Subscribe to RSSRegulars Get Raw Deal
Regular commuters travelling home on the Western Line services tomorrow night once again get the raw deal because of the Blues game at Eden Park.
Auckland Transport is advising them to come home as early as possible from work - and regular train services won’t run between 830pm and 11pm. Regulars will have to use a bus replacement.
Auckland Transport says: “The replacement of regular services is needed to move large numbers of people.”
Auckland Transport Public Transport Operations Manager Mark Lambert says that “although every effort is made to minimise disruption for regular commuters, the increased demand for public transport means people need to be patient or think about changing their travel routines.”
Understandable but does this mean every rugby game or “major event” such as a concert from now on will see regulars bumped?
And if we are honest, what does it really say about how inadequate our public transport system is that there is not enough capacity for it to deal with both regular travel and a rugby match?
And how will employers feel being told staff need to leave early on a Friday because there is a rugby match on and the trains can’t cope with the extra numbers?
For the game - extra services will run to Kingsland from Britomart, in addition to normal timetabled services every 15 minutes on the Western Line. The special event services stop only at Grafton Station before terminating at Kingsland.
Commuters head for the game from Kingsland
Trains and special events buses are free with a match ticket from 4.30pm.
An additional game day service along the southern line from Papakura at 6.08pm will go direct from Newmarket to Kingsland. For all other journeys on the southern and eastern lines passengers are advised to use normal scheduled services to Britomart and then catch a special event train to Kingsland.
Trains will be leaving Kingsland station for Britomart every five minutes after the game and from Morningside for the west every 10 minutes.
Free special event buses to Eden Park will run every 10 minutes from Auckland CBD, every 10 minutes from Newmarket via Mt Eden and every 15 minutes from Albany Station along the Northern Busway. Special event buses also run from Takapuna and Manukau/Pakuranga/Botany.
And it’s not good news for the poor old residents on Friday night . They may become prisoners in their homes.
“Some roads around Eden Park will be closed to the public. Every effort will be made to ensure access for residents and their visitors. However depending on crowd size and movement, access may be restricted at the discretion of Auckland Transport and the police.”
This is a Blues game. What will the RWC 2011 be like coping with regular train commuters on a regular basis?
30 Comments
The problem with this is that I don’t see how they could solve it without having the cbd loop and having metro style 2 minute frequencies so that the system could cope, but I think that a long way off, maybe not even in my lifetime, and I’m 14.
Build a train station on the number 2 ground to be used for game days only. If it was built as part of a West Stand replacement then you could build it right into the stadium.
Don’t be so down, Pim. Can’t see 2-minute frequencies in my lifetime either, but 5-min frequencies? Feasible within 10-15 years.
The only other options are putting up signs around Auckland “Closed - no more space for new residents”, or Steven Joyce bulldozing half of the inner suburbs for new motorways (also reducing space for residents, let alone the other downsides).
CBD rail is a foregone conclusion, it’s only the matter how long the people stuck in the past can delay it, rather than if.
The solution to moving event crowds or peak hour overcrowding is the same. More carriages are needed and before the RWC. In Melbourne they bought back Hitachi cars that had been sold for scrap value. This was and still is a stopgap measure until more new rolling stock arrives. Perhaps the field in western NSW still has some Hitachi cars that could be loco hauled in AK as a stopgap. If one was really lucky the doors would be air operated. If these cars are all gone then surely there must be some leftover cars somewhere in the world that could be pressed into service. Ex Brisbane or ex Perth are even the correct gauge! The other way to move more people to special events is longer trainsbetween Britomart and the event. Eight car trains could be run if the special event platforms were lengthened and if Britomart is the problen then arrange that the loco is at the outgoing end of the platform and that the patrons can walk through to the front cars which would have their doors closed.
remember rugby is a business. Didn’t Dan Carter just get 1.5m a year?
This is one business using it’s clout to get its way ahead of others. The local businesses are really suffering during these silly transport plans. One restaurant in Dominion rd was down 80% on a game night.
Surely this just comes down to poor design? can’t a regular service still travel out west, after dropping off at Kingsland, and the same into town?
