renewals.” This is encouraging. The government’s current transport investment plans are fiscally very high risk and need very close public scrutiny against this ratio.
Extract from Beehive press release with quotes from Infrastructure Minister, Chris Bishop.
 
"Poor asset management results in expensive renewals and emergency works, poor infrastructure quality, asset failures, and less funding for new services. The Infrastructure Commission estimates that for every $40 spent on new infrastructure, we should be investing $60 in maintenance and renewals.

"In practice, years of poor asset management means leaky hospitals and schools, mould in police stations and courthouses, service outages on commuter rail, and poor accommodation for Defence Force personnel and their families. It's not good enough. New Zealanders deserve better.
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NZ Transit Buzz @nztransitbuzz.bsky.social · 14/05/2025
#TrainNews: A Green Party policy for a passenger train between Auckland and Tauranga is a “no-brainer” commuters say, as a “cheaper, safer and faster” alternative to the worst traffic in the country and soaring airfares. Via Stuff: www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3606...
stuff.co.nz
‘No-brainer’: Commuters go loco for Tauranga to Auckland train
‘Cheaper, safer and faster’ journeys by rail are a better option than driving or flying, avoiding increasingly unbearable traffic and airfares.
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NZ Transit Buzz @nztransitbuzz.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
#TransportNews: A new strategy that aligns public transport improvements with urban development is a key feature of the Regional Public Transport Plan 2025-35, recommended by the Greater Wellington Transport Committee.
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Thomas Nash @thomasnash.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
This is a map of the temporary speed restrictions on Wellington’s rail network. Restrictions stem from the government’s rail assets being way, way overdue for renewals. It’s like leaving potholes on State Highways for years and telling drivers to slow down driving past them. Maintain your assets!
Map of temporary speed restrictions (TSRs) on the Wellington regional rail network.
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Julie Fairey (she/her) @juliefairey.bsky.social · 06/05/2025
Part of what really disturbs me about the sudden end of pay equity is the democratic implications - National did not say before the election that they would do this. It is now being passed under urgency, the same day as announcement, with no public input. NZers quite simply have not had a say.
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Tory Whanau @misswhanau.bsky.social · 03/05/2025
Politics has become an ugly place, with double standards for women, Māori and our rainbow community. It’s crucial to have discussions about the online criticism directed at women and gay politicians and I’m really looking forward to using my platform to find positive solutions. #nzpol
rnz.co.nz
Tory Whanau believes politics has become a lot more 'toxic' especially for wāhine Māori
As a progressive mayor she has also had to deal with the "old guard" resistant to change, the outgoing mayor says.
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Geordie Rogers @geordierogers.co.nz · 02/05/2025
It’s still early days of the new District Plan but it’s good to see that Wellingtons consents are recovering faster than the rest of NZ. In Q1 we have consented 39% of what we did in all of 2024 (NZ has consented 23% of its 2024 number in Q1)
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Tory Whanau @misswhanau.bsky.social · 01/05/2025
Wellington, we have more weather updates for you. We will be experiencing road closures at the following locations for clean up operations: Fulton Hogan will focus on arterial roads first, Owhiro Bay Parade and The Esplanade, then Moa Point / Breaker Bay.
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Henry Peach @henrypeach.bsky.social · 07/04/2025
Stoked to be endorsed to run for Greater Wellington Regional Council alongside the wonderful Yadana Saw and to campaign for a more livable, low carbon and climate-resiliant city. Greens on council = more homes, faster/reliable buses and trains, clean drinking water, & restoring our ngahere 🌳💧🚊🚎🏘
Henry Peach and Yadana Saw for Greater Wellington Regional Council (featuring cute doggo)
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Thomas Nash @thomasnash.bsky.social · 01/05/2025
Large fenced sanctuaries work! We need to get on with building more of them ASAP. In decades to come, we’ll look back on decisions to set up new large fenced sanctuaries as crucially important moves. The Wainuiomata proposal is ready to go with even more productive native forest than Maungatautari!
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Tory Whanau @misswhanau.bsky.social · 30/04/2025
This is good and well, but what I’d really like to know is how we’re going to address the behaviour. Are we going to challenge social media companies to play their part? Will we look at hate speech legislation? Education? The onus shouldn’t be on those getting abused. www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
rnz.co.nz
Councillors to have 'how-to' guidebook on staying safe from abuse
Abuse and harassment has been increasing and councils are concerned about a potential chilling effect on people standing in local elections this year.
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Thomas Nash @thomasnash.bsky.social · 30/04/2025
What is really baffling here is that one of Andrew Little’s most prominent commitments so far is to “make public transport cheaper” and while that is actually impossible for him to do (wrong council), what he could deliver is more bus improvements, including the long overdue ones on the Golden Mile!
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Thomas Nash @thomasnash.bsky.social · 29/04/2025
Just getting the airport bus into town and it is 1 minute faster than the trip by car. This is possible mainly because of the dedicated bus tunnel through Mt Victoria and we can shave even more time off this and other bus trips by implementing our proposed bus priority improvements to the east.
Google map image showing the Metlink airport bus trip taking 24 minutes at the start of the afternoon peak.Google map image showing the trip by car taking 25 minutes at the start of the afternoon peak (or 33 minutes travelling through State Highway 1).
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Thomas Nash @thomasnash.bsky.social · 28/04/2025
Very pleased to have this new increased capacity on the 83 bus route between Wellington and Eastbourne, which is very busy on weekends. We certainly heard the calls for this from bus passengers and I’m glad we have been able to respond.
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Thomas Nash @thomasnash.bsky.social · 28/04/2025
Tory Whanau has delivered record investment in water infrastructure, freed up record amounts of space for new homes in the inner city and installed a record number of bus and bike improvements. In all these areas Tory has delivered more than any Wellington mayor in recent history, possibly ever. 1/
Extract from Herald article:

