Public transport survey: The damage Covid-19 did to Auckland’s buses and trains

Coming out of Covid in 2022, car drivers in Auckland decided public transport does not work. It made travel too difficult, it took too long, it wasn’t reliable and it was too stressful. Some drivers called it “gross” and “disgusting”. They said they wouldn’t use it.

But at the same time, they wouldn’t ride a bike either. It wasn’t convenient, it wasn’t safe and it was too hard.

These are the stark findings of a just-released report on a survey for Auckland Council called Perceptions of Public Transport, Cycling and Walking Among Auckland Drivers.

More than 80 per cent of survey respondents believed public transport was “much less convenient” than driving. Nearly 90 per cent thought riding a bike was less convenient, and that dropped only a little, to 80 per cent, for e-bikes.

Despite the tribulations of cars getting stuck in traffic, 74 per cent said they thought public transport was “more stressful” than driving.

Infrequent, unreliable, and slow services were the problems with public transport mentioned most often.

Taking my own car, I depart at a time that suits me. Not a time that suits the public transport schedule. Survey respondent, Central Auckland.

Need to go other places on way home not on that route. Respondent, East Auckland.

Safety – on busy roads with no cycleways – was the main barrier to cycling.

No way am I going to get on a bike and share the road with drivers here. Respondent, Central Auckland.

Covid and other hygiene concerns were cited by 25 per cent of respondents who said public transport was less convenient. Dislike of wearing a mask on public transport was cited by 14 per cent.

Having to wait in the wet and cold, plus sitting next to other people, especially if personal hygiene is an issue for them, gross! Respondent, South Auckland.

While the findings are dated, they do reveal the size of the mountain the council and its transport agency, Auckland Transport, still have to climb. The transport goals for Auckland include easing congestion, reducing carbon emissions and making the roads safer - but to achieve any of those, AT will have to overcome solid resistance to the idea of leaving the car at home.

Covid brought health risks and a lack of drivers. But the sheer quantity of rail maintenance and upgrade work has also battered public transport’s reputation. Patronage of buses has returned almost to the 2019 pre-Covid level, but the use of train services is still well short.

Auckland Transport’s director of public transport and active modes, Stacey van der Putten, says AT acknowledges the survey findings and has much to do: “We know we need a lot more investment for our services to become more frequent and more reliable”.

Van der Putten also says the survey highlights “some of the classic barriers to change. People have an intuitive idea that something doesn’t work, and that becomes a barrier to them trying it.”

She called 2022 “a particularly challenging time coming out of Covid” and said the results were “a snapshot of sentiment at the time”.

Many respondents commented that personal safety was an issue with public transport, especially for women.

I might get there OK, but would feel very unsafe coming home by that method later at night. Respondent, West Auckland.

It is not safe for women to travel on the bus and then walk a long distance at night. Respondent, Central Auckland.

Don’t feel safe on public transport. Respondent, West Auckland.

“We definitely need to address this and we need to work with other agencies,” says van der Putten. She mentioned better street lighting and digital tools that allow people to keep track of buses and tell others where they are.

Stacey van der Putten, Auckland Transport's head of public transport and active transport. Photo / Alex Burton

The survey was conducted by Rimu, the council’s Research and Evaluation Unit. In May and June 2022, Rimu surveyed a representative sample of Auckland drivers online and received 2799 useable responses.

Respondents were shown a map and asked to identify the start and end points of the most recent car journey they made. They were then asked a series of questions about how they perceive public transport, cycling and walking.

There were “no significant differences” in the answers given by different types of drivers, including commuters, shoppers, people driving for work, visiting friends or carrying children around.

There was also no variation related to days of the week, different parts of the city or time of day the trips were taken.

But younger drivers (aged 15-39) were more likely to complain about infrequent or unreliable public transport than everyone else.

The report’s authors also noted their survey design “may have led participants to describe their most recent substantial trip rather than the most recent trip, if that recent trip was minor or spontaneous”.

In other words, respondents may not have reported on a short trip, perhaps to the dairy, which might easily have been done on foot or on a bike.

Perhaps surprisingly, the cost of public transport was not mentioned as a barrier to use.

“Consequently,” says the report, “initiatives to reduce the cost of public transport may have little impact on the likelihood of Auckland drivers to take public transport.”

The authors point instead to the value of making public transport “faster, more frequent, more reliable and safer”. They asked respondents if those things would make them use public transport more: 40 per cent said yes and 30 per cent said maybe.

But does the survey suggest something else? Is public transport still appropriate for a modern urban population?

Running errands on the way back would have been impossible by public transport, eg, shopping, gym, doctor visit. Respondent, West Auckland.

Unpleasant/inadequate bus shelters in less than ideal weather. Dangerous walking environment around bus routes. Respondent, Central Auckland.

I see clients and needed to travel to two more locations on the day. Respondent, North Auckland.

I have stuff I need to carry to work and who cycles in a suit? Respondent, Central Auckland.

Public transport is disgusting. Respondent, West Auckland.

“It’s not for everybody and it’s not for every journey,” says van der Putten. “But we’ve got more people living here and that means more and more congestion. In the absence of change, it’s not going to get better.

“We’ve got a job to do. We know people won’t use public transport if it doesn’t work for them. We have to fix that.”

Simon Wilson is an award-winning senior writer covering politics, the climate crisis, transport, housing, urban design and social issues, with a focus on Auckland. He joined the Herald in 2018.