27 January, 2021

The buck stops here: AT Local axed but buses added

Commuter bus services running to Devonport have received a boost, but at the expense of the AT Local ride-share trial.

The 806 bus from Stanley Bay and the 807 from Cheltenham will run more frequently and for longer, starting in March, along with the reinstatement of a westward bus circuit off Lake Rd, (the 805) that will run along Ngataringa Rd and via side streets, up to the Belmont shops. It will provide a public-transport option within easy reach for residents of Ryman’s William Sanders Retirement Village wanting to get to village shops or the Devonport ferry.

Auckland Transport (AT) announced the revised routes to Devonport last week. They were decided after considering public feedback to options put up last year. AT separately implemented changes to fares and ferry connections (see stories below). The existing higher frequency of some peak-time services on a rejigged timetable for the 814 service from Takapuna will remain.

Key changes are:

• The 806 and 807 services will run every 20 minutes at peak times on weekdays and every 30 minutes at all other times, until at least 8.45pm, starting from 1 March. The new weekend timetables begin from 25 April, with services to run every 30 minutes, until almost 9pm.
• The new 805 service will run hourly, Monday to Friday only, from approximately 9.15am until 3.55pm, beginning on 1 March.
• AT Local services will end on 26 February.
• AT’s Journey Planner and AT Mobile app will be updated with details of the March changes from 21 February.
• Drop-in information sessions will be held at the Devonport Library on Saturday 20 February, between 10am and 2pm, and on Tuesday, 23 February from 1pm to 4pm.

Public reaction so far has been muted, although Devonport-Takapuna Local Board deputy chair George Wood told the Flagstaff he was pleased synching up services would make journey planning easier. He hoped more people would use the reorganised services.

Some will certainly miss the convenience of AT Local, but it was a costly service that covered a small catchment. It was effectively on notice from the time AT asked residents to choose between keeping it and reducing bus services, or losing it and expanding bus services.

North Shore councillor Chris Darby said most locals on the peninsula would now be within walking distance of a reliable bus service to Devonport. The introduction of integrated fares (for those using an AT Hop card) meant it was free to take the bus to a connecting ferry ride.

He would personally miss AT Local, and the recently axed Stanley Bay ferry, but said the cost implications of Covid-19 meant that better bus services to Devonport were the answer for now.

During February, Stanley Bay residents will have to put up with 40-minute peak-time bus pick-ups to Devonport, with AT saying it did not have budget until March to run the 20-minute schedule.

AT’s executive general manager of integrated networks, Mark Lambert, said the new routes recognised public views that some specific areas were not served by buses and that ferry connections needed improving.

Consultation had shown good support for AT Local and the trial had met its passenger targets, he acknowledged. This showed such a service could be successful, but in Devonport it was not currently possible.

Morning peak on ferries extended

Ferries from Devonport to the city are run- ning at 20-minute intervals for longer during weekday peak times as of this week.

The change adds 30 per cent to the capacity of the commuter service.

The schedule applies from 7am to 10am and 4pm to 8pm on weekdays, with half-hour turnaround times applying during off-peak hours and at weekends.

The ferries will better align with Auckland Transport’s revised timetable for buses, agreed after customer dissatisfaction last year. The changes were achieved in collaboration with the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board.

A 15-minute, peak-time ferry commuter service operated service operated in pre-Covid days, but since July 2020 there has been a mix of 15-and 30-minute departure intervals. Loading issues, including the conveyance of more bikes, made reverting to 15 minutes unfeasible.

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Land and sea fares on the rise

Public-transport fares are rising next month, although Auckland Transport (AT) is making use of AT Hop cards more attractive by making permanent the current trial of a 10 per cent discount on off-peak fares.

One-zone bus and train cash fares that now cost $3.50 will go to $4.20 from 7 February. On AT Hop the fare increases from $2 to $2.20.

On the Devonport and Bayswater ferry services, a cash fare will rise from $7.50 to $8, and the cost on AT Hop will rise from $5 to $5.40. (More details on other types of fares are on the Fullers and AT websites.)

A daily $20 total spending cap will apply on buses (excluding the Skybus service), trains and inner-harbour ferry services for passengers who tag on and off on AT Hop.

The off-peak discount fares apply from 9am to 3pm on weekdays and during evenings and weekends.

The annual fare review has resulted in an average fare increase of 4 per cent. AT’s executive general manager of integrated networks, Mark Lambert, says around half of all bus and rail passengers will incur a maximum increase of 35 cents a journey using their Hop card.

The review aimed at improving value and services for passengers, while balancing use of the public subsidy within the council’s Emergency Budget. Savings of $10 million had been made by cutting some lesser used services, including the Stanley Bay ferry.

AT says it has now completed its roll-out of integrated fares. This means customers can transfer between buses, trains and ferries and pay just once for the entire journey when they tag on and off with an AT Hop card.

Children, secondary students (40 per cent discount) and tertiary students (20 per cent discount) receive the largest subsidies.