Tranzwatching in Auckland, Te Ika a Maui, New Zealand
Auckland Transport has moved to reduce buses in Queen Street and central Auckland areas by creating three Link routes as part of an expanded but simplified network.
The city Link will replace the free City Circuit bus, which carries 2200 passengers a day. The new service will be free until Christmas and then free for Hop card users and 50c for others.
Speaking of the new Link routes to the NZ Herald, Auckland councillor Wayne Walker predicted there would be a quantum leap in bus patronage.
"People like to use circular routes. They are incredibly easy to understand," he said.
The buses will have distinctive colours for each route, red, amber and green and will be new Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200 buses coming straight from Kiwi Bus Builders assembly plant near Tauranga.
ADL have issued a media statement saying the bus emissions are 90% cleaner than existing diesel buses operating in Queen Street, meeting Euro 5+ standards. It is part of an order of 120 new buses for NZ Bus Ltd, which saw over 30 firms world wide tendering for the contract.
CEO of Alexander Dennis Limited Colin Robertson is quoted , ""We are delighted that our Enviro200 midi bus emerged as the preferred option after an exhaustive, worldwide search for the right bus. It is a lightweight, fuel efficient, highly manoeuvrable bus that has the potential to change the transport landscape in New Zealand.
"The Enviro200 is a world-beater with over 16,000 already in operation around the globe. As a company we have invested significantly in this project and today marks a milestone for us, Kiwi Bus Builders, NZ Bus and the transport sector in New Zealand generally.
We would love to see electric buses on the North Shore doing the Round the Lake Circuit- Takapuna-Smales Farm-Milford-Takapuna. They were never suited to the steep Victoria Street to the University-up Wellesley Street run-always overloaded
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