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Off-peak Gulf Harbour ferry services are in the firing line, with Auckland Transport (AT) confirming that once the O Mahurangi Penlink route opens, the ferry will run at weekday peak times only.
Off-peak travel will be left to an improved bus network along the peninsula via Penlink.
The ferry-users group which has around 2700 members, says many people rely on these off-peak sailings and it is determined to retain that level of service.
Recently the group ran a survey to provide some hard data to AT. The survey, which closed on October 19, attracted close to 400 responses.
The group also wants to see the ferry’s reliability improved and its role in resilience recognised, as a link should Whangaparāoa Road be affected by a disaster.
Users group spokesperson Alan Beck says the timing is key, as AT is undergoing a procurement process for the ferry. AT’s current agreement with Fullers for Gulf Harbour runs to 2028, after which any new contract would come into force.
“AT’s reasoning [for cutting off peak sailings] rests largely on 2023 Census data and on budget, and the 2023 figures were taken when patronage had not recovered from Covid and reliability was poor,” Beck says. “We want evidence of how people actually use the service, what they need from it, and what is holding them back from using it more.”
He says as AT’s network and operator contract decisions are not yet finalised, there is still time for that evidence to count.
“While AT has recognised the resilience value of retaining the Gulf Harbour ferry after Penlink opens, that value is not defined, and Auckland Emergency Management was not consulted. There is also no information on how vessels and crews would be mobilised in an emergency such as an earthquake or a major road accident, and AT has confirmed that vessel and crew availability for additional sailings is untested and remains an assumption,” Beck says.
“Our concern is that no service levels have been published for the current agreement. “Peak” is not defined, and neither is the number of sailings that goes with it. Without a defined minimum, Fullers, AT or both could reduce sailings without breaching the agreement, and the same gap could carry into the new contract unless it is closed. That is why the detail of the procurement document (Request for Proposal or RFP) matters.”
AT’s Public Transport Service Change Planning manager Dave Hilson says although the future ferry timetable has not been finalised, the Gulf Harbour ferry service will run at peak times on weekdays. He says further public engagement will take place prior to finalising the details of the future public transport network for the peninsula and feedback will help inform the final timetable.
The future public transport network for Whangaparāoa Peninsula includes a new frequent bus service running along Whangaparāoa Road and a frequent NX2 service running via O Mahurangi Penlink.
He says this will add resilience and extra capacity when demand is highest, while off-peak travellers will use the frequent bus services.
“Running both a full-day ferry service and all-day frequent bus services was ruled out as too expensive. A combined option would push operating costs beyond the available budget,” Hilson says. “The final planned network reflects a compromise between frequency, cost, coverage and public preference. The increase in frequent bus services through the day, rather than retaining an all-day ferry service, has the potential to benefit a greater number of people travelling to a range of destinations, including the city centre.”
Hilson says resilience was a factor taken into account when AT decided to retain the Gulf Harbour ferry service.
“It means the infrastructure at Gulf Harbour will be maintained and there will be vessels available that are capable of operating the service. Also the ferry service can be scaled up to respond to demand if required.”
