Auckland Transport Media Release

14 June 2011

Travel early for Friday’s Eden Park game

Rugby fans are being advised to travel early for this Friday’s Blues game at Eden Park.

Trains and special events buses are free to all Super Rugby games, and upcoming Rugby World Cup 2011 games, with a match ticket from 4.30pm.

Extra services will run to Kingsland from Britomart, in addition to normal timetabled services every 15 minutes on the Western Line. The special event services stop only at Grafton Station before terminating at Kingsland.

An additional game day service along the southern line from Papakura at 6.08pm will go direct from Newmarket to Kingsland. For all other journeys on the southern and eastern lines passengers are advised to use normal scheduled services to Britomart and then catch a special event train to Kingsland.

Meanwhile weekday train commuters are advised to think about changing their travel routines if they want to avoid busy periods as fans travel to Eden Park to see the Blues play the Highlanders.

Regular train services along the western line will be replaced by buses between approximately 8pm and 11pm to minimise disruption for commuters.

The suspension of regular services is needed to move large numbers of people after the game.

Auckland Transport Public Transport Operations Manager Mark Lambert says that events attracting large crowds mean some changes to how other travellers get around.

“Although every effort is made to minimise disruption for regular commuters, the increased demand for public transport means people need to be patient or think about changing their travel routines.

”Rugby fans should allow plenty of time to get to Eden Park for any pre-match entertainment and kick off,” says Mr Lambert.

Trains will be leaving Kingsland station for Britomart every five minutes after the game and from Morningside for the west approximately every 10 minutes until crowds are cleared.

Free special event buses to Eden Park will run every 10 minutes from Auckland CBD, every 10 minutes from Newmarket via Mt Eden and every 15 minutes from Albany Station along the Northern Busway. Special event buses also run from Takapuna and Manukau/Pakuranga/Botany.

Passengers are reminded that alcohol is not permitted for consumption on any of these public transport services.

Some roads around Eden Park will be closed to the public. Every effort will be made to ensure access for residents and their visitors. However depending on crowd size and movement, access may be restricted at the discretion of Auckland Transport and the police.

Due to the closure of Sandringham Rd, bus services along this road will be diverted via Dominion Rd between New North Rd and Balmoral Rd from approximately 6:00pm-10:30pm.

More information is at www.maxx.co.nz.

About Auckland Transport

Auckland Transport is a Council Controlled Organisation (CCO) of Auckland Council. It is responsible for all of the region’s transport services (excluding state highways) - from roads and footpaths, to cycling, parking and public transport.

Among its main tasks are:

§ To design, build and maintain Auckland’s roads, ferry wharves, cycleways and walkways.

§ Co-ordinate road safety and community transport initiatives such as school travel

§ Plan and fund bus, train and ferry services across Auckland.

For more information go to www.aucklandtransport.govt.nz.

ENDS

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