Auckland announces free transport to RWC 2011 matches

Public transport will be free to all Rugby World Cup 2011 matches in Auckland for ticketholders, enabling fans to get to the game quicker.
Auckland RWC 2011 Transport Director Bruce Barnard says the free ride to games will mean people can board more efficiently without passengers having to buy tickets on the bus or train.
Barnard who has successfully managed transport for major events such as the Australian Grand Prix and the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games, explains
âthis in turn means faster movement to and from matches which is the name of our game.�?
Barnard adds that the transport plan for Eden Park's RWC 2011 matches, which was released last week, aims to get 75% of people out of their cars with the majority of these onto public transport for the finals and 60% for pool matches.
Free public transport for match ticketholders has already proven successful in getting Aucklanders out of their cars with 12,000 using public transport to the 2008 Bledisloe Cup test at Eden Park.
Auckland Regional Transport Authority Chair Rabin Rabindran says making public transport the easiest and most convenient way to get to RWC 2011 matches is the key to the effective movement of the large number of visitors.
"Uncongested rapid transit corridors such as rail and the use of bus lanes offer the ability to move thousands of people quickly. The majority of our international visitors use public transport every day as a matter of course and more than 25% of Aucklanders on average are now realising that public transport is the easiest way to get to and from major events."
Rabindran said that the Eden Park component of free public transport for RWC 2011 patrons is being funded by both the Auckland region and the Tournament organisers Rugby New Zealand 2011 (RNZ 2011). Auckland's contribution will come from within existing budgets.
The free ride will be available to fans on the production of a RWC 2011 match ticket for rail services within Auckland three hours before the match and three hours after the match.
For special event bus services the free ride will be available three hours before the match and between one to one and a half hours after the match or until all fans have been cleared.
RNZ 2011 says that free public transport has played a critical part in the success of other major events worldwide.
RNZ 2011 Tournament Services General Manager Nigel Cass explains "we want all those going to RWC 2011 matches to have the best possible experience so we think a free ride to Auckland's RWC 2011 matches will make a great contribution to that.
"This will really impress our overseas visitors as well as encouraging more New Zealanders to take public transport on match day."
In addition to the free ride to the game, improvements to Auckland's public transport service for RWC 2011, including a major upgrade to Kingsland Station, will leave Aucklanders with even greater public transport choices in the future.