Another of the board papers presented to the AT board yesterday seemed fairly innocuous and so I didn’t cover it but at the meeting today I actually found it slightly interesting but then more details have emerged which has raised a heap of questions.
The paper was about all of the upcoming major events in Auckland and what the impact was for Auckland Transport. There are a surprising number of major events coming up over the next few months and the table of them is below.
The event that caught my attention in the board meeting was the mention of Christmas in the Park where AT said for the first time they would run a proper rail service right through the evening an into the next morning. This is a change from normal where they might run a couple of special services but trains often quickly fell away to hourly leaving PT as a terrible option for families. They didn’t say exactly what the frequencies will be but I’m hoping for 15 minutes on all of the main lines. AT also mentioned that for the first time the event will be alcohol free.
Others to note are an incredibly busy weekend in the middle of February during which there are the NRL 9’s, the Lantern Festival, Eminem and the Weekbix Triathlon. That has the potential to be one of the biggest weekends of PT use we have ever seen.
You might also notice in March that AT are planning an open day for the EMU’s where it sounds like they will be showing off the new trains with rides between Britomart and Newmarket.
However the thing that really got be frustrated – and I don’t know if it was just that I missed it in the meeting – but was definitely in a press release shortly after was about the upcoming Santa Parade. Here is the press release:
Plan your travel early to the Farmers Santa Parade
Take the family on board a bus, train or ferry to a magical day out at the Auckland Farmers Santa Parade on Sunday 24 November, 2pm.
The parade is one of Auckland’s most popular Christmas events and public transport and roads in and out of the city will be busier than usual.
To accommodate the parade and public safety, roads around the parade route will be closed and parking restrictions will apply.
People should expect crowds and plan to travel early. Check by using the journey planner at www.at.co.nz
If the event is moved to the rain date of Sunday 1 December some services may not operate.
Travel to the parade by train:
Event trains operate approximately every 15 minutes on most lines in to the city from 10.30am.Limited services will depart from Pukekohe and rail buses will replace trains at Helensville, Waimauku and Huapai. These services will transfer to trains at the Swanson Train Station.
After the parade passengers travelling to Helensville and Pukekohe will have dedicated entrances for priority boarding.
Travel to the parade by bus:
Bus services will operate to a Sunday timetable.Some bus stops in the central city will differ due to the parade. Auckland Transport ambassadors will be on site to help passengers.
Travel to the parade by ferry:
Ferries will operate to a Sunday timetable.Parking in the city:
If you are planning to drive to the Parade, be aware that road closures and parking restrictions will be in place. Public parking is free at the Auckland Transport Downtown and Victoria St car parks for vehicles exiting between 12noon and 6pm. Check road closures here at Auckland Transport’s website
Trains will have decent frequency but buses and ferries will be left on what are normally crappy Sunday frequencies however the really annoying part is the last point. AT are making two of their parking buildings free for the afternoon. Are they completely insane?
Firstly it completely undermines the any incentive for people to use public transport to get to the city, the one location that would be easiest to ramp up services to. But worse it is likely to cause nightmares on the day. The free parking only covers the Downtown and Victoria St carparks which according to the AT website have 1,890 and 850 spaces respectively so 2,740 all up. Even if every space was taken up with a car carrying the mythical nuclear family of two parents and two kids, that only represents about 11,000 people. That might seem like a lot but would only represent a small fraction of the overall crowd, often estimated at up to 300,000 but more realistically to be around the 80-90k mark.
The problem though is that lured by the potential for free parking heaps of people will then decide to drive to the CBD, after all why pay for a train or bus when you can get free parking in the CBD. Also worth pointing out that it isn’t possible to buy a family pass now unless you are at one of the handful of train stations that still sell them and it is also the same day that the rest of the Metrolink fleet switch over to HOP.
Those car parking spaces will be gone in a flash (probably before the free period even starts) and that will leave the CBD clogged with cars trying to find an alternative places to park and will potentially even see people missing the event as a result. It has the hallmarks of the RWC opening night all over again but instead of the trains failing it will be the road network. Further the congestion is likely to spread out of the CBD which is then bound to affect the few buses that are running – and because it’s a weekend the bus lanes aren’t in operation.
Seriously this sounds like it is going to be a nightmare. If AT were serious about this they would have
- Put on more buses and ferries
- Put the bus lanes into operation
- Made PT free for the event and encouraged as many people as possible to use it.
I’m not looking forward to hearing what happens on Sunday.
Processing...
Surely a few major bus routes could operate at a better timetable. If NEX and Howick and Eastern main route frequency increased this would cover off most of Auckland. NEX only 15 minutes which definitely not good enough.
Other big issue is North-West, while people can drive to station, will be a roundabout way. A few extra North-Western buses wouldn’t go astray too.
It really is time for someone at the top of AT to align the growing PT use policy with parking policy. Currently these two parts of the one organisation seem to be working against each other. Is this too much to ask?
