4 September 2011

Make a transport game plan for Opening Night

Aucklanders are reminded to have a game plan for getting around this Friday, as Rugby World Cup 2011 kicks off with the biggest party the city has seen.

The central city is expected to be very busy, with more than 50,000 downtown for the Opening Night event and 60,000 fans heading to Eden Park at peak time for commuters.

Auckland Transport Spokesman Wally Thomas says the first day of Rugby World Cup 2011 is going to be one of the busiest days Auckland has experienced.

"By changing travel routines and being patient Aucklanders can help make Opening Night a success off the field as well as on it.

"Our main advice for people working in the CBD is to either stay in town and be part of the fun or get out of the CBD by 3.30pm. The roads and public transport will be very busy, so trying to get home from the CBD at peak time will be very difficult."

Transport advice for Opening Night:

* Get to the Fanzone early to ensure you are in the best spot to catch all the action. Consider finishing work early to give yourself plenty of time.

* If you're going to the official Opening Ceremony and opening match at Eden Park, leave early and plan to be in your seat by at least 7pm so you don't miss what will be a spectacular show. It starts 7.30pm sharp and there will be pre-ceremony entertainment.

* Quay Street and the surrounding area will be closed so avoid driving near there, or arrange deliveries and essential trips for early in the day. Managed access for businesses, with deliveries through designated routes, is until midday Friday 9 September.

* If you're not going to the match avoid travel around Eden Park as there will be road closures and parking restrictions, there will be delays and congestion

* Normal train services will be affected. From about 3.30pm commuter train frequencies out of Britomart will reduce to about every 20 minutes, with some terminating at Otahuhu, to allow 5 minute frequency event trains to take fans from Britomart to Kingsland. Buses will replace some trains on the Western Line from about 5pm to midnight.

* Britomart Station entrances and train transfers will change to manage the huge crowds. All passengers not going to the match will be directed to the eastern Takutai Square entrance of Britomart (Westpac end) to get priority boarding onto their trains.

* The position of most bus stops around Britomart will be temporarily re-located. Each affected bus stop will have information on the relocation or go to www.maxx.co.nz.

* The last trains from Britomart are 1.17am on the Onehunga Line 1.36am on the Western Line, 2.15am on the Eastern Line, 2.30am on the Southern Line.

Comprehensive plans are in place for getting 60,000 people to the Opening Ceremony and match at Eden Park.

They include:

* The Fan Trail, a walking route packed with entertainment, which starts in the city at Queen Elizabeth Square (opposite the Britomart Transport Centre) and ends at Eden Park

* Trains and special event buses are free with a match ticket from 4.30pm until the end of service on trains and for buses until one hour after the match, or until crowds are cleared. The aim is to clear crowds using event public transport within 70 minutes of the match finishing

* Trains running every 5 to 7 minutes between Britomart and Kingsland, stopping only at Kingsland Station. Trains from the west running approximately every 15 minutes to Morningside Station. Special event trains from the south.

* Special event buses from Albany every 10 minutes stopping at all Northern Busway Station, Takapuna from Hurstmere Rd every 15 minutes, midtown CBD from Queen St outside the Civic every 5 minutes, Newmarket and Mt Eden every 10 minutes and from Manukau city centre/Botany Town Centre/Pakuranga Plaza every 30 minutes

* All rail services and the majority of special event bus services will be accessible for the mobility impaired. A mobility shuttle will operate to / from the Morningside train station to the venue

* Taxi drop off points on Bond St, New North and Dominion roads, taxi ranks after the match on Dominion Rd and New North Rd

* A mobility taxi rank is located in Bellwood Avenue near Cromwell Street for mobility drop off / pick up. People being picked up need to make sure the vehicle is in place before the end of the match to avoid the road closures.

* A limited number of accessible parking spaces will be provided in Bellwood Road (between Cromwell Street and Dominion Road), an orange mobility sticker is required for access. A shuttle service will operate between this point and the venue.

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