Auckland Transport prepares big push on key bus routes

Monday, 6 August 2018

Auckland Transport chief executive Shane Ellison is looking for quick hits on improving bus services.

Auckland Transport is preparing to speed-up many suburban bus trips, in a bid to boost patronage while major long-term projects continue.

Some of the changes along key routes won't be an easy sell to local communities, chief executive Shane Ellison told Stuff.

The agency has lined up 11 main routes where it believes giving buses a better run, even at the expense of general traffic or kerbside parking, could make a big difference.

'There's a conversation we need to have and it's a challenging one, but if we're going to deal with things like congestion problems, we are going to have to reallocate road space,' he said.

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With Auckland's big public transport projects, like the City Rail Link and Light Rail, are seven years or more away, the agency is looking at what it can deliver in two to three years.

'We are looking at where we can improve the bus journey time, the frequency and the consistency of journey times - all those things matter to customers,' said Ellison.

'That could have a huge impact.'

Auckland Transport has yet to release details of the first routes or timings, and met on Monday with industry consultants and firms, to discuss how best to make changes.

Legislation enabling Auckland's 11.5 cent-a-litre regional fuel tax, lists Sandringham, New North, Mt Eden, Remuera and Manukau roads as five areas to be funded for upgrades.

Five others were earmarked for capital spending for initiatives such as 'dynamic lanes', which switch directions in peak times, on Great North, Blockhouse Bay, Patiki, Redoubt and East Coast Roads.

Despite the rapid growth of commuter trains, suburban buses still carry two-thirds of the 92 million public transport trips annually.

Of those, 46 million trips - half of Auckland's PT total - were on the so-called Connector routes, where patronage actually dipped slightly, compared with the previous year.

On the Frequent bus network, patronage has jumped 34 per cent, to 14.5 million.

Historically, smaller changes such as removing kerbside carparking in front of shops to clear the way for buses, have provoked the biggest resistance in some communities.

'Obviously we need to work through that with local communities,' said Ellison.

'We have a mandate, the mayor is quite clear in his Letter of Expectation to us, so there's a political direction given to us, but we do need to be empathetic.'

Ellison said the agency would also be trialling new ideas, such as a pick-up service about to be tested in Devonport from October, which he described as important for AT.

'If you think about some of the greenfield growth areas, you could have innovative on-demand services that people book, rather than walking to a bus shop in the rain.

'Services that pick you up at your door, using seven-10 seater vehicles for which the capital cost is 20 per cent of a 12.5-metre bus.

'You can see how that's more attractive, than having buses running around empty while that community builds,' said Ellison.

Auckland Transport in October completes the rollout of overhauled bus networks, with changes on the North Shore, and Ellison said that would be trigger more promotions.

Later this month commuter train frequencies improve at weekends.

'AT has been working very hard to put in a network and a level of service, that it can actually go and sell.'