Tag: Auckland Transport

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

Check out your options for getting to the FIFA U-20 World Cup

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Know your options and plan ahead

From Auckland Transport

Transport options for the FIFA U-20 World Cup 

If you intend to travel to the FIFA U-20 World Cup at North Harbour Stadium on Tuesday night, plan your trip in advance and allow extra time as the roads will be busy due to peak traffic. Limited parking is available around the stadium.

Public transport is also a good option for Aucklanders to get to the football.

New Zealand plays USA tomorrow night at 7pm at North Harbour Stadium. Public transport to the event is included with your match ticket.

Auckland Transport’s Operations Manager – Special Events Logan Christian says special event buses will run from the central city, Takapuna and Henderson to get fans to and from the stadium. “The buses will generally run along the Northern Busway ensuring a smooth trip.”

Services will depart from Quay St in the city (stop 7301 near Queen St) from 5pm, as well as from Takapuna and Henderson.

Full details here: https://at.govt.nz/bus-train-ferry/events/fifa-u-20-world-cup-2015/#Matches 

After the match all event buses will depart from directly outside the stadium on Don McKinnon Drive.

Travel on trains to Britomart, to connect with a bus to the stadium, is also included with match tickets. You can travel from 3 hours prior to kick-off until the last train service of the night.

Mr Christian says: “Whether you are taking the bus or driving to the venue tomorrow night it is important that you allow plenty of time to get there because traffic will be heavy at that time of night.”

Check out the site for the FIFA U-20 World Cup: http://www.fifa.com/u20worldcup/

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Vandals on Rail Network Risk Their Lives

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The is a saying for that and it begins with ‘D’

From Auckland Transport

Graffiti attacks on trains are dangerous 

Auckland Transport is warning that someone will be seriously injured or killed if foolish young people continue to graffiti trains. The warning comes after an incident yesterday. CCTV footage shows a group of youths wearing balaclavas spraying paint on a train as it slowed and stopped before entering the Parnell tunnel.

Auckland Transport, Manager Rail Services, Craig Inger says being anywhere near train tracks, at any time, is stupid and dangerous. It’s also costly, with ratepayers and taxpayers forking out tens of thousands of dollars a year to cover up the damage.

Improved security at railway stabling yards has seen the problem move onto suburban rail lines in recent years, he says. Mr Inger adds that the region’s new fleet of electric trains are also faster and quieter than the old diesel units and this poses an even greater risk.

In an unrelated incident yesterday, a young man was struck while trespassing on tracks near Orakei station. CCTV footage shows him running away after the incident however services were delayed, and thousands of customers inconvenienced, until Police and the rail operator, Transdev, investigated as it was initially thought to be a fatality.

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Auckland Parking Strategy to be Adopted

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Consultation at Community Level to be ongoing

From Auckland Transport:

A fresh look at parking  in Auckland

Auckland Transport has adopted a parking strategy which will mean a consistent approach for the first time for parking across the region.

The document allows for a case by case approach to parking taking into account local issues and the views of local boards and the community. Consultation with the community will continue as parking measures are introduced.

In May 2014, Auckland Transport released the Parking Discussion Document for public consultation. The Discussion Document set out key parking issues in Auckland, provided suggested approaches to meet these issues and sought community feedback to guide the development of the AT Parking Strategy. As part of the consultation process, there were 22 workshops with local boards, industry groups, business associations, and Auckland Council.

More than 5,500 submissions were received, a quarter were about the overall management of demand parking, 18% were about parking on residential streets and on park and rides and 11% were about parking on arterial roads. Half the submissions came from central Auckland or from CBD fringe suburbs such as Parnell, Ponsonby and Newton.

Auckland Transport’s Parking Services Manager Russell Derecourt says there has been pressure to find a solution to commuter parking issues in residential streets. “The problem involves commuters and service vehicles parking long term and taking parking from local residents.”

Mr Derecourt says Auckland Transport has been talking with residential groups and will, in conjunction with local boards and the community develop a consultation programme.

In addition there is the issue of managing space on arterial roads and traffic conflicting with kerbside parking.  In Auckland, 60% of bus trips, 40% of car journeys and 35% of trips by goods vehicles are on arterials.

Chief Strategy Officer Peter Clark says there is a need to manage parking on arterial roads to optimise the number of people, services and goods moving on those roads. “Auckland Transport recognises that we need to take a measured approach in town centres to take into account local characteristics and develop solutions that meet local needs, we will do this in consultation with local boards, business associations and the local community”.

He says park and rides in the right places have proven to effectively extend the potential number of users for public transport and get people out of their cars. There are currently around 5,500 park and ride spots and 80% are full by 8am with parking overflowing into local streets. Further opportunities for park and rides will be reviewed taking into consideration appropriate land use in a rapidly growing city.

The AT Parking Strategy contributes to the achievement of Auckland Transport’s strategic themes and Auckland Plan outcomes. It also outlines the guiding principles and policies for the management and supply of on-street and AT-controlled off-street parking in Auckland.

The AT Parking Strategy and the submissions document can be found here: www.at.govt.nz/about-us/transport-plans-strategies/parking-strategy

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I am inclined to have any Park and Ride not serving a rural catchment (so between Otahuhu, New Lynn, and Constellation Drive) attract a $2/day flat fare especially when there are feeder buses to be feeding those particular stations. Those Park and Rides with rural catchments (so Papakura and Swanson) should remain free owing to lack of feeder buses in the rural catchment.