Wellington's faltering new bus network gets rethink after just three weeks

Monday, 6 August 2018

A Metlink driver had to abandon a bus after going the wrong way.

Upset commuters have already forced a rethink of Wellington's new bus network.

Bus users in the suburb of Karori have been particularly outspoken about their dislike of the new network, which was launched three weeks ago.

Their complaints include late and over-crowded buses, the removal of a direct off-peak connection to Wellington Regional Hospital in Newtown, and issues for Wellington College students getting home after school.

A change to Wellington's new bus network is already on the table.

Greater Wellington Regional Council now says it will review the decision to cut the hospital route.

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Wellington city councillor Simon Woolf says the unreliable new network was forcing Karori commuters back into cars. (File photo)

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That route, which runs from north Miramar to Karori via Kilbirnie, Newtown, Massey University in Mt Cook and Victoria University in Kelburn, was cut to a peak-only service when the new network was rolled out.

The bus route which could be reinstated goes via Victoria University's Kelburn campus. (File photo)

But the regional council's sustainable transport committee deputy chairman Daran Ponter said the all-day service could be reinstated.

'That's partly with the benefit of hindsight but also because of how some of our communities have developed in the past four or five years.'

The service would also connect Karori commuters with Wellington Regional Hospital in Newtown. (File photo)

The new network was launched on July 15, but planning for it went back several years.

However, it could take several months for the change to take effect as a new contract was negotiated with route operator NZ Bus.

Wellington city councillor Diane Calvert says the Karori bus service is 'not good enough'. (File photo)

The general unrest among commuters has led to local councillors and MPs setting up two public meetings later this month to discuss the issues, with further meetings also likely.

Wellington city councillor Simon Woolf said Karori Rd was the busiest he had ever seen it this past Monday morning. He believed the congestion had been caused by an unreliable bus network forcing people back into cars.

Greater Wellington Regional Council sustainable transport committee chairperson Barbara Donaldson says 'panicking is not helpful'. (File photo)

'For the regional council to say we're seeing a few difficulties would be an understatement.'

A meeting for Karori commuters on August 30, which will also involve Wellington Central MP Grant Robertson, Wellington-based MP Nicola Willis and several local councillors, was about local politicians being collegial, Woolf said.

'This is not about political point-scoring. The ultimate aim is for the regional council to make improvements as soon as possible.'

Willis has also started a petition for the regional council to address issues that were 'forcing commuters to use a car or taxi'.

The meeting will likely be followed by another one for Ngaio, Khandallah and Broadmeadows commuters, while Rongotai MP Paul Eagle and Ponter are behind a planned meeting for eastern suburbs commuters on August 26.

City councillor Diane Calvert said the current network 'isn't good enough'.

There were health and safety issues because of over-crowding on buses and stressed drivers who had not been properly trained.

'That's fundamental before you go live with anything – you have to train your staff, whatever they do,' Calvert said.

Sustainable transport committee chairwoman Barbara Donaldson acknowledged drivers recruited from outside of Wellington had made some errors on the new routes, but so had experienced Wellington drivers.

There had also been issues with operators using smaller buses than had been stipulated by the council for some services.

'I think the evidence is services are getting better every day,' Donaldson said.

'We said right from the beginning that there would be some issues. We asked the public for patience and, by and large, they've been very patient. Panicking won't help anyone.'

Some drivers had been paired with 'buddies' to help them on certain routes, she said. A driver shortage was also gradually improving.