This is the worst example of a polluting bus I’ve ever seen on Auckland’s Queen St, which I captured this morning on my way to work. In any civilised city, this should be completely unacceptable. A few questions:
- Why aren’t noisy, polluting, carcinogenic emissions like this illegal in New Zealand’s biggest city?
- Doesn’t Metrolink check buses for excessive pollution as they leave the depot?
- Does Auckland Transport enforce any emission standards as part of any contract with operators?
- Won’t it be embarrassing if buses like this are permitted to operate during the Rugby World Cup?
- Whatever happened to 0800 Smokey?
I’ll be asking Auckland Transport and NZ Bus to follow up on this. Its bus number 1801, which is one of the old former Link buses I think.
[Update] – have just sent the following through the Maxx feedback form:
I observed bus number 1801 emitting excessive noise and diesel exhaust on the corner of Queen St and K’Rd. A video of this can be seen at http://www.bettertransport.org.nz/2011/01/polluting-buses/
Can this bus please be removed the road immediately until the problem can be rectified?
Also more generally, is there any agency responsible for enforcing emission standards for buses in Auckland?
