Bus pledge just 'hot air'

Commuter Nicki Whitham is annoyed at waiting for buses. Photo / Doug Sherring

Frustrated commuters have accused Auckland Mayor Len Brown of "hot air" over his pledge to improve public transport.

Passengers angry with overcrowding and delays on buses to the city centre reacted angrily to Brown's statement last week that full services were a "hell of good problem to have".

The Mayor's office insisted the comment referred to a welcome increase in public transport patronage. But many passengers said Brown had ignored letters about their concerns.

Student Filipo Alefosio said his bus to Auckland from Papakura was always full and it was hard to get a seat.

Takapuna woman Robyn Trayes said high patronage was "not a good problem".

She hosts international students and the quality of public transport was "ridiculous".

One German student took 2 1/2 hours to get to the city from Takapuna because she was given the wrong information.

Meanwhile, Hibiscus Coast residents were told at short notice their weekly ticket for the North Star service would be replaced with a $200 monthly pass. It started mid-month, meaning some spent nearly $500 in four weeks, though they were able to claim $100 back.

Stanmore Bay resident Lee Mason said he emailed Brown to complain a month ago and was promised a response within two weeks.

After hearing nothing since, he sent another email this week. He wrote: "Why am I still awaiting a response? The changes are unacceptable extortion which it appears you condone.

"Your public comments around public transport appear to be just hot air.

"I hope I do not need to start bringing my car to work again. You want public transport commuters' support. How about showing us yours?"

Brown has conceded that overcrowding is a concern but said: "Having the highest public transport patronage in 60 years is a hell of a good problem to have - we are now working on managing that extra patronage.

"On the Hibiscus Coast, Auckland Transport is looking at service redesign and additional services to meet demand."

He said a park-and-ride service was planned for Silverdale by the end of the year and more parking spaces were being provided in Albany at the request of Auckland Council's transport committee.

This week, there were also claims about safety issues on overcrowded buses.

Dee Tilyard catches the North Star service from Army Bay in Whangaparaoa to the city centre and said many people had to stand as the bus drove at 80km/h along the motorway.

Once, a woman with a baby in a pram forced her way on to the bus and refused to get off. The driver relented and the woman stood at the front while the bus drove down the motorway.

"The driver didn't have any choice because she put the wheels of the pram on the bus.

" I was quite distressed about the whole thing. If he had slammed on the brakes the baby would have gone through the window."

Auckland Transport spokeswoman Sharon Hunter said extra buses were being provided on the route to ease the pressure. NZ Bus chief commercial officer Rachel Drew said the weekly ticket was pulled on the North Star service because few people used it.

"It wasn't an efficient product for us to provide."

Overcrowding was raised as an urgent matter at the council's transport committee meeting on Tuesday.

Chairman Mike Lee said Herald on Sunday coverage of commuters' concerns was "certainly a factor" in the decision to discuss the issue.

AN HOUR TO TRAVEL 6.3KM

Is this Auckland's worst commute?

Graphic designer Nicki Whitham spent an hour travelling 6.3km from the city centre to Mt Eden on Wednesday evening.

It normally takes her 10 minutes to drive or 50 minutes to walk.

The 23-year-old left Queen St at 7.30pm and walked to a stop near the Presbyterian Church in Symonds St. The electronic sign said her bus would arrive in 10 minutes.

It didn't and the service disappeared from the sign.

The next bus was due in 12 minutes so she decided to walk a couple of stops to AUT.

The bus came five minutes later. "It was ridiculously full and there were probably 20 of us waiting to get on."

Next she walked past the end of Karangahape Rd to the stop near the Southern Motorway on-ramp.

"By the time one actually came along, it had gone 8.10pm."

The one-stage trip took 10 minutes and her walk home took 10 minutes more.

"I left work at 7.30pm and got home just after 8.30pm. I could have walked home in 50 minutes."

She was left "incredibly frustrated".

"I was really tired and had just been at the gym. I had been at work all day and just wanted to get home.

"It's so annoying when the sign says the buses are coming and they don't."