AA survey calls for action on park and rides, while new bus station won't have one

Tuesday, 22 August 2017

The Albany Bus Station park and ride car park is full to overflowing most days of the week.

A new AA report is calling for action on park and rides at bus stations, at the same time as Auckland Transport is planning a new bus station on the popular Northern Busway with no park and ride.

More than a third of the 1000 respondents to an AA member survey, who currently drive to work, said a lack of available parking at stations is one of the reasons they don't use public transport.

Cars parked on yellow lines outside Akoranga Bus Station cause problems for bus drivers.

Nearly 85 per cent of respondents also want more investment in park and ride facilities.

AA principal advisor – infrastructure Barney Irvine said the survey underlines just how popular park and ride is.

* Auckland streets become a park 'n ride as commuter cars block residents

* Upsurge in tickets for cars parked too close to driveways on Auckland's North Shore

* Better bus planning, not charges, needed for parking chaos in Albany, residents say**

'Our Auckland Members see park and ride as a practical, convenient service, and an example of a public transport system that fits in with the needs of users. The problem is, many of them are blocked from using it, because all the spaces at the key sites are taken up before 7am,' Irvine said.

Irvine said Auckland is 'seriously under-supplied' when it comes to park and ride.

'If you look at cities around the world with successful PT [public transport] networks, park and ride plays a critical role. Cities like Portland in the US and Perth in Western Australia have similar populations to Auckland but three or four times as many park and ride spaces.

'To catch up with current demand and keep pace with a growing network, Auckland needs 10,000 new spaces in 10 years, with the first 5000 by 2022.'

Each park and ride bay costs between $15,000 and $25,000 to construct and operate, and Irvine said drivers would be willing to pay $2 to $3 a day to use new park and ride spaces.

For many commuters, using feeder bus services is not a realistic option, Irvine said.

By 2021, a new station will be added to the busway in Rosedale, not far from the notoriously over-subscribed Albany park and ride on Auckland's North Shore, but Auckland Transport will not be providing a park and ride.

Despite overflowing car parks at current North Shore bus stations, that are causing drivers to park dangerously in surrounding residential streets, AT told the Upper Harbour Local Board a park and ride at the Rosedale bus station is contrary to AT's parking strategy.

The Rosedale station will be located near Arrenway Drive and there are 40 existing parks at the site.

Meanwhile, the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board is investigating ways to relieve the struggle for bus drivers at Akoranga bus station near Takapuna.

Commuters parking on the grass verge and centre island outside the station, make it a tight squeeze for bus drivers entering and exiting the station. The local board is looking to install rocks or large tree planting to stop commuters parking there.