RWC2011: Walking Popular As Trains

in Featured RWC 2011 Trains by Jon C — September 24, 2011 at 9:41 pm | 1 comment

Walking and buses over trains proved the popular ways to get to the All Blacks France Rugby World Cup 2011 Eden Park match tonight - as people took no chances and walked on a nice sunny day from early afternoon.

10,000 of the 60,000 at the game walked on the Fan Trail - just over 4000 more than walked to last weekend’s game between Australia and Ireland.

Only 10,700 people went by train - 11,370 had used trains last weekend.

15,210 went on the special buses to Eden Park. 10,930 had used the buses last weekend.

1500 people tonight caught a cab.

Party Central was nearing capacity by 8pm so Captain Cook - the extension - was opened for the first time and Kingsland was busy during the afternoon as people who arrived early killed time with a beer or two.

Anyone going to Party Central after 8pm to celebrate the All Black performance was being directed to Captain Cook.

Those driving to the game reported a smooth trip with no reported delays.

One private backyard operator I passed around Morningside was moaning that his carpark was barely full and he hadn’t seen much traffic. But motorists were seen parking free in quiet residential streets that were just outside the restircted zone.

There was limited parking at St Lukes shopping centre.

Auckland Transport will be relieved there were no problems.

In a tweet to AKT, Auckland Transport said the drop in train numbers to the game was not significant.

More people went home by train and fewer by bus.

But the question that has to be asked with those numbers: Have people lost faith in relying on trains to get to big events in time? Getting home does not have the same pressure.

And to be honest, dozens of emails to AKT over the past week have said people would not be taking the risk.

And that’s sad even though it makes management of the train system on such a high pressure night easier.

Update on the trip home

Tags: Eden Park Rugby World Cup