And I hope they’re not pulling trains off other schedules to put them on for eden Park…
who in the city works after 8pm? honestly….. people in offices shuffle paper all day then go to the pub at 4pm.
pretty sure they can all bugger off home before 7:40pm, on a friday.
honestly they have until probably what 8pm as the last service?
if your still at work, i think you need to take a look at what your doing and why your boss is keeping you there.
And if we are honest, what does it really say about how inadequate our public transport system is that there is not enough capacity for it to deal with both regular travel and a rugby match?
In Melbourne they run well enough with cricket internationals and commuters on the same lines.
“people in offices shuffle paper all day then go to the pub at 4pm.”
Wow, no longer being satisfied with just being angry, bitter, and entitled, Carl has decided to expand into being bigoted and hateful. Well done.
But seriously, I don’t see why this is a big issue. If the big match was at North Harbour, I could totally foresee AT warning people to leave work early because of motorway congestion. I think some people like to declare disaster for Auckland PT just to get ahead of the game.
If the big match was at North Harbour, I could totally foresee AT warning people to leave work early because of motorway congestion
Umm, Doloras, that’s not what they’re doing. They’re shutting down the entire Western Line for hours. That would be more akin to shutting down the Northern Busway.
It is a pity that in Auckland we have infrastructure that is either; insufficiently robust, not backed sufficiently with extra services, or faces the doubts of those who run it, such that things like this occur. The author is right to worry that this may become a regular occurence.
FYI- all week there have been “ambassadors” at bus-stops and rail stations advising regular commuters of the changes. As well as press and radio ads, on-board (trains) messaging, platform announements, posters, flyers….so while regular commuters may not appreciate the inconvenience at least they should be aware of it well in advance.
WALLY THOMAS
(Auckland Transport)
Yes they should be aware of it but should they, who take PT 5 days a week and contribute to teh lion’s share of farebox recovery, have to put up with it?
Thanks Wally. Past the World Cup it would be a pity for these to continue.
Peter in Sydney - the problem NZ has is that it has a very strange and unusual rail gauge. Pretty much anything on NZ tracks has to be specially procured.
this is exactly why the waterfront stadium should of been built, we wouldnt have all of these problems if it had.
Really, I thought we had the same gauge as WA, Tasmania and Queensland
Talk about spin.
The comments by the AT PR Chief left me so angry I am forced to enter my first comment on this excellent site.
It is not a complaint about the lack of info about the change - I see Jon has even reproduced the poster.
It is about the fact it is happening.
Can the PR Chief answer the questions the issue poses:
1. Why is this disruption happening for a mere provincial rugby clash?
2, Will this happen to every rugby match and concert from hereon in including after the RWC?
3. Does this mean during the 3 months of the RWC regular commuters face regular disruption like this?
4. Do you agree this shows as Jon said the inadequacy of Auckland’s public transport especially rail?
5. Aren’t regular commuters justified in feeling pissed?
6. What is the real reason for this shocking state of events? Lack of enough trains, drivers,rail tracks, staff?
6. Was this always planned for and why has it only become public recently?
@Carl Don’t be a silly clown. The days of people working 9-5 Mon-Fri went out the door decades ago in NZ. I work until 730pm Friday and I don’t work next door to the Britomart station. By the time I get there it will be 820 and by the time I do after a long day I dont relish the idea of finding a rail bus somewhere in a nearby street and have the awful windy long bus journey on a Tiki Tour around back streets near train stations.
I stopped driving and took trains to help traffic congestion and the environment - even though I have a company car park if I wish.
I feel such an insult to my loyalty to the train network I will resume driving from tomorrow.
Andy there are some justified questions over AT`s planning around games at Eden Park. Is it really not possible during the game to have a train or two at least travelling through Kingsland and Morningside?
However, I think you need to calm down a bit on the “Woe is Auckland rail” bit. Yeah the system isn`t perfect but it`s a whole heap more adequate than it was in say 2003. Do you remember trains in Auckland at that time Andy? Did you even know rail PT in Auckland existed I wonder.
Well, let me tell you that it was a complete basketcase compared to now. When a serivice is in that bad a shape you don`t turn it into something worldclass overnight. There`s been a lot of hard work go into improving Auckland rail including both infrastructure and and increased number of services and trains. The next improvement of which will of course be better signalling, further services from February next year, and of course in a couple of years time electric trains.
