Category: News

A News Post on something that has happened

Rail Network to Custard Again [UPDATED]

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Digger cuts the signal cable

More issues for the Auckland Rail Network this evening with a digger cutting the signal cable at Otahuhu.

As of now (when the post was written) from limited Auckland Transport Tweets Eastern Line services are terminating at Syliva Park or running to Manukau while the Southern Line covered by the diesels are running every 20 minutes (timetable suspended again). But Tweets are infrequent and no presser to the media or the blogs on the situation. Auckland Transport must be “too busy again” to deal with it (This Is What Auckland Transport Thinks of You – The Rail Passenger [UPDATED])

I was forwarded this link and it seems rather apt:

Stay safe Auckland as we are still under a Severe Thunderstorm WATCH with reports of more thunder cells rolling in from the Tasman!

Draft Newmarket Metropolitan Centre Laneways Plan

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Not everything is City Centre Centric

The Waitemata Local Board is seeking feedback on enhancing the vibrancy of the Newmarket Metropolitan Centre.

From the Waitemata Local Board:

Opinion on priorities sought for Newmarket Plan

Public opinion is being sought on the vision and priorities proposed in the draft Newmarket Laneways Plan.  Waitematā Local Board has drafted a vision for the area to improve the quality of the streets and public spaces, making the area safer, more inviting, more interesting and more walkable.

Newmarket is one of Auckland’s busiest retail zones; it has a large residential component and is expected to experience a boom in daytime activity as the new University of Auckland, Grafton campus, begins to reach its potential.  Quality planning of the area needs to take place to best prepare the centre for future growth.

Waitematā Local Board Chair, Shale Chambers, describes the Newmarket Laneways as “an area that is important for social interaction and for a more pedestrian focused retail precinct”.

“Newmarket is home to increasingly popular events and activities. We need to make sure that the planning for the area takes into account its changing face as well as the needs of those how live in and around Newmarket today.”

All those interested in providing feedback on the draft plan are invited to either complete an online feedback form on shapeauckland.co.nz before Sunday 14 June, or attend a public Open Day the next being:

–       Osborne Street, Saturday 6 June, 11am – 2pm

Copies of this draft plan is available at local libraries, the Waitematā Local Board office and online on www.shapeauckland.co.nz

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Update on Manukau Parklets and the Manukau Interchange MK3 designs from Auckland Transport.

cropped-2014-12-29-14-07-17.jpg

Auckland Transport has been ‘reminded’ that I am awaiting further information on both the parklets and the designs to the Interchange. I have been informed that once the Otara-Papatoetoe Local Board have been briefed any updates that become available will follow.

North Shore Up for the New Bus Network Consultation

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Don’t forget to have your say

The North Shore is now up for their say in the New Bus Network consultation rounds. This particular one is “special” insofar as the destination routes in the City Centre are altered owing to the enabling works of the Auckland Transit Link (the City Rail Link) starting later this year. So please take note there.

From Auckland Transport

Public feedback invited on new bus network for the North Shore

Transformation of Auckland’s public transport network is underway, and from 2 June to 13 July feedback is open on proposed changes for the North Shore.

Rapid buses on the busway, new frequent services across the North Shore, improved neighbourhood services to get to the busway, and a simpler, more connected network are some of the features included in the proposed changes.

“The New Network will shift us to a completely new way of operating,” says Anthony Cross, Public Transport Network Manager. “Rather than just making modifications to bus routes here and there, we’re addressing the structure as a whole.”

For the North Shore, this means making the Northern busway more accessible to more people, and also increasing the number of local and Auckland-wide destinations you can travel to once you get to a busway station.

“It’s about increasing the freedom of where you can go and what you can do with public transport,” he says.

“Our current network isn’t built for transfers, which limits the number of destinations you can travel to easily. It’s also focused on catering to commuter travel, with frequent services running during morning and evening peak. The changes we’re proposing will overcome these limitations, by providing services that are designed to connect with each other, a new zonal fare system, as well as high frequency services that run all day, every day.”

This includes four new frequent services proposed for key routes across the North Shore. These buses will run at least every 15 minutes between 7am to 7pm, 7 days a week, so passengers can simply ‘turn up and go’, even on the weekend. The Frequent Network will be supported by Connector and Local services, with lower frequencies appropriate to passenger demand.

The launch of the North Shore New Network is planned for 2017, however the time for feedback is now.