Whanau won the mayoralty in 2022, beating Labour's Paul Eagle and incumbent Wellington Mayor Andy Foster in the closest thing to a landslide possible under Wellington's STV voting system.

Looking back, Whanau is proud to have lifted the city's water investment to $1.8 billion in the 2024-34 Long-Term Plan.
The council's district plan will enable thousands of new homes. The council has also planned to upgrade over 800 social housing units.

It has built 27km of new cycleways and bus priority lanes have doubled from 4km to 8km.

"I'm really proud of that ... that is exactly what I was elected to deliver and now with the Golden Mile project starting officially I feel very proud. We're, we're in the middle of transformation," Whanau said.
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Rebecca Matthews @rebeccamatthews.bsky.social · 21/04/2025
I'm running! With our city (and world) the way it is, there's a need for constructive, pragmatic people at the table. If I'm lucky enough to receive the Greens nomination, I'll be asking for your help - for housing, infrastructure, for a Wellington where everyone can thrive.
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Thomas Nash @thomasnash.bsky.social · 20/04/2025
We’re proud of our record as Greens in Wellington over the last few years. It’s been too fast for some (too slow for others) and we know we can’t always expect fair, balanced and accurate reporting. So you can check out the facts for yourself here and tell us what you think: www.capitalworks.nz.
Screenshot of letter to the editor in the Sunday Star Times:

Greens defend record

As Green-affiliated city and regional councillors in Wellington City, we are proud of our record in Wellington over a challenging few years, working from difficult starting points. We have achieved record investments in water infrastructure, unlocked generations of constraints on building new homes and delivered all-time high patronage and reliability on our buses.

We understand good news and actual tangible progress doesn’t always make the headlines and instead there’s often a focus on setbacks and disputes. We see it as an important role for us to help communicate the actual facts around what has been and is being achieved.
Some pundits have said, without any evidence to support their claims, that we have “no record”. Of course, not everyone agrees with the progress we’ve made, but it’s important for local democracy that people can judge for themselves. 

So, we’ve collected some facts about our work in a new website: www. capitalworks.nz. 

Check it out for yourself and get in touch - we would love to hear from you.

Mayor Tory Whanau, deputy mayor Laurie Foon, city councillors Nīkau Wi Neera and Geordie Rogers, regional councillors Yadana Saw and Thomas Nash
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Thomas Nash @thomasnash.bsky.social · 19/04/2025
Traffic management is one of those services that is critical to our city. It allows people to carry on moving safely around while major projects are being done. It should be core business for councils and finding a way to bring it in house, eg via a CCO, is exactly the kind of improvement we need.
Extract from Mayor Tory Whanau’s oped in the Sunday Star Times:

We can also continue to look for efficiencies across the city. One of the biggest costs with our transformation projects is traffic management. I'm looking forward to seeing if we can reduce this significantly by bringing that function in - house. It will also make things significantly easier for local businesses who are keen to host street events.
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