Kaukapakapa to Silverdale Bus Trial,
15 - 19 March 2010.

UPDATE 28 February: Sadly, KARRA is close to pulling the plug on the proposed bus trial. In the online survey 37 locals said they'd use the bus every day - but only two people have signed up so far. The trial will only go ahead if we have at least 6 passengers confirmed for each morning run to Silverdale. The deadline for reserving a seat has been extended to 5pm tomorrow (Monday 1 March). Please email admin@kaukapakapa.org.nz if you do plan on taking part.

KARRA's two week online survey ended on 5 February. There was so much positive feedback and support for a bus service in Kaukapakapa, that KARRA is now proposing a one week trial, to run from Monday 15 March to Friday 19 March 2010. This is our opportunity to prove to regional transport authorities we have the numbers to justify a permanent bus service. If the trial is successful, KARRA expects the operator to continue the run as a permanent service.

Discussions with potential operators are underway, and already three have expressed an interest in transporting passengers from Kaukapakapa to Silverdale, and return at the end of the day. Between them we have a range of vehicle options available to us, catering for between 6 and 40 passengers. The aim is to have a realistic idea of passenger numbers by 23 February, which will enable us to decide which operator will best suit the community's needs.

The trial will only go ahead if KARRA is confident there'll be enough 'bums on seats'. We really need to know now how many of you plan to take part in the trial. We can even assist you with planning the rest of your bus journey from Silverdale.

Once we have a clearer idea of passenger numbers, we'll be able to confirm whether the trial will offer more than one run in the morning and evening, and whether the bus will journey from Kaukapakapa to Silverdale, Albany and/or Auckland CBD. The majority of bus services in the region are propped up by subsidies and we'll be lobbying to get funding assistance for a Kaukapakapa to Silverdale run. Even without a subsidy, the fare from Kaukapakapa to Silverdale won't be more than $5.

Contact admin@kaukapakapa.org.nz - or come along to the Kaukapakapa Village Market this Sunday to get more information from KARRA.

Sign up to RDC's Online Carpooling Scheme

The online survey also showed there's also considerable interest in carpooling. Rodney District Council have been operating an online community based carpool scheme since 2007, and staff are very excited there's so much interest from Kaukapakapa residents. Come along to the Kaukapakapa Village Market this Sunday morning (21 February) where Council staff will be on hand to explain the 'Take a Mate' scheme, and help residents sign up on the spot. You could even win a prize!

More information on the 'Take a Mate' scheme can be found here, or you can phone Claire Flattery at RDC 0800 426 5169.

Response to Bus Survey

124 local residents completed KARRA's online bus survey, in only two weeks. Here are some comments made on the survey forms:

"Great plan, for all 4 of us here! Home work, home shops, older kids without a car can travel places without mums driving them too. Hope to hear more soon."

"This service is long overdue!!!!"

"This is what KKK really needs to have, a transport service to accommodate those that do work in the CBD."

"It has always seemed strange they have a bus service to west and not the east, I would also allow the children to get to Orewa in the school holidays or to sports in Silverdale and home again"

As you can see from the graphs below, there is huge support in our community for a commuters' bus service, carpooling and a shoppers' bus service.

Census data shows that from 2001 to 2006 the catchment areas for the proposed bus service experienced population growth of over 50%. That rate of growth in the Kaukapakapa area has continued, if not accelerated. Our travel patterns seem to differ markedly from our neighbours in Helensville. Most Kaukapakapa residents work on the Hibiscus Coast, North Shore, and in Auckland CBD, commuting along Kahikatea Flat Rd where the average daily traffic count in October 2009 reached 5,500. One local bus company already transports around 300-400 students each day to North Shore schools along Kahikatea Flat Rd, and there are hundreds more who travel on other school bus services to Orewa, Kingsway and Wentworth Colleges on the Hibiscus Coast.

The majority of residents who completed KARRA's online bus survey are commuting to work in Auckland's CBD. Some commute from as far away as Tauhoa and Ahuroa!

Around a third of those who completed the survey are interested in carpooling and the Rodney District Council have come on board to help us with that side of things. Since 2007 the Council has operated an online rideshare scheme called 'Take a Mate' and they'll be promoting the scheme at the Kaukapakapa Village market this Sunday morning (21 February).

Halfway through the survey we were advised the journey times in MAXX's bus timetables don't take into account the much faster journey along the Northern Busway. To get from Kaukapakapa to the CBD should only take about one hour, not the hour and a half we'd first suggested in the survey.

Using the survey results, most of those who responded want to catch a bus that leaves Kaukapakapa Hall between 7am and 7.15am. From Silverdale, passengers will then be able to transfer to either:

• the 7.40am 895 Express that travels along the Northern Busway and reaches Wellesley St sometime between 8am and 8.30am. First stop is Constellation Station, where you can transfer to buses that travel to Newmarket and all around the North Shore,
• the 7.40am 898 bus that travels through Dairy Flat and arrives at the Albany Bus Station just after 8am. From here you can transfer to buses that travel to Newmarket and destinations all over the North Shore,
• the 7.40am 893 bus that travels along the Hibiscus Coast Highway to Orewa.

For the return journey to Kaukapakapa, most survey participants preferred to catch a bus from Silverdale at around 6pm. Those working in Auckland's CBD would need to catch the 895 Express that leaves Wellesley Street at 5.11pm. That bus also collects passengers from the four stations along the Northern Busway (Akoranga 5.30pm, Smales Farm 5.32pm, Sunnynook 5.34pm and Constellation 5.35pm). It could be a good option for students attending North Shore schools and who need to get back to Kaukapakapa after sports practices, after school activities, etc.

What many people don't realise is that from the Silverdale Shops and Albany Bus Station, you can bus to practically anywhere on the North Shore or indeed the entire Auckland public transport network. One of the major projects signalled for development in coming years is the extension of the Northern Busway to Silverdale, and for park and ride bus stations to be built at Redvale and Silverdale.

We recommend you look at the journey planner on this website www.maxx.co.nz which shows you how you can get to work, school, shopping, etc using the region's public transport services.