“Public feedback is crucial to creating a network that benefits Aucklanders,” says Anthony. “We’re asking people to look beyond their personal journey and weigh the benefits of the New Network as a whole, however we need to know if the new services will get you where you need to go.

“Now’s the time we can make changes – once the New Network is implemented it will be much harder.”

North Shore residents will receive a copy of the consultation brochure with a map in their mail box. Feedback can be given online, at a public information event or by completing the form in the brochure and mailing it back.

For more information on the North Shore consultation visit www.AT.govt.nz/NewNetwork.

The New Network is a region-wide public transport network that will change the way people travel. It will include Frequent, Connector, Local and Peak services. The Frequent Network will have buses and trains at least every 15 minutes from 7am to 7pm, 7 days a week.
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Public Information Events

Date Time Event
Sat 6 June 10am – 3pm Devonport Library
Sun 7 June 5.30pm – 10pm Glenfield Night Markets
Sun 14 June 7am – midday Browns Bay Market
Thurs 18 June 4pm – 7pm Albany and Constellation Busway Stations
Sat 20 June 10am – 2pm Northcote Library

Chinese and Korean speaking staff will be present at this event
Sat 20 June 8am – 1pm Beach Haven Market
Sun 21 June 10am – 3pm Birkenhead Library
Sat 27 June 10am – 2pm Mairangi Bay Shops
Sun 28 June 7am – midday Takapuna Markets
Weds 1 July 4pm – 7pm Sunnynook and Smales Farm Busway Stations
Fri 3 July Midday – 4.30pm Upper Harbour Local Board office, Albany
Sat 4 July 10.30am – 2.30pm Greenhithe Village Hall
Sun 5 July 2.30pm – 7pm Sunnynook Community Centre

Chinese and Korean speaking staff will be present at this event

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A PDF Brochure

Feedback closes July 13

Continued Sense of Urgent Requirement for the Auckland Transit Link (City Rail Link)

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Strong patronage growth illustrated needed for continued investment

As the Auckland motorways are grid locked owing to multiple accidents at the time I wrote this all four Lines on the rail network were running clear in getting people home from work tonight. But there will be a time very soon where the rail network will need that missing link built to open up the latent capacity needed to move more Aucklanders.

From Voxy

Mayor: Patronage leap highlights urgent need for CRL

Tuesday, 26 May, 2015 – 16:37

Auckland Mayor Len Brown says the latest leap in public transport patronage highlights the need for the City Rail Link to be built as soon as possible.

Mr Brown is warning there will soon be serious congestion issues at Britomart both in terms of the number of trains trying to access the station and the number of passengers waiting to board them.

“At this rate, Auckland will meet the Government’s patronage threshold for financial support for the CRL early in 2017, three years earlier than projected. Growth has been accelerating since late 2013.”

“This confirms what Aucklanders keep telling me. They want to get off the congested roads and onto efficient, reliable and modern public transport.”

In the past 12 months:

– Auckland’s overall public transport patronage has grown by 10%

– Rail patronage has grown by 22%

– Northern Express bus services patronage has grown 17% in the 12 months to Apr-2015

– Bus services excluding Northern Express patronage has grown by 7.6%

– Ferry patronage has increased by 6.6%

In April alone, overall public transport patronage jumped 4% year on year with rail up 18.1%.

Auckland Transport Chairman Dr Lester Levy says the growth in rail patronage is particularly pleasing.

“It has been a difficult time as we run both an electric and a diesel system. We expect the growth to continue as we are just weeks away from a full electric operation from Swanson in the west to Papakura in the south.”

Len Brown says the big next leap in rail patronage will come when electric trains service the Western Line from late July. Already the new electric trains have started running on that line at the weekends.

“We have seen huge leaps in patronage once the comfortable quieter and reliable electric trains started running on lines such as Onehunga and Manukau.’

Last week, Auckland Council’s Finance and Performance Committee supported an Accelerated Transport Programme made possible by funding from the new Interim Transport Levy for the next three years.

The money generated from the levy will help fund The Accelerated Transport Programme, which will include projects across the region.

Len Brown says “This means we can now star

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See: Budget 2015: Even PwC Stipulates Need For City Rail Link to Unlock South Auckland on pressing need for the CRL (Auckland Transit Link).

Transport subsidy April 2015 Source: Auckland Transport
April 15 Patronage figures Source: Auckland Transport