Cars out of running in plan for moving World Cup fans

Transport planners have already joined sports officials to map out how to manoeuvre tens of thousands of fans around Auckland during the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

Uncertainty over Government funding for rail improvements has not deterred the Auckland Regional Transport Authority from forming early ideas on how to get crowds to matches on time.

Cars will be a no-no, authority chief Alan Thompson told the Auckland Regional Council's transport policy committee yesterday, while outlining possible ways of priming train and bus services to the task.

Rides on Auckland's public transport network were even likely to be incorporated into rugby ticket prices, he said. Although a full organisational structure had yet to be put in place, Mr Thompson said his agency had started working with event organisers on how to cater for up to 11 matches at Eden Park and other fixtures at North Harbour Stadium in Albany.

With Eden Park in line for a 25 per cent boost in capacity to around 60,000, the system's toughest test would be mid-week matches kicking off soon after evening commuter peaks.

Rail would be preferred for carrying overseas visitors and those from elsewhere in New Zealand to the park.

Aucklanders would be urged to catch buses, possible in shuttle services from a car-parking venue such as Ellerslie Racecourse.

"The idea of driving to the ground is just not feasible," he said.

Kingsland's rail station received a $4 million rebuild before last year's Lions matches, when trains carried up to 7500 fans to Eden Park.

Mr Thompson indicated that neighbouring stops at Mt Eden and Morningside might be upgraded before 2011. He said North Harbour Stadium would be well-served by buses along the $290 million Northern Busway. Although several hundred fans missed the kick-off of a mid-week match between the Lions and Auckland last winter after a rail passenger felt ill and pushed an emergency stop button, the Rugby Union says it was very satisfied with overall transport arrangements.

Rugby World Cup interim management project manager Nigel Cass said last night that although the opening and final matches of the event would be at Eden Park, the distribution of other games throughout New Zealand had yet to be decided.

Neither has the timing of the six-week tournament, although an International Rugby Board delegation he has been hosting since Sunday has indicated June and July, or September and October as likely prospects.