Auckland transport is growing, we are still behind where we really want to be

Auckland Transport chief executive Dean Kimpton. Photo / Jason Oxenham

OPINION

Bruce Cotterill was spot on in his opinion piece over the weekend – Auckland Transport’s services were deeply impacted by the bus driver shortage earlier this year. But it is now firmly behind us, and has been since September. Last month, less than 3 per cent of bus trips did not run and we met all of our bus KPIs agreed with Auckland Council and the Mayor. Eight months ago we were 590 bus drivers short and punctuality and reliability was not where we wanted it to be – it’s been a dramatic and much-needed improvement. I’m proud of what the team and our suppliers have achieved to bring back services.

Public transport in Auckland is back. Overall we are ahead of our KPIs. But we are behind where we really want to be, which is back at pre-Covid levels. Right now we are at 84 per cent of that target, but the good news is it’s continuing to grow and this is at a time when hybrid working has seen average days in the office drop to 60 per cent.

More people are catching public transport now than ever before, just less frequently because of hybrid working. Bus usage is above 90 per cent of pre-pandemic levels and we’re expecting train patronage to follow suit once the Eastern Line reopens in January 2024. Ferry use is more challenging as we are still addressing industry-wide crew shortages.

Drone footage of Auckland’s newest railway line has been revealed showing the first of the two underground 3.45km tracks. Photo / City Rail Link

When the City Rail Link opens in 2026, it will further unlock the full potential of Auckland’s public transport network. It will enable us to double the frequency of trains at peak times and provide for 54,000 passengers an hour. It will be world class and something every Kiwi who has travelled abroad will relate to.

The City Rail Link will be a game-changer, and it stands to deliver close to $12 billion in wider economic benefits for Auckland. Its significance cannot be understated. With 250,000 more people living in Auckland over the next 10 or so years, we will congest ourselves to a standstill unless we invest in alternatives.

Other major projects, such as the Eastern Busway and the Northwest Bus improvements, are also opening up frequent and faster services to more parts of Auckland.

And on top of all this, we are getting closer to achieving our goal of 100 per cent electric buses and launching a new generation of electric ferries.

For public transport to work, it needs to be affordable, accessible and reliable. That is our commitment, and we continue to make significant progress on all these fronts. We have expanded our bus, train and ferry services across the Auckland region, provide integrated fares, are holding them to affordable levels and continue to add faster and more frequent services such as the Western Express.

A great transport network is one that provides every Aucklander with options that are safe and suit the needs of the many. That includes being able to walk and cycle, just as much as being able to drive or catch a bus, ferry or train.

Aucklanders need choice and the increasing uptake of public transport shows we are delivering on that. The facts show we are on track.

Of course, there is always more to do, but the transport system in Auckland is heading in the right direction.

Dean Kimpton is Auckland Transport’s chief executive.