Trains busy as bus strike begins

About 20 Stagecoach bus drivers blocked the entrance to the Papakura bus depot this morning. Picture / Cathy Aronson

Thousands of Auckland bus commuters are having to find other ways to get to work or school this morning, as Stagecoach drivers begin a six-day strike.

Extra train carriages were packed for the ride into the Britomart centre with train staff reporting about a hundred extra passengers on each train.

Train operator Connex is increasing the frequency of off-peak trains on the Western Line, and running extra peak services from Otahuhu and New Lynn to Britomart.

A normal train timetable with additional capacity will run across the rail network on Saturday. This means that trains will have extra carriages wherever they are available.

Roads in the region have been busier than usual this morning. By 8am a drive along the Northern Motorway which would normally take about 20 minutes took more than an hour.

The strike has stopped school buses as well as city-bound buses, and congestion at schools around the city was expected as parents drove their children to school.

Every available taxi was on the road but taxi drivers said the congestion caused by people taking private cars into the city instead of buses was likely to extend trip times around the city.

About 30,000 passengers used buses to get into the city each day.

The Auckland Regional Transport Authority said several other bus companies had offered to provide extra capacity but there were a limited number of buses and drivers. Express buses into the city run by other operators were stopping on request for passengers.

Extra buses will run on existing routes and limited shuttle services will run between Takapuna and the CBD, and Mt Roskill and the CBD.

There will also be a limited shuttle service between Swanson and the Henderson Transport Centre.

The Stagecoach bus drivers are pushing for a pay rise of just over $2, bringing them to $16 an hour.


While Stagecoach buses are off the road, other operators will provide extra service as follows:

Birkenhead Transport Limited:

* Limited bus service from Takapuna Transport Centre to Downtown Auckland between 9am to 2:30pm, and 6:30pm to 9pm on weekdays.
* Limited bus service from Takapuna Transport Centre to Downtown Auckland between 8am to 6:30pm on weekends.

Ritchies:

* Limited bus service from Mt Roskill Shops to Britomart Transport Centre (via Dominion Road) between 7am to 7:30pm on weekdays.

* Limited bus service from Mt Roskill Shops to Britomart Transport Centre (via Dominion Road) between 8:30am to 5pm on weekends.

* Limited bus service from Swanson railway station to Henderson Transport Centre between 6:20am to 6:30pm on weekdays.

* Limited bus service from Swanson railway station to Henderson Transport Centre between 8am to 5pm on weekends.

Howick and Eastern:

* Existing express services will stop at all stops on request

Urban Express:

* Existing Green Bay express services will stop at all stops on request

- NZPA, NEWSTALK ZB, HERALD STAFF