It seems like too many of AT’s top executives are staring too hard at NZTA and forgetting that AC funds them just as much and that they are supposed to be working for the citizens of Auckland not the bureaucracy in Wellington. Even if they do feel more commonality with their national brethren. They need to stay focussed on local detail as well as national policy.
At $5 each car park it is a way of throwing away $14,000 of revenue as well.
Oh dear, our event planning overlords have learned nothing.
no could have been handled better ……very very happy that we won’t be heading in, despite the kids potentially enjoying it, far too hot (sunburn, heat stroke, standing for hours with a 2 year old in a sea of people) and crowded and the logistics of over crowded PT or crappy parking with gridlock make it even less appealing ……..we stick to semi-local events – one has a early evening parade that does us ok ……
But yes for those that choose to head in the PT options should be more appealing…………… I reckon given the sheer number of small children that will have to be patient for hours waiting for said parade to start buses and trains with children’s entertainment would be the way to go (free entertainment or ticket inspectors with hidden talents ?) — and I am actually serious about this what might sell me getting out of the car if I was going would not be a packed train/bus (think prams/strollers etc fitting in!) but one with a decent amount of space and something to stop the kids getting bored !
How on earth does AT come up with these plans?
Matt – do you ever ask AT to comment for these posts? It would be interesting to hear how they rationalise the absurd.
Great that the event is now alcohol free. Went two years ago and couldn’t believe that there were hundreds of drunk teenagers. Looked very similar to a Mission Concert, only a different age group were smashed.
funny.
The last time we went to the Santa parade we took the bus. No problem at all getting there, a nightmare getting back. The thing with events is that everyone wants to leave at the same time and when a large number of those passengers are very young, over tired, over excited, children it does not make for a fun journey. I am grateful we are now past the Santa parade stage…
I don’t get te Sunday low frequency buses – especially considering that running frequent buses to the parade is probably viable on a commercial basis, ie profitable.
I think it’sn fair enough. Free bus and train or free carpark. a bit for everyone
“it’s”
Yet another AT own goal…. Where do they get these people? Surely free & frequent buses & trains – before and after the parade – plus increased parking fees as a disincentive to drive would make more sense and send a smarter & clearer message.
“own goal”, stealing that.
How could they possibly estimate PT uptake for the Santa Parade at 20% – during the daytime, in the middle of the CBD, the area with the best public transport linkages in Auckland – and 40% for Christmas in the Park, at nighttime at the Domain?
And only 60% for the NRL 9s, if it is anything like the 7s it will just be a huge booze up and everyone will need to take PT home.
And 50% for BDO seems really low.
From their website:
“We encourage you to use public transport to get to the Big Day Out and your 2014 BDO ticket will entitle you to ride free on Auckland transport bus and train connections from Britomart to the Big Day Out.”
“There is no official parking at Western Springs and parking and traffic restrictions will be in place around the Big Day Out. That’s one reason we’re encouraging you to use public transport.”
And even making fun of those who can’t bear to be parted from a private vehicle:
“Is there a drop off/pick up point
Because we’ll be closing the motorway off ramp and a strip of Great North Road outside the Big Day Out at the end of the night, we recommend you select a drop off/pick up point with mum that you can walk to after the show that is not straight outside the gate. There are plenty of streets open from Grey Lynn to St Lukes where she can wait in the car. That will help everyone get away more easily and quickly. And help mum find you.”
Setting up buses to and from the Western line would seem like very good sense to me.
For Pasifika they had buses from Baldwin Ave, should do that with other events too. Though primary transport from Britomart much easier by bus, worked well last year for Foo Fighters.
Kids 12 and under travel free with an AT Hop card holder. It’s the least they could do given the bad publicity and the lack of family passes.
+1
I have noticed a tendency for drivers to just wave children on in the weekends on my service. Would be great if it was an official policy all the time though.
Good morning all, off topic but worth posting for the read.
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/nov/20/how-safe-are-worlds-cities-for-cyclists
Good luck with getting people to go to Christmas in the Park with no al;colhol.
Was there ever a more bungled public transport system envisaged. Shoot the lot and import some expertise.
Uh… guys, no disaster happened today at all. And trains were free. I think you’re getting a bit Jeremiahish.
Symonds St was well and truly shagged.
Have heard stories of CBD congestion and also trains appear to only have been made free in response to our comments as there is no information anywhere to say they were free.
A work mate told me that on the phone, AT was telling people that all parking was free. She was stuck in a parking building for 45mins because people refused to pay to leave. In the end the barrier was raised and everyone fled.
Sounds like a complete SNAFU.
They did also add extra Ferry services from Half Moon Bay and the North Shore, though the North West missed out again.
http://www.maxx.co.nz/info/events/farmers-santa-parade.aspx
Didn’t see inbound NEX’s but outbound Ritchies had a good operation set up with lots of buses parked up in the city ready to go when parade finished, and they were leaving when full, one after the other. Bit of a line but that caused by people waiting to buy tickets, though they did have the portable machine set-up.
Britomart seemed to be very busy after the event. Had barriers set up around the place to ensure platforms did not get too crowded.
I do wonder if free PT was always intended, due to congestion issues at Britomart.