Your Transport Today - Issue 6 - June 2014

Your Transport Today – Issue 6 – June 2014

Welcome to Your Transport Today!

Replacing the former Metlink News, Your Transport Today will bring you the latest information on your public transport in the region.  Your Transport Today will focus particularly on what’s happening with bus, train and harbour ferry services over the next three months. You can find out more about public transport in the region on our web and mobile sites.  We welcome your feedback and are very happy to answer any questions you have about public transport in the Wellington region. You can get in touch by emailing info@metlink.org.nz.

Your Transport Today Issue 6

In this issue

• Wellington's public transport's blueprint - the next steps
• Hutt Valley public transport - tell us what you think
• Sharing a ride to the station
• Checking on your winter harbour ferry services
• Safer, brighter bus stops on Bunny Street
• Bus stop facility improvements
• Train depot happenings
• What’s happening on the Network?

Wellington's public transport's blueprint - the next steps

Thanks to all those who gave us feedback recently on the Draft Regional Public Transport Plan – the Regional Council’s blueprint for delivering the best public transport services throughout the region.

We had more than 600 submissions and a hundred requests to make additional oral submissions, which is a testament to the interest in the future of public transport in the region. This public feedback is a vital part of the process in balancing the many varied views and needs.

The plan hadn’t been finalised before Your Transport Today went to print but the Council is expected to adopt a final plan by the end of June. If you’re interested in the details of the final plan, check the public transport section of the Greater Wellington Regional Council website at the end of June for more information.

Hutt Valley public transport - tell us what you think

If you use public transport in the Hutt Valley, we’d like to hear what you think about services.

We’re currently reviewing bus, train and harbour ferry services in the Hutt Valley to see where improvements could be made. We’re particularly interested in looking at how connect ions between bus, train and harbour ferry are working,  the accuracy of timetables and how well services meet demand both in terms of the times people want to travel and where they want to go.

This is not a major ‘starting from scratch’ exercise. It’s quite narrowly focused on how improvements can be made to meet people’s needs and to encourage more people to use public transport instead of their car.

As part of the review passengers have been asked to take part in surveys on board some bus, train and harbour ferry services.

If you use bus, train or harbour ferry services in the Hutt Valley and would like to tell us what you think about services and how they can be improved, please email  ptreview@gw.govt.nz

Significant changes coming out of the review are expected to be in place during 2017.

 
A Valley Flyer bus arriving at Petone Station.

Sharing a ride to the station

Waikanae and Petone train commuters who share a ride to the railway station can now get priority parking at the Park and Ride carparks – if you arrive early enough!

Sharing a ride with family, friends, neighbours or workmates to the station frees up space for others at the very popular Park and Rides so the priority car parks are a ‘thank you’ to carpoolers.Five carpool parking spaces are available at Waikanae Station, in the parking area closest to SH1, and 10 are available at Petone Station near the platform in the main carpark. The spaces are signposted and marked clearly to let people know that they’re reserved for carpoolers between midnight and 9am Monday – Friday. If they’re still free after 9am, anyone can use them. The carparks will be monitored to make sure they are being used appropriately.

If you would like to find people to carpool with, visit the secure carpool matching service, www.letscarpool.govt.nz.  Depending on the success of the trial, priority carpool parking could be made available at other stations around the Wellington region.

 
Carpooling markings at Waikanae

Checking on your winter harbour ferry services

Travelling on the harbour ferry is a wonderful thing to do in Wellington, giving you a new perspective of the city and surrounds from the water. Now that winter is here, a ferry trip can be particularly beautiful on a crisp, sunny day. But wet and wild days are also part of winter in Wellington so it pays to know how to check for winter disruptions to harbour ferry services.

If you’re a regular harbour ferry customer, it’s worth signing up for the free mobile text service that gives you up to the minute alerts about cancellations and delays.  Just inform the crew of your mobile number next time you’re catching the ferry or email info@eastbywest.co.nz.(external link)

You can also check the Metlink web or mobile site for service updates – go to the harbour ferry timetable and click on ‘service updates’.

Harbour ferry disruptions are also tweeted. Follow @metlinkwgtn on Twitter.

And you can also call the Metlink Service Centre on 0800 801 700 for information about disruptions.

 
Passengers disembarking the harbour ferry at Days Bay Wharf.

Safer, brighter bus stops on Bunny Street

A vibrant mural, brighter lights, clearer signs, and new seats are coming to the bus stops at Queensgate, on Bunny Street in Lower Hutt.

The improvements, being made by the Regional and Hutt City Councils, will give the area a brighter, safer and more enjoyable feel for people waiting for buses and for those working in or visiting the Lower Hutt CBD.

The changes are designed specifically to discourage anti-social behaviour and crime in the area.

Two of the shelters have been removed to lighten and brighten the area. New seats and stronger lights will be installed, and a mural will add vibrancy and atmosphere.

These improvements are expected to be completed by the end of June.

In the longer term a new, differently designed, bus shelter will be installed along with 24-hour CCTV.

Bus stop facility improvements

Each year Metlink puts out around 15 new shelters across the region, some of these are replacing old shelters and the others are located where there was no shelter. 

Here are the locations of this year’s bus stop shelter improvements which are due to be completed by the end of June 2014.

Train depot happenings

Train commuters will have noticed a lot of activity in the last few months around the train depot in the Thorndon rail yards north of Wellington Station.

The depot, with its distinctive tilted roof and dark green and lilac stripes, is the engine room for the maintenance of the Matangi and Ganz Mavag trains. The building is made up of three sections built in different eras. The most recent, at the northern end, was built in 2010 to accommodate the new Matangi trains, the middle part was built in 1978 and the southern end was built in the 1940s.  

The southern end has been demolished after asbestos was exposed when the roof was damaged in last June’s severe storm. This part of the depot was also an earthquake risk and not suitable for modern trains with more equipment on the roof.

What’s happening on the Network?

 Kapiti Line

Effective until September 2014

Night works will take place most weeks from Sunday to Thursday, and during some weekends while foundations are laid for new traction poles between Porirua and Waikanae Stations.

Route 14 - Bus route diversion due to road closure

Effective on 22 June 2014

Route 14 bus services will be diverted through Mt Victoria and Hataitai due to road closures on Oriental Parade through to Evans Bay Parade in both directions for an event.

Route 3 - Karori trolley bus overhead wires upgrade

Effective until 30 September 2014

Trolley buses on Route 3 will not be operating from Karori Depot due to an upgrade of the overhead wires. Some Route 3 trolley buses will still operate out of Kilbirnie Depot where possible and other trips will be run with diesel buses.

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