ARTA Media Release
18 January 2008

ARTA provides courtesy buses to State Funeral of Sir Edmund Hillary

The Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA), with its operator NZ Bus, is pleased to supply courtesy buses to the Lying in State of Sir Edmund Hillary (KG, ONZ, KBE) at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Parnell on Monday 21 January and to the Auckland City Council’s screened viewing of Sir Edmund’s funeral on Tuesday 22 January at the Auckland Domain.

ARTA Chief Executive, Fergus Gammie says, “These special courtesy bus services are a gesture of respect from ARTA to the late Sir Edmund Hillary. Given the large numbers of people expected to pay their respects to Sir Edmund, we encourage people to take public transport rather than driving their own vehicles.”

On Monday 21 January, a free courtesy shuttle bus will operate between Britomart and the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Parnell, where Sir Edmund will lie in state before his funeral the following day. The shuttle bus service will depart Britomart (stop D6) every 10 minutes between the hours of 7.00am and midnight on Monday 21 January, and every 30 minutes between midnight and 5.00am on the morning of Tuesday 22 January. Travelling via Customs Street East, Beach Road, Parnell Rise and Parnell Road to the Holy Trinity Cathedral, the shuttle will pick up passengers at all stops along the route.

On Tuesday 22 January, a free courtesy bus shuttle will operate between Britomart (stop D6) and the Auckland Domain, travelling via Custom Street East, Anzac Avenue, Symonds Street, Grafton Road and Park Road to the Domain. The service will depart every 10 minutes between the hours of 8.30am and 3.00pm, picking up at all stops along the route.

In addition to the free bus service between Britomart and the Domain, supplied by ARTA, NZ Bus will also be offering free travel on The Link bus between the hours of 8.00am to 4.00pm on Tuesday 22 January. The Link bus operates every 10 minutes throughout the day and runs both clockwise and anti-clockwise around a route that includes the Auckland CBD, Parnell, Newmarket, Karangahape Road, Ponsonby and Victoria Park.

NZ Bus CEO Bruce Emson says, “Making the easily recognisable Link Bus free will hopefully encourage people to consider this an appropriate option.”

While the courtesy buses provide the easiest option to get to Sir Edmund’s funeral, ARTA will also supply additional train services on Tuesday 22 January.

Western Line passengers are advised to alight from the Boston Road train stop for the approximate ten-minute walk to the Domain. The Southern Line will have additional Britomart to Newmarket shuttles both before and after the funeral, with an approximate fifteen-minute walk to the Domain.

Passengers using the Eastern Line are advised to catch the courtesy shuttle, the Link bus or transfer to Southern Line trains from Britomart and get off at Newmarket, or catch a Western Line train and get off at either Newmarket or Boston Road.

More information on the special services for Sir Edmund’s funeral can be obtained by contacting MAXX on 366 6400 or visiting www.maxx.co.nz

ENDS

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