Auckland trains' punctuality improves dramatically

New Auckland rail timetables have led to a dramatic reduction in late-running trains, even if not all passengers are thrilled by the changes.

About 90 per cent of trains now run on time or no more than five minutes late, compared with a dismal 50 per cent before the new timetables were introduced a month ago, when overall rail services were boosted 25 per cent.

The improvement means a text phone message system warning passengers of delays of 10 minutes or more is in danger of becoming redundant.

A Herald reporter connected to the service has not got a text message from rail operator Connex for over a week, a far cry from when the phone would beep many times some mornings.

Connex spokeswoman Tessa Marjoram said yesterday it was "a nice change" not being woken up at 6am with bleak messages for commuters.

But she said the service may be needed until elderly signals and rolling stock were upgraded or replaced.

The Auckland Regional Transport Authority approved the adoption of more "realistic" timetables after it become clear that trains could not keep to times set several years ago. Since then there has been an almost fivefold increase in passenger loads.

Service frequencies have increased, but authority rail spokesman Jeremy Sutton said that "clock-face" departures on the hour or half-hour had to be sacrificed for greater punctuality.

Trains now leave from Swanson in West Auckland to Britomart every 37 minutes throughout the day compared with every 30 minutes previously at peak times and every hour in-between.

However, the new departure times do not suit some office workers knocking off at 4.30pm or at 5pm.

Nirma Patel said she could not get from her desk to the station in time for a 4.36pm departure on the western line and the 5.08pm express train to New Lynn overshot her station.

That meant waiting until 5.17pm, about half an hour later than under her old timetable.