However, all these things cost money - AT doesn`t just conjure them out of thin air and in case you missed it, there`s effectively no extra money from central govt in the next few years for extra trains or building more PT infrastructure. So to say Shock, horror, we`ve got an inadequate system and not enough trains or drivers is I`m sorry, just a bit on the ignorant side.
If you wan`t more trains, more drivers (They don`t drop off trees either - they cost money to train and employ) and an adequate rail system with things like the CBD tunnel etc then open your wallet, pay more rates etc otherwise get used it to it or vote in a central govt that sees the value in better PT in Auckland and is prepared to help fund it.
BTW the RWC goes for 6 weeks from Sep9 to Oct23. The last I looked 6 weeks and 3 mths were significantly different periods of time! Also there are going to be about 8 matches at Eden Park during that time, the great majority of which will be on Sat or Sun so commuter disruption should be minimal. I hope you will be able to overcome the possible disruption of one or two days Andy, not a continuous 3mths!
And maybe Andy if you think of people in Christchurch and parts of Japan and the very real disruption of their complete lives, I might put yours and Aucklanders disruption into perspective. Have a nice day!
And about AT`s planning for Eden Park games, I`d like to hear from Wally or anyone else at AT exactly why, when 40,000 or so people are in the stadium for 90mins or so, no trains are able to travel between Britomart and the western suburbs.
I think if AT are going to disrupt everyday commuters, at the least AT apart from communicating that there will be disruptions to normal service, should also communicate to it`s customers the reason(s) why normal service is unable to be conducted. I think people take it better when something is clearly explained to them unless the organisation itself has something to hide (inability to plan transport services around major events or to carry out event plans coherently etc).
The silly part of these operations is that they have trains running east-Kingsland-east, and west-Morningside-west, with no through services.
They could just as easily have each train from east continuing westbound, and each train from west continuing eastbound. There wouldn’t be any fewer trains.
Telling regular commuters to get lost is just another sign that AT still does not take rail services seriously as an alternative to roads, which are always available no matter what. You don’t see the motorways shut to regulars, so people from an event can drive home more easily.
On the gauge issue - NZ’s “gauge” of track wordwide is quite common 3’6″. For example most of Japan (other than Shinkansen and some private lines), all of Queensland (other than link to NSW), most of West Australia, all of Tasmania, South Africa, other parts of Africa, small parts of Europe (metre and standard gauge more common there) and South America all have 3’6″ track gauge . The “unusual” part of it, like anywhere, is the “loading gauge” and nearly every country is different from each other. In that respect it means off the shelf rolling stock without modication is often difficult for any railway. Our “loading gauge” is not that different to parts of Great Britian but of course the track gauge is different. Hence we could use the BR MK2 cars here with our bogies with smaller wheels lowering the height of the cars relative to Britain without too much hassle. Conversely using most QR cars in NZ would be impossible as they are too wide and too high for many of our tunnels / platforms etc - even though they have the same track gauge. Some of their very old stuff would be OK as we have some of their old loco’s but much wouldn’t fit our “loading guage”. “Loading gauge” is a very important factor ( often more important than track guage) - it is not just track gauge issue.
@Geoff, excellent question
@ Simon This is my first time commenting here. You could be a bit less insulting and more welcoming. I have been following trains for years and know the improvements. I have experienced them. That is not the issue here.
Welcome Andy. Good to see you are like me and brave enough to use your real name.
Andy, YOU could be a little less insulting. Your very first post declares that you’re going back to burning fossil fuels and contributing to Auckland’s transport problems because the trains have annoyed you. That is not a positive contribution to the discussion.
Do you ever think that your assumed right to spray your negativity all over the providers of services might have some repercussions? That you might be contributing to the unpleasant situation that we’re all in? Or do you think that your negativity has no consequences?
The earlier question about why can’t through services happen during the 90min is the key one.
It sounds as though it’s about what’s easiest for AT, and not what’s best for passengers. Commuters may be happy waiting in town for a bit to take a through service at say 7.30 - 8.45.
