Photo / Greg Bowker NZ Herald
Families and children are expected to be big users of
Auckland's fare-free Sunday public transport promotion.
Aucklanders have enjoyed their first all-day chance to use
public transport without paying on Sunday, with services across the network
humming with passengers.
Auckland Transport put extra staff in key locations for
the initiative which it hoped would get more people hooked on public
transport.
The fare-free
Sunday was announced a fortnight ago as a way of celebrating the
milestone of 100 million public transport trips being made in a 12-month
period.
AT expected a far bigger than normal turnout on the
network, especially from families.
"Kids love going on double-deckers, it's one of those
novelty things, and I think a lot of families will try to get out on the
trains," Stacey van der Putten, the group manager of metro services, said.
Auckland Transport spokesman Mark Hannan said although exact
numbers were not yet known, public transport services across the network had
been busy.
However, buses in particular had been "very busy"
and all train services were double-carriaged.
Ferries had also proven popular, with queues of people being
asked to wait for the next service due to ferries reaching max capacity.
Half Moon Bay, east Auckland, was an early contender for
busiest ferry service while Devonport ferry services were reshuffled in anticipation
of high demand.
Hannan himself travelled from Britomart to Sylvia Park and
back on a full train, where he observed some passengers who had never been to
Britomart before.
"[There are] lots of people trying things for the first
time. It's generally gone pretty well."
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff tweeted about the occasion, stating
central hub Britomart had been "bulging" with four times more people
than usual.
There were stand-by buses for the northern busway,
which is mostly served by double-deckers, and extra capacity on some ferry
routes.
The Waiheke Island ferry, which operated outside the
public transport network, was not be fare-free, except for holders of
multi-journey passes issued by Fullers.
Public transport enthusiasts launched a challenge on
social media – with the hashtag #akltransitchallenge –
in which the aim is to pass through every train and busway station.
The challenge would start and end at the downtown Britomart
terminus, and participants were encouraged to post on Twitter a photo from the
outer end of each rail and busway line.
Discounted or fare-free public transport moves have gained
momentum in Auckland this year to try to accelerate patronage, which is
already rising at nearly 8 per cent.
Auckland Council this month voted to make weekends
fare-free for under-16s, starting in September.
A wider range of ideas to shift more commuters out of their
cars is being worked on jointly by the council, AT and the Government.
In March, the youth climate change lobby group Generation
Zero launched
a campaign calling for cheaper fares, free weekend travels for families,
and a new range of daily and weekly fare caps.
Generation Zero also proposed boosting the tertiary fare
discount from the current 20 per cent level to 50 per cent, free travel for
under-12s, and creating optional extras for holders of the AT HOP travel card,
such as being able to buy an unlimited weekend travel pass.
Other ideas included extending the period allowed to
transfer between services without extra cost from 30 minutes to an hour.
READ MORE:
* Free public transport: How to ride Auckland's buses, trains and ferries for nothing this month
* All aboard Auckland's public transport - the new challenge
* Free public transport trips for Auckland under-15s get nod from Auckland Mayor Phil Goff
* Anger over 6 per cent fare hikes in Auckland
* Free public transport: How to ride Auckland's buses, trains and ferries for nothing this month
* All aboard Auckland's public transport - the new challenge
* Free public transport trips for Auckland under-15s get nod from Auckland Mayor Phil Goff
* Anger over 6 per cent fare hikes in Auckland
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