We keep a close eye on patronage in Auckland – which has been surging in recent months – but what’s happening with patronage in our other major cities? So in this post I’ll look at patronage in both Wellington and Christchurch.
Wellington
Unlike Auckland which has seen considerable growth over the last decade, the use of the system in Wellington can only really be described as flat. There are probably a number of factors at play including that the number of people employed in the Wellington Region peaked in 2008, the same year as patronage peaked – although I don’t think this is the only reason. On the positive side some recent growth meant that the end of June saw the 12 month rolling as the highest it’s been for potentially decades.
While Wellington does have ferries they carry such a small number of people (less than 200k per year) that they hardly register, of the other two modes bus patronage has grown slightly although it it dropped slightly in 2013 the figures are starting to rise again.Monthly patronage in June was up 6.3% on the same month last year which is a good sign and one of the largest single month increases in six years.
The rail network has seen more volatility with a large drop off in the number of trips from mid 2009. Patronage then stayed fairly low until after Wellington’s new Matangi trains were introduced in early 2011. Since then it’s been a slow recovery with the exception of the RWC. However in recent months we’re starting to see some real improvement and 12 month patronage to the end of June was up 2.8% – although that’s also partly because some lines were closed for over a week in June last year due to storm damage.
Overall patronage in Wellington has been flat for some time but the good news is that things seem to be changing with patronage numbers reaching new heights. Let’s hope that growth continues.
It’s also worth noting that traffic volumes on Wellington’s state highway network have also been flat for some time.
Christchurch
Between 2000 and 2010 patronage in Christchurch increased by almost 80% which better than what Auckland achieved over the same period with both cities coming off low base numbers. Then in 2010 and 2011 the earthquakes struck devastating the city – with the CBD suffering some of the most extensive damage. The impact on bus patronage was dramatic and set use back use by a decade more. Positively patronage in Christchurch is now recovering although still well below the pre-quake levels. Let’s hope the growth can carry on and see us quickly surpass the pre-quake results.
If anyone has details about patronage results for other NZ cities then I’d love to see it so let me know in the comments or flick me an email with the details.
Processing...
Wellington’s population is increasing (though at a slower rate than Auckland). Per capita use of PT has actually declined, following the large fare hikes of the last few years. On the upside, the redesign that should come in the next couple of years will help immensely.
There is also still alot of rail improvements going on, with major pole and infrastructure replacements happening on the Kapiti line this year, and for the Hutt Valley line next year, The arrival of the matangi 2 from mid 2015 should also help allowing for extra peak services and providing a uniform level of service across the entire timetable, with only 20 odd Ganz’s there is no real scope for any more peak services.
Also while Wellington City’s population grew by a respectable 10K at the last census, some of the growth in the Hutt Valley (Prime PT areas) was fairly woeful, Lower Hutt only increased by 500 ( in a 100K city) while Upper hutt managed 1700 ( on a 38K base)
Part of Wellington’s problem is that the population increase in the City is happening in the CBD meshblocks which added over 3500, ( or 40%)
‘Part of Wellington’s problem is that the population increase in the City is happening in the CBD meshblocks which added over 3500, ( or 40%)’
Oh course this is a great thing; people not having to travel by any mechanised mode is a true strength for a city, and that has been a great benefit of the rebirth of city living. Praise be to the end all of the crazy suburbanists’ zoning laws.
Agree. There’s been lots of apartment building in te aro the last few years. If the growth is in walking that’s even better than PT.
Hamilton bus use in April was up 1% from a year earlier – page 17 of http://www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/PageFiles/19539/Agenda%20Package%2011%20June%202014-Hamilton%20PTJC.pdf
I worked in the capital for 15mths (albeit 15yrs ago) and had no idea there were commuter ferries…..wow.
They’ve been going forever (I remember them from my time in Wellington 18 years ago), mainly a service to/from Days Bay
http://eastbywest.co.nz/timetables/
Thanks. Actually, that Ferry looks familiar – I think I used to see it Docked down at the T-Wharf but never made the connection it was for commuters.
It has also been increased a lot over the last few years, they now also go to Seatoun and to Petone, as well as Day’s Bay and Somes Island / Matiu on the sunny weekends. Plus they have a new boat.
Wellington’s harbour ferries stopped in the 1950s, being reintroduced about 1990 between Quens Wharf, Somes Island (as it then was) and Days Bay. The original boat was replaced after a few years and a new one added 8/10 years ago. Soon after that a commuter run from Petone was trialled but failed, then weekend services to Petone and Seatoun, then a commuter run to Seatoun (the latter primarily for the 30/40 boys living in Eastbourne who attend Scots College in Miramar – a long way by road!).
Days Bay services are subsidised, the others commercial.
Part of Christchurch’s problem is that the biggest trip generator of a public transport system is a city’s centre – and Christchurch still doesn’t have much of a functional one. The city’s layout has been lately described as being a “donut” – a great big hole in the middle.
NZTA has a public transport data wizard:
http://nzta.govt.nz/userfiles/transport-data/passenger-transport-reporting-wizard.xls
Through the macros in that document, I found my way to a useful file here:
http://nzta.govt.nz/userfiles/transport-data/pt-data.xls
It has all data, including patronage, farebox rates, and passenger kilometres for every region. Unfortunately it’s only annual data up to 2012/13.
http://www.transport.govt.nz/ourwork/tmif/transport-volume/tv020/ has figures and graphs for all the regional councils to 2012/13. The overall trend is clearly up, unlike the trend for all vehicles – http://www.transport.govt.nz/ourwork/tmif/transport-volume/tv001/.
Regarding Wellington, I’d like to see the Hutt Line electrification extended to Timberlea/Emerald Hill as that area has grown quite a lot recently.
I fear with the present administration there is no interest in doing anything with rail that they don’t *have* to do. Even the proposed timetable upgrades are years away from implementation. IMHO, Wellington’s rail system is stagnating from a lack of on-going vision to keep taking it forward.
A change of government and consequent move away from the swamping focus on roads might help.
Some of the smaller cities have had good public transport numbers too. Patronage on bus services in Rotorua and Tauranga grew at an average annual rate of 14% between 2005/06 and 2012/13.
see page four; http://www.boprc.govt.nz/media/321894/3666-bay-of-plenty-regional-public-transport-plan-2013-web-only-.pdf
Bus use in Hamilton is down 3.8% from July 2013 to July 2014. Have bus patronage figures fallen elsewhere due to school holidays in that month, or might it be due to fare increases? Details are on page 15 ofhttp://www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/PageFiles/19539/Agenda%202%20September%202014%20Hamilton%20Public%20Transport%20Joint%20Committee.pdf.