Commuters ride free in timetable shambles

By STUART DYE transport reporter

Hundreds of commuters have been given free, but late, train rides home, as Auckland's new rail timetable deteriorates into what one passenger called a "monumental farce."

It is just four days since the introduction of the new timetable for city services.

But on Wednesday night guards effectively gave up and allowed everyone to travel free after a catalogue of blunders.

Former Papakura Mayor David Hawkins said about 300 passengers were affected.

"It just gets worse," he said yesterday.

"Last night the 5.20pm train was cancelled due to a breakdown. The 5.27pm left at 5.42pm and because it was so full, without even standing room, the guards didn't collect fares.

"This morning I arrived at Papakura station to catch the 6.48am but got on the 6.30am via Newmarket which was 13 minutes late.

"It had to go a different route due to a breakdown at Penrose, then stood outside Auckland for 5 minutes waiting for a platform to become available.

"It's total chaos. If the Americans ever catch bin Laden they should put him on our trains because it's torture.

"Every train I've tried to catch on the new timetable has been running badly late and it's getting worse."

The timetable, with the new MAXX branding, is being promoted as "the first step towards integration of Auckland's transport network".

It comes as Auckland City Mayor John Banks plans to lead a $100,000 opening ceremony with horse-drawn carriage down Queen St for the Britomart transport project.

For some passengers, that is ironic.

Keith Peterson, an employment lawyer who catches the train from Papatoetoe to the CBD, said: "It's an absolute shambles. All this money being spent on the pomp and ceremony of Britomart opening - most of us would be happy just to have a train run on time. "The timetable is a monumental farce."

Tranz Rail spokeswoman Sue Foley said there was no policy to refund passengers' fares, but admitted that in some circumstance it "may have been done due to the problems".

"We can only apologise. The good news is passenger numbers are increasing. Now we've got to meet that demand."