Subscribe to RSSRWC 2011 Transport Plans
More details have been revealed about transport arrangements and expectations during the Rugby World Cup 2011 period in Auckland later this year.
They include closure of Quay Street at one point because of the Queens Wharf Party Central celebrations, public transport services going until 1.30am after matches and changes to Western Line rail service timetables on match days.
Bruce Barnard, the RWC programme Transport Director gave a presentation to the open session of today’s Auckland Transport meeting and said:
For Eden Park they’re expecting:
- Free rail travel for those attending matches 3 hours before the game (gates open 2 hours before although just over 3 for corporate boxes) and 3 hours post the event to clear the match-goers
- Free travel for those on the special event buses - 3 hours before the match and one hour after the match
Patronage estimates are:
- Rail Kingsland-CBD (14,500 people), Morningside-west (1500)
- Special event bus: North Shore, 40 buses (2300); Takapuna 12 buses (600); Manukau / Botany / Pakuranga 12 buses (500); Newmarket /Mt Eden 11 buses (800)
- 220 coaches (12,000)
- Cars 6400 vehicles (16,000)
- Walking (3000)
- Special event buses from Midtown - 44 nuses (4800)
- Taxis (3000)
EDEN PARK: Trains will help get people seated on time
North Harbour Stadium:
No rail. Free travel on special event buses 3 hours prior, one hour after the game
They’re expecting:
- Special Buses - 111 buses, Midtown/Downtown (6200)
- Takapuna/North Shore - 54 buses (4400)
- Manukau / Botany /Pakuranga -10 buses (400)
- Henderson - 12 buses (500)
- Orewa -5 buses (200)
- Bush Rd shuttle - 12 buses (1000)
- Coaches -(1000)
- Taxi (500)
- Walking (150)
As reported on AKT yesterday, this weekend sees a trial for the Eden Park Super 15 Blues versus Crusaders match of 2 trains running in the same direction.
Other tests of transport leading up to the RWC 2010 will be:
- NRL pre-season Warriors v Manly Feb 26
- Warriors v Eels March 12
- Super 15 matches (test for public transport)
- Bledisloe Cup August 8 (full and last trial as Eden Park expected to be at capacity)
The Auckland Transport chair noted at the meeting that there would be no free travel offered for the Warriors league fans attending those matches and he was concerned they may get vocal asking why rugby fans got free travel but not league.
This was explained as the cost of the free travel was paid by the rugby and world cup authorities.
There would be some further discussion with league authorities as to whether there could be a change so league fans could also travel free.
The so called cloud as Queens' Party Central HQ
The Party Central at Queens Wharf will operate the whole 46 days of the tournament between noon and midnight and some thought will be given to closure of the Queen St area at Quay St at midnight for an hour so those who attended can cross safely.
But the big news here is that Quay St itself will be closed between 10pm Thursday September 8 and 4am Saturday September 10.
The RWC Transport Chief told the meeting transport modes would be relocated but everyone including bus operators were OK with it. (The present Vector work disruptions going on at Quay St have certainly not made some other motorists happy).
There would also be party centrals (official name Fanzones) at the Trust stadium, Civic Lakes, Albany and the Pacific Events centrre.
As for taxis - which have drawn sharp complaints here for their often shonky practices - it was revealed that the NZTA is considering re-accrediting all Auckland area taxis from April to eliminate any such players. That is most welcome.
16 Comments
No direct trains from the Southern Line to Eden Park? I personally think there should be at least a few to ease congestion on the Newmarket platforms.
I don’t think any trains will be stopping at Newmarket so everyone will need to transfer at Britomart.
if they want to move the maximum number of people in/out of eden park then having trains operating complex patterns would lower overall capacity.
Also trains bypassing newmarket means more trains overall.
Also where are the 6000 cars and 3000! taxis going to fit.
What’s the Bush Road shuttle for?
@Luke They insist there is parking room for that number of cars, even though some streets are closed.Taxis just drop off people.
Luke 6000 cars is achievable - but they have undersold tais hugely - way more than 3000 people will come by taxis.
