More people riding buses and trains

Auckland’s public transport growth is the highest it’s been for 20 years.

Public transport trips in the nine months to March grew by 9.9 percent, or 3.9 million more passenger trips, compared to the nine months to March 2008, says Auckland Regional Transport Authority chairman Mark Ford.

"There were 43.6 million public transport trips, the highest public transport patronage for any nine-month period since 1985. This is exceptional growth."

He puts its down to more frequent trains, extended operating hours, more punctual services, 21 rail station upgrades and simplified bus services.

"I’m pleased customer satisfaction levels have improved to 83 percent. That’s a good result but we acknowledge that further improvement is still required and this is an area of continued focus."

Growth in the bus sector, which carries the bulk of public transport users, was particularly pleasing, he says.

Bus trips in the nine months to March 2009 grew by 10.2 percent, 3.2 million more passengers, compared to the nine months to March 2008, Mr Ford says.

There were 34.7 million trips on buses, the highest bus patronage for any nine-month period since 2003.

Rail patronage was the highest since records for rail began in 1955.

In the nine months to March 2009 rail patronage grew by 14.7 percent, 724,000 more passenger trips, compared with the nine-month period to March 2008.

There were 5.6 million trips on rail for the nine months to March 2009.

"To put it simply, where there has been investment, there has been growth, both on rail and bus."

- © Fairfax NZ News