Bus commuters left stranded as Metlink admits it can't cope with demand on city route

Wednesday, 22 November 2017

The No 1 bus route through Berhampore is so popular that full buses are frequently driving past passengers during the weekday morning peak. (File photo)

Peak-hour passengers on a key Wellington bus route will have to put up with overcrowded buses until at least July because of a lack of vehicles.

Full buses are frequently driving past passengers on the No 1 route between Island Bay and the central city during the weekday morning peak, and Greater Wellington Regional Council says there is nothing it can do about it.

Greater Wellington Regional Council says there is nothing it can do about the shortage of buses on the No 1 route until at least July. (File photo)

Madeline Smith, who catches the bus in Berhampore, said people were missing services almost every morning because vehicles were full.

On Monday, she saw three buses go past her at her Rintoul St stop, leaving about 10 people behind, before she was picked up almost half an hour later.

Greater Wellington Regional Council admits its bus capacity cannot meet demand. (File photo)

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The problem was occurring between 8.30am and 9am, she said. 'Sometimes you're lucky and you get on, but then the next people are out of luck.

'You should be able to get on a bus at 8.30 and expect to be in town by 9. It's probably quicker to walk.'

If passengers were picked up at the Rintoul St/Waripori St stop, people at the next few stops would often miss out, Smith said.

She had taken up the issue with the regional council twice this year, and both times was told operator NZ Bus was struggling to meet demand.

Her solution was often to catch the bus before 8.30, to avoid being caught in the rush.

The issue had been going on for two or three years, she said.

'The No 1 route is hysterical at the best of times. Every man, woman, and dog are on it.'

A regional council spokesman said demand sometimes exceeded capacity on the route, and the problem was exacerbated when buses broke down or drivers were away sick.

Those were issues NZ Bus had been working hard to minimise. But adding more buses to the route was not an option.

'To put more buses on this route would mean taking them off other routes, which would simply create a problem elsewhere,' he said.

'It is not acceptable that our customers cannot board buses because they are full.

'That's why Metlink is focused on introducing a new network next July, featuring more frequent buses on high-demand routes, such as Island Bay, and also [10] double-decker buses.

'In addition, new operator contracts will have more incentives to provide punctual, reliable services. The contracts will also specify minimum bus sizes for each service.'