Subscribe to RSSLINK Launched, Reviewed In 6 Months
Auckland’s Mayor Len Brown, Auckland Transport and NZ Busthis morning launched the new LINK services at a ceremony in Wynyard Quarter and then went for a ride on the LINK bus.
The new services begin for the public on Sunday.The recent changes will be reviewed in six months to assess how well they have worked. Auckland Transport is seeking feedback, either via the feedback form on the MAXX website (www.maxx.co.nz) or the MAXX Contact Centre on 0800 10 30 80.
The distinctive and popular inner city green Link bus remains but has a new route and is joined by a revamped red free Queen St Link service and a new amber outer loop services which skirts around suburbs like Newmarket, Epsom, Herne Bay and St Lukes.
One difference with the new services is the approach to timetables, which often proved frustrating with the existing LINK services especially when electronic signs promised one would arrive at a certain time but then went into the DUE and DLY spiral and then vanished off screen. The new approach is for services based on maximum wait times rather than timetabled.
The aim is for a City Link every 7-8 minutes, Inner LINK every 10 minutes and Outer LINK every 15 minutes.
Auckland Transport believes that by building on the success of the existing LINK, the new City, Inner and Outer LINK services will encourage more people on to public transport by providing comfortable and user-friendly bus services that are easy to understand.
NZ Bus Chief Executive Officer, Zane Fulljames called the introduction of the new services a step change in service provision to Aucklanders, and showed the ability of the parties involved to leverage from collective strengths through a partnership model, to accelerate the delivery of sustainable long term improvements in public transport.
The new City LINK and a revised 010 (Wynyard Quarter to Onehunga) service will provide the first public transport services into Wynyard Quarter, Auckland’s new waterfront destination.
Waterfront Auckland Chief Executive John Dalzell said that Wynyard Quarter is already proving to be popular with Aucklanders and the new City LINK bus service will make it even more accessible:
“With the new bus service there’ll even be more of a reason for workers in the CBD or day trippers connecting from Britomart to come down to Wynyard Quarter and enjoy their new waterfront. Whether it be a for a stroll on the water’s edge or a bite or drink at North Wharf they can jump on the bus and be back in the CBD in a matter of minutes.”
The lineup of new buses |Andrew
Other aims are:
- Simple routes connecting popular central Auckland locations:
- Buses branded for easy identification
- Reasonable fares: City LINK free, Inner LINK $1.80, Outer LINK maximum $3
- New high quality buses that are air conditioned, wheel-chair accessible, child buggy friendly and meet Euro 5+ emissions standards.
Street theatre at the launch | Andrew
LINK Service Details
Routes
- The existing LINK will be renamed Inner LINK and have some of its route changed to make it more direct and reliable, including shifting off Queen Street to Albert Street.
- City LINK will replace the existing City Circuit and service Wynyard Qua
- Outer LINK will provide access to city fringe suburbs like Pt. Chevalier, Mt Albert, St Lukes, Mt Eden, Epsom, Newmarket and Parnell, as well as the universities and Wellesley St in the city centre.
Frequency
- City LINK runs every 7-8 minutes*, 6.30am - 11.30pm Monday to Saturday and every second bus stops in Wynyard Quarter (every 15 minutes*.) On Sundays and Public Holidays, City LINK runs every 10 minutes* 7am-11pm (every 20 minutes* to Wynyard Quarter
- Inner LINK runs every 10 minutes* (both ways) 6.30am-8pm weekdays and every 15 minutes evenings to 11pm and 7am-11pm weekends and public holidays.
- Outer LINK uns every 15 minutes* (both ways) 6.30am-11pm Monday to Saturday and 7am -11pm Sunday and public holidays.
Fares:
- The new City LINK bus will remain free until the end of this year as part of the service introduction period.
- From 1 January 2012, the City LINK will remain free to HOP card users and cost 50 cents for other full-fare cash paying passengers with other concessions for school students, children and seniors.
11 Comments
I note the buses are parked on disabled parking spaces…………..
Two things are now ticked off Len’s bucket list:
* Ride on train
* Ride on bus
So what happens to the Scanias that were on the Green Link? Will they become pool buses, as the ones shown are the new Dennis models? Just wondering…
They are actually Volvo B7′s Andrew but at this stage all 20 will end up at Swanson.
About time.. Time to make those in Go West buses. Honestly, some of the old buses are the old MAN and Nissan fleets. Possibly some of the are the old branded Link Buses… Which are noisy too
Jacky
Sounds great. And I’m very impressed that they’ve designed responsiveness to customer experiences into this system from the very start.
Hey guys!
Just wondering, if I am going to take the Outer Link, from Queen Street and take a round and get off at the same station. Just wondering, how will the HOP card going to charge? $3.40 for a whole round?
Jacky
Hi Jucky.
I think HOP going to charge only $3.00 as a HOPs 2stages fare. Because on ad say “$3.40 on Muximum CHASH fare”.
By the way I can’t beleve that all Volvo’s end up to Swanson. Because they are still running as a Inner Link sevice today..(Sign shows THE LINK via hospital, ponsonby etc…or idle) didn’t show Inner Link.
@tbird
And you managed to tick off your daily whinge against Len Brown. All sweet.
@Andrew M the LINK bubble buses are different from the other bubble buses, although they look the same they are actually quite different buses.
The Volvo LINK Buses are twin axled whereas the Scania ones are larger and triple axled.
When the old Link buses were replaced a couple of years ago, new longer buses came in.. clearly an accounting decision, more bums on seats.
BUT the longer buses don’t fit the existing bus-stops, so the bus’s backside is left out in the traffic lane, and passengers have to tramp through the gutter rather than have the bus nicely placed kerbside. Parnell is one area where this problem is very obvious. It is dangerous too as traffic weaves around the buses, and the driver cannot properly see oncoming traffic as the mirror angle is all wrong. When can we learn to co-ordinate our decisions and make things work properly?!