Auckland Transport Media Release
16 August 2011

Get ready for the launch of Auckland’s newest bus services

Auckland Transport is urging bus customers to visit the MAXX website and find their new journey plan ahead of major changes to central Auckland bus routes this weekend. When new City, Inner and Outer LINK services begin operation on Sunday, travellers will need to understand how the new routes and new bus stops impact their journeys.

Auckland Transport’s Public Transport Operations Manager, Mark Lambert says: “The new LINK services represent a significant move towards a simplified and integrated public transport network for central Auckland. Customers should plan ahead to understand the new bus routes and new bus stops.

Auckland Transport is implementing a comprehensive public information campaign to support our customers through the change. If using the journey planner, customers will need to enter the date as 21 or 22 August for journeys using the new services”

Mayor Len Brown will officially launch the new LINK services this Friday morning at an event in the newly opened Wynyard Quarter.

“Great public transport is central to my vision of making Auckland the world’s most liveable city. It’s all about giving people choice about how they move around Auckland. The expansion of the LINK service will certainly give people more choice in the way they get around the central city and the surrounding communities.”

The existing LINK will be renamed Inner LINK and have some of its route changed to make it more direct and reliable, including shifting off Queen Street to Albert Street. Two new services will also be introduced – City LINK, which will replace the existing City Circuit and Outer LINK, which will provide access to city fringe suburbs like Pt. Chevalier, Mt Albert, St Lukes, Mt Eden, Epsom, Newmarket and Parnell, as well as the universities and Wellesley St in the city centre.

New high quality buses painted red, amber and green will operate on the three LINK services. The new buses will be air conditioned, wheel-chair accessible, buggy friendly and meet Euro 5+ emissions standards.

The new City LINK bus will remain free until the end of this year as part of the service introduction period. From 1 January 2012, the City LINK will remain free to HOP card users and cost 50 cents for other full-fare cash paying passengers with other concessions for school students, children and seniors.

The new Inner LINK service, which replaces the existing LINK service, will retain a flat $1.80 fare and run a revised route that provides a more direct and reliable service for customers.
For the new Outer LINK bus service, customers will pay no more than the standard two stage fare of $3.40 which will connect central suburbs including Herne Bay, Pt. Chevalier, St Lukes, Mt Eden and Newmarket.

City LINK runs every 7-8 minutes*, 6.30am - 11.30pm Monday to Saturday and every second bus stops in Wynyard Quarter (every 15 minutes*.) On Sundays and Public Holidays, City LINK runs every 10 minutes* 7am-11pm (every 20 minutes* to Wynyard Quarter.)

Inner LINK runs every 10 minutes* (both ways) 6.30am-8pm weekdays and every 15 minutes evenings to 11pm and 7am-11pm Sunday and public holidays.

Outer LINK runs every 15 minutes* (both ways) 6.30am-11pm Monday to Saturday and 7am -11pm Sunday and public holidays.

Full details of the new LINK services and revised CBD and Western Bays bus routes are available on the MAXX website.

Auckland Transport will review the new services in six months, to assess how well they have worked, and will be actively seeking feedback from the public about the new services to inform this review.

Customers who wish to provide feedback on the new services can do so via the feedback form on the MAXX website or via the MAXX Contact Centre on 0800 10 30 80.

*Actual frequency may vary with traffic, road conditions and other unplanned circumstances.

ENDS

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