Multimillion-dollar ferry service plans

By STUART DYE, transport report

Transport planners have drawn up a blueprint to extend Auckland's ferry services - creating the country's most comprehensive commuter network.

New terminals and services to the east, west and north of the city centre are planned in the multimillion-dollar proposals.

Each route has the potential to remove thousands of cars from arterial roads into the central business district and will form part of the region's public transport strategy.

However, officials say the plan is long term and parts of it could take 20 years. The introduction of new services would be measured against demand and on an individual basis against busway and rail plans.

But ferry use is already proving to be a popular and viable mode of commuter transport - patronage has grown by more than a third in two years. In 2001 3.3 million used the ferries, but last year that figure was up to 4.9 million, although the figures might be skewed because of extra patronage during the America's Cup.

"Ferry services are absolutely fundamental to Auckland's transport strategy," said Catherine Harland, chairwoman of Auckland Regional Council's transport committee.

New routes and wharves are split into priority categories:

Priority 1: West Harbour, Hobsonville, Beach Haven.

Priority 2: Island Bay, Browns Bay, Takapuna, Te Atatu.

Priority 3: St Heliers, Howick.

It is planned that priority one services will be in place by 2010, with priority two running within 14 years. The final priority three options would be reconsidered after that.

Services from many of the potential new wharves, such as West Harbour and Te Atatu, would be twice as fast as trying to drive into the CBD from the suburbs.

Detailed costings have not yet been done, but it is estimated all the work could be done for about $20 million.

Kevin Brown, Auckland Regional Transport Network ferry terminals manager said details were still being worked out but planning had to start.

"The time is right in terms of the whole public transport awareness in Auckland. We've got to build out from the centre and this has started with the transport hub downtown."

The Britomart rail station opened last year, and the downtown ferry terminal is undergoing a $10 million upgrade.

"The other aspects have to be planned now. Public transport planning is a long-term process," said Mr Brown.

A spokesman for Auckland's leading ferry company, Fullers, said the company was aware of the plans and capable of introducing new services. It would bid for contracts as and when they were put out to tender.