As an Eden Park local, we have the same with local streets - Sandringham closed completely even when everyone is in the ground…..
I’ll have a go at answering the questions posed by Andy.
1. Why is this disruption happening for a mere provincial rugby clash?: I get the impression that Auckland Transport is trying to practice the operation It will use for the world cup every time there is a major event on at Eden Park. I support this as it will minimize the risk or a major issue occurring come the RWC.
2, Will this happen to every rugby match and concert from hereon in including after the RWC?: Im not sure, but I doubt it. The capacity of Eden park is being increased from 50 000 to 60 000 seats for the world cup, this increase will be removed after. This means post RWC events will require less people to me moved than the RWC, so may allow the system to be more relaxed
3. Does this mean during the 3 months of the RWC regular commuters face regular disruption like this? There are only two Eden Park games on Fridays, Unless you work weekends (9 games) the disruption hopefully won’t be too bad.
4. Do you agree this shows as Jon said the inadequacy of Auckland’s public transport especially rail?
5. Aren’t regular commuters justified in feeling pissed? Probably, but i have a funny feeling rail service to Eden Park was a selling point of project dart.
6. What is the real reason for this shocking state of events? Lack of enough trains, drivers,rail tracks, staff? Probably a combination of all of the above, we simply do not have the capacity in place to move the crowds to/from eden park under the normal operating pattern.
6. Was this always planned for and why has it only become public recently? I think it has been planned for and public for some time. Things like both platform boarding at Kingsland have been plans for years, and were always going to compromise the ability to run normal services.
I don’t mean to imply that your concerns are not true or valid, simply that I think non-rugby train users are being sacrificed on Eden Cup game nights because our system does not have the capacity to handle them under normal operating patterns. I think this is on the whole a smart call, but I understand that evening western line travelers may be upset.
“The earlier question about why can’t through services happen during the 90min is the key one.”
My hypothesis is that all the tracks between Kingsland and morningside will be used to store trains to take fans away from the game, Hence blocking the tracks for other rail movements. Possibly there is no rolling available also.
This is just a guess, but you will need a lot of trains to provide the frequencies they are talking about post game.
Scott
they only get 1 trainload heading west after a game, and only 4-5 trains after a game like tonights heading into Britomart.
Didn’t they build a siding at morningside? I agree they have to back up after a match ie 9.15 onwards - but why not still run a couple services out west during the 1 1/2 hours of the game?
still sounds like just take thing the easy option for themselves
All this disruption comes at a cost - as we’ve seen from the businesses - all their decisions have an actual cost to someone. Meanwhile Eden Park/rugby will make millions tonight - they should have paid for their own siding:) the Dan Carter siding?
The Morningside siding is in action here http://www.aktnz.co.nz/2011/02/06/rwc-stabling-practice/
Mark, that`s my view. Even though quite a few trains are required, there are sidings for them to use, and 90mins should be enough to do at least one run out west and be back in time for post match service surely.
@Andy. I`m sorry you felt my words were insulting. i felt your words were unduly negative when there had been many improvements. As someone in customer service (airline reservations) myself I also dislike it when someone complains but also exaggerates how much they are going to be disrupted ie 3mths for RWC when the real disruption to most commuters will be two nights within a six week period.
Now all of us prefer not to have our daily lives disrupted but occasionally it happens. I`ve lived overseas and had to get to used to sardine like conditions on my commute. Like the people from the country I was in, I dealt with it.
You`re being asked to accomodate your travel plans maybe 3 or 4 times a year max out of all the times you travel. Yes, it`s not nice, but please don`t come out and act as though your whole life is ruined. Get what I mean? And as for insulted, if someone from CHC who had lost their house saw your post they`d probably tell you to get a life mate!
Welcome to the forum.
The reality is with these types of rugby games is that not that many people take the train because not that many people attend.
Its even worse during the domestic NPC season.
Surely half a dozen trains for rugby supporters squeezed in between regular commuter trains would suffice.
Kurt, there were four specials only from Britomart to Kingsland so not even your half a dozen. There were more specials after the game though which is logical as the patronage going to the game is more spread out over time while of course at the end of the game everyone wants to get out at the same time.