Public transport use booming in Auckland
12 March 2001

“Public transport use is booming in the Auckland region,” says ARC Passenger Transport chairwoman Catherine Harland. “More people are using public transport as they find out the services are much more frequent and more convenient.”

From July 2001 to December 2001, public transport patronage across the Auckland region has leaped 7%, which equals 1.4 million extra journeys taken on public transport over that six months compared to the same time the year before. This increase is on top of a 7.6% increase in 2000-01 and a 7% increase in 1999-2000.

“The ARC is committed to improving public transport services throughout the region, and we’re funding operators to make more service improvements every couple of months,” said Cr Harland.

“The ARC has had a great boost in funding for new services from Transfund through the Government’s Kick-Start funding scheme. A boost of almost $3 million in the last year has greatly assisted the ARC to get more services on the roads,” says Cr Harland. “It’s translating into action for public transport and Aucklanders are showing they appreciate the new services.”

“We aim to have bus services running every five minutes down all the major arterial roads at peak times and already we have achieved that on Mt Eden Rd, Dominion Rd, and now on Sandringham Road and New North Road.

“On the routes where we have made improvements, public transport has leaped up much more than the regional average. For example, a major improvement in Waitakere and North Shore services last June has lead to 21% more people catching the bus on those services,” said Cr Harland.

“Public transport use in off-peak times and weekends has jumped up the highest overall, with between 15% and 40% more people catching some services,” says Cr Harland.

People have also been rushing to get public transport information. ARC’s Rideline call centre has handled an average of 15% more enquiries in each month since July 2001 over the corresponding month of the year before. An average of 3,868 people phoned Rideline every day to find out about public transport services in February – and the daily average for March so far is over 4000 calls. The Rideline website recorded its highest weekly visitor numbers in the first week of March, at more than 1000 visitors per day.

“We encourage people to go to Rideline website and find out what public transport services suit you. The website is easy to use and it’s fun,” said Cr Harland. “Many people are surprised to find out that new services go exactly where they want them to, when they want to.”

www.rideline.co.nz
For further information please call:
Cr Catherine Harland, ARC Passenger Transport Committee Chairwoman, ph: 09 636 8464
Jo Mackay, ARC Transport Communications Advisor, ph: 09 366 2000 x 8114

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