Auck Rail Patronage Rising 13.7% A Year

in Auckland Featured RWC 2011 Trains by Jon C — October 28, 2011 at 10:35 pm | 4 comments

If we remove the distortions created by big events like the RWC travel to Eden Park, the comparative year-on-year increase for Auckland rail patronage is 13.7% with “business as usual” patronage being 986,000 last month.

That’s Auckland Transport’s analysis based on the latest public transport patronage numbers for September.

The additional demand for travel because of the Rugby World Cup saw patronage on rail services reach a new monthly record of 1.179 million passenger journeys, 32.0% more than the same month last year, a record monthly increase.

There was also a distortion one weekend in September last year when NZTA closed part of the Southern Motorway because of work on the Newmarket Viaduct and free train travel was offered.

For the year-to-date there have been 3.05 million passenger journeys across the rail system, an increase of 20.3% on the same quarter last year and for the rolling twelve months there have been 10.380 million passengers on rail services, 17.0% more than the same period last year.

September also marks almost the first operation of the re-instated Onehunga line, which began on September 20 last year.

For that first full year of operations, there have been 686,879 passengers recorded on Onehunga Line services.

But surveys indicate that over half the commuters are using Onehunga as an alternative to the dedicated Southern Line service 60% of patronage on Onehunga trains as wholly on the Southern Line (between Britomart and Penrose. That still helps grow train travel on the Southern Line.

Even taking into account the RWC, rail patronage continues to show impressive figures.

Southern and Eastern Line rail patronage including the Onehunga Line totalled 6,603,050 passengers for the 12-months to last month - an increase of 791,588 boardings or +13.6% on the same period last year. Patronage for September was 709,422 boardings, an increase of +21.6% (125,825 boardings) on September 2010.

In September there were 629,312 passengers recorded travelling on the Southern and Eastern Lines, including the additional timetabled services operated to support RWC 2011 but excluding the Onehunga Line, an increase of 72,998 passengers, or +13.1% on September 2010.

For the year-to date there have been 1,683,625 passengers recorded on Southern and Eastern Line services, 4.6% more than for the same period last year.

Western Line rail patronage totalled 3,776,508 passengers for the 12-months to September 2011 an increase of 719,192 boardings or +23.5%.

Patronage for last month was of course inflated by the RWC, whose Eden Park patrons travelled free as part of their ticket admission.

The September total for the Western Line was 469,164 boardings, an increase of +51.6% (159,689 boardings) on September 2010.

But as anyone who travels on the line will tell you, the numbers continue to grow anyway.

For the year-to-date there have been 1,161,154 passengers recorded on Western Line services 263,016 (29.3%) more than for the same quarter last year.

For the rolling 12 months there have been 3,776,508 passengers recorded on Western Line services, 23.5% (719,192) more than the same period last year.

Bus patronage increases are also healthy. I wonder what part the introduction of HOPP has played. I certainly know people who like being able to hop on and off quickly and without having to determine where they actually want to get off but can have some flexibility.

Active users of the HOP smartcard rising from 77,000 last month to 88,000 this month.

Bus services other than the Northern Express (including school buses) saw patronage total 50,233,293 passengers for the 12-months to Sep 2011 an increase of 3,883,997 boardings or +8.4%.

For the financial year-to-date, three months to September, patronage has grown by +8.9% (1,126,849 boardings). Patronage for last month was 4,817,234 boardings, an increase of +14.9% (623,845 boardings) on September last year.

As we have seen over the year, the graph for the actual Northern Busway keeps going crazy.

Northern Express patronage totalled 2,153,830 passengers for the 12-months to Sep 2011 recorded an increase of 272,958 boardings or +14.5%.

For the financial year-to-date, three months to Sep 2011, patronage has grown by +18.6% (96,940 boardings) Patronage last month was 210,757 boardings, an increase of +22.0% (38,063 boardings) on Sep 2010.

And even ferries are now starting to see a steady rise.

Ferry patronage totalled 4,915,474 passengers for the 12-months to September, which was an increase of 391,337 boardings or +8.6%.

For the financial year-to-date, three months to Sep 2011, patronage has grown by +18.0% (179,757 boardingsand last month’s was 427,765 boardings, an increase of +29.6% (97,694 boardings) on September last year

Tags: patronage Rugby World Cup