Walking route will only get 500 if it’s lucky - so probably 5-6000 by taxi. Also taxis are 4 trips - in/out / return trip pickup and exit.
220 coaches is a huge issue - in the past max of maybe 120. These are tricky as this is people going back to their own tour group / so bus waits for last passenger……
way too much risk in the northwest corner / buses/trains pedestrians /taxis……disaster waiting to happen.
@Mark Do locals feel any happier with the situation of closed streets /residents parking? It’s at least good to see liquor signs up now.
lol so people south of the line have to change at papakura and then Britomart to get to Eden Park?
lol id rather drive and park somewhere and get a taxi.
again a joke.
these so called trains from hamilton if it ever happens, your shitting me if they go to briotmart?
there should be direct trains from Hams / Puke / Papakura to Eden Park and vice versa.
there should also be direct trains from Britomart, New Market / Papakura / Pukekohe to Hamiton for games at rugby park.
Jon
no closures are a real mess - AT still refuse to use extra entrances. Communications still a disaster….
Liquor signs/enforcment is vastly better for last 2 games. Makes a big impact re rubbish clean up.
The other issues with the “RWC” plans is they seem semi/final based.
previous comments re south trains are very valid. We’re not seeing any “profiling” of different games.
For opening game on a Fri - can all trains be taken off normal services and western line”closed” ie made one way for a 7.30 start???
And games such as a Sunday Fiji/Samoa, are we really going to get 15,000 from CBD??? southern line should feed. Some of these games where they’re more “local” they will get far fewer on trains and more in cars.
The same with coaches - these are organised tours or rugby clubs - so again far less PT more cars.
AT may have profiled all the games - but I’ve never seen anything…
Mark - I think their estimate of 3000 walking is understated actually, now they will have a defined route from the CBD.
Is just really about marketing it. Its apparently the same distance as the walk in Christchurch from Cathedral Square to AMI Stadium - and that gets a massive crowd on matchday.
KLK, difference between CHC and AKL is that (from Memory) that walk is flat.
the AKL walk / idea is not a straight out flat terrain walk.
massive difference.
besides, pissed up fat guts Poms aren’t going to walk,
“oh deah, don’t be silly, hear we’ll take a taxi, only the commons walk”
just wait for it…
KLK - the route is queen st/Krd/Gt North rd/bons st.
It’s 1 km longer than what we’ve all suggested - upper Queen st/Ian McKinnon Dr / Dom rd - and you can see the stadium lights most of the way. Also it’s a busy traffic/taxi route so people feel safe with lot’s of others around.
The “official” route -costing millions (footpaths/signage), takes them past some fairly tough pubs in K rd and the street walkers at Ponsonby Rd end - and then they slog it out on a very windy/exposed ridget of Gt north rd. To then face a steep descent/ascent of Bond street - where some footpaths are one person wide with the curved footpath.
Then they clash with major bus intersection at New North Rd - where all the corporate buses for tours etc are supposed to be….
Only a Council worker could possibly think that would work!
That’s why their 3000 is too high.
So you are suggesting no-one will walk the alternative route?
Also the millions were spent around the eden park area, which will be needed anyway for the amount of people parking and walking, plain walking and dear I say, walking from their PT travels.
It’s not wasted money, and I’d walk that route over the other personally, however all to their own I guess.
Joshua - a few will walk it, as there will probably be staff etc guiding them that way. However if they know Auckland at all, they won’t.
People forget how windy sept/oct can be - and that it is a really exposed ridge. They walk once, but if here for a few games, will no doubt figure out what the locals know ie Dom rd is quicker/better, and probably where a lot of taxis will be as well.
Basically no money is going into Dom rd to town, And in fact that’s a much better spend as a lot of commutter walking happens on that route now every day - so benefit isn’t just for RWC.
Also the Dom rout gives you a very quick route to Symonds st. Whereas other route, will likely be closed to walking, as new North rd where buses etc will clog up a walking route.
the New North/Sandringham/Bond has major bus collections/taxis and Kingsland party people - and to take the walking route this way - to cross over the major bus route seems crazy
hey im doing some research and i was wondering how they are going to shift that many people that fast!? thats crazy.