The Indian Weekender, 10 March 2023

2
NEW ZEALAND
Friday, 10 March, 2023
‘We’re working to manage the extra
pressure on Auckland roads’: AT
Read online www.iwk.co.nz
NAVDEEP KAUR MARWAH
Ask any Aucklander about
the traffic situation on
Auckland’s roads these
days and one word that would be
common is ‘mayhem’.
March is set to be the busiest
month on the transport network
since 2019.
It is the time of the year
when we see a congested
road network and busier public
transport services.
The reasons for this include
school and university students
returning to their regular study
routines for the year and workers
returning from summer breaks.
All these factors combine to
create pressure on Auckland’s
transport network.
One cannot deny that the
ongoing shortage of bus drivers
contributes to the road chaos,
coupled with Kiwirail completing
major work on its Southern,
Eastern and Western train lines.
We spoke to Auckland
Transport (AT) to know what
they are doing to make things
better for Aucklanders this year.
“We’re putting a whole range
of measures in place to help
manage the extra pressure.
"We appreciate that many
Aucklanders cannot travel offpeak,
so putting on extra services
Richard Harrison
Traffic jam in Auckland
for those who need to travel at
peak time is our top priority.
"Please allow extra time for
your journey and check AT’s
Journey Planner to see if there
are alternate routes,” says AT’s
Manager of Metro Optimisation
Richard Harrison.
He also pointed out access to
Karekare, Piha, Te Henga Bethells
Beach, Muriwai, Anawhata,
Huia, Little Huia and Whatipū is
compromised and advised to
avoid travelling to these areas.
It is expected that there
will be pinch points at peak
travel times, said
Harrison, adding, “AT
encourages those who have
flexibility at work to consider
travelling outside peak, if
possible, over the next few
weeks as this is when there are
more likely to be seats on buses,
trains and ferries. We ask our
customers to plan in advance
as roads and public transport
services continue to get busier
heading into March.”
We are now seeing
around 80 per
cent of pre-Covid
patronage levels on
our buses, and we
are currently running
around 85 per cent of
our bus services, with
up to five per cent
suspended and up to
10 per cent cancelled
daily. As more drivers
come online, we expect
these cancellations to
reduce further."
– Richard Harrison
Harrison also thanked
Aucklanders for their
continued patience as AT
continues to work closely
with the bus operators to
address the shortage of
bus drivers.
“We have made steady
progress in this space and are
now at a shortfall of 393 drivers,
compared with more than 500
before Christmas.
"Howick and Eastern added
34 new drivers in the last two
weeks and are now at their full
requirement of bus drivers.
Waiheke Bus Company added
three new drivers last week,
and Go Bus has reduced driver
vacancies,” Harrison said.
According to Harrison, AT
will redirect the largest buses
to the highest-demand routes
like the Northern Express
and Route 27 services.
“We are now seeing around 80
per cent of pre-Covid patronage
levels on our buses, and we are
currently running around 85 per
cent of our bus services, with up
to five per cent suspended and
up to 10 per cent cancelled daily.
As more drivers come online, we
expect these cancellations to
reduce further,” he added.
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