Auckland Transport media release

18 April 2013

Aucklanders back new public transport structure

Aucklanders have given strong support to a new structure for public transport as outlined in the draft Auckland Regional Public Transport Plan.

The RPTP was released in October and more than 700 groups or individuals made submissions. The Panel hearing submissions has reported back that 70 per cent of respondents either support or strongly support the new network approach.

The draft Plan aims to transform Auckland’s current complex mix of public transport services into a mature city-wide network of connected, reliable and frequent services, it outlines the public transport services and policies proposed for the region over the next 10 years. It is viewed by Auckland Transport as a change maker in respect of the way public transport will be delivered for customers.

Auckland Transport’s Manager Public Transport Operations, Mark Lambert says, “The draft Plan proposes a simpler, more integrated network. This will enable improved access to more destinations through better connections, reduced waiting times and deliver a network of frequent services at least every 15 minutes. It will change the way public transport is delivered in Auckland.”

The Plan is built around a frequent service network, which includes rail, and the Northern Busway, supplemented with high-frequency bus routes connecting major centres; it will deliver at least a 15-minute service, from 7am-7pm, with reduced frequencies outside those hours. The network will be complemented by connecting routes which operate at half-hourly frequencies. Supporting this are local services, peak-only services, and targeted services catering for specific local needs.

Notwithstanding the strong overall support for the new structure, a number of submissions raised concerns about the need for transfers, whether connecting services would be sufficiently reliable, and whether sufficient infrastructure would be in place to enable transfers to be made quickly, safely, and conveniently. The Panel has highlighted this as a key issue for Auckland Transport.

Other areas requiring more focus in the Plan include the need for some bus stop locations to be reviewed, especially where frequent service routes intersect and transfers may be required. The Panel says it also needs to be reinforced that any fare penalties for transferring will be removed.

A significant number of submissions also raised concerns about the cost implications for short trips across zone boundaries, and several offered alternative proposals to address these apparent inequities (including increasing the number of zones, overlapping zone boundaries, capped fares, and replacing zones with a distance-based system). The exclusion of ferry fares from the zone structure was also raised as a concern by several submitters.

The Panel believes these concerns need to be addressed, and that the implementation of a zone-based system based on the boundaries proposed in the RPTP should not proceed. In selecting a replacement system, it is important that the financial and patronage implications of the various alternatives – for users, operators and funders – are clearly understood. For this reason, the Panel is recommending a thorough review of potential fare systems.

Open Days on the Plan will commence in the south from mid-June.

The Panel included Cr Mike Lee (Chair), Paul Lockey (Auckland Transport Board), Peter Clark (General Manager, Strategy and Planning), and Mark Lambert (Manager, Public Transport Operations).

The report of the Hearings Panel is included.

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Submitter_Update__RPTP_Hearings_Panel_Report_Post_Hearings.pdf

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