By email
Shed 39, 2 Fryatt Quay
Pipitea, Wellington 6011
PO Box 11646
25 May 2020
Manners Street
Wellington 6142
T 04 384 5708
File Ref: OIAP-7-
F 04 385 6960
www.gw.govt.nz
Tony Randle
[FYI request #12724 email]
Dear Mr Randle
Request for information OIA 2020-063
I refer to your request for information, which was received by Greater Wellington Regional
Council (GWRC) on 28 April 2020. You have requested the following information:
“
The GWRC Council Meeting Agenda of 30th April 2020 includes presentation of the "Better
Metlink Fares Post Implementation Review Summary Findings Report"
(http://www.gw.govt.nz/committee-meetings-calendar/detail/7667). This report includes a
number of tables and graphs on the regional PT fares and fare structure changes undertaken in
2018.
1) Can the GWRC please provide a copy of the tables used in this report in their complete and
original electronic format ?
2) Can the GWRC please provide a copy of the supporting data used to calculate and create the
tables used in this report in their complete and original electronic format ?
3) Can the GWRC please provide a copy of the graphs and charts used in this report in their
complete and original electronic format ?
4) Can the GWRC please provide a copy of the supporting data used to calculate and create the
graphs and charts used in this report in their complete and original electronic format ?
As the report tables, charts and graphs along with the supporting data used to create them are
held in electronic form, it is preferred that requested information is provided as complete files
in their original format and this includes any linked data files.”
RESPONSE_TO_OIA_2020-063
GWRC’s response is as follows:
Table, graphs and charts
Attachment 1 is a copy of the
Better Metlink Fares Post Implementation Review Summary
Findings Report in its original electronic format. This document contains the descriptive tables.
Attachments 2 to 5 contain copies of the graphs and charts used for the report in their original
electronic formats. These attachments also contain hard coded data values and summary tables
used to generate the charts and graphs.
In their original formats, the values used to generate the charts and graphs were either derived
from or directly linked to the underlying data and calculations and summarised as Excel Pivot
tables, linked tables (with formulas) or hard coded values.
As further explained in the following section, the underlying data behind the tables, graphs and
charts is provided to you with some data records redacted. As the tables, graphs and charts rely
on the underlying data, to preserve the values and original format of the tables, charts and graphs,
the supporting information in the attachments 2 to 5 is provided as hardcoded values without
links to underlying data.
The underlying data is provided as separate documents with the redactions applied.
Supporting information
The following underlying data and information was originally used to generate the tables, graphs
and charts in the report:
1. Current network-wide patronage and revenue data (2018/19 financial year): this data is
included in the attachments 2 and 3 and contains calculations used for the analyses. The
patronage information is also available from the Metlink website at the following link:
https://www.metlink.org.nz/our-metlink-journey/performance-of-our-network/
2. Current bus network data (1 August 2018 to 31 July 2019): contains granular
breakdowns of boardings and revenue for bus network with calculations and links to
multiple lookup sheets used as the main source of data for the analyses of bus network.
3. Current rail network data (2016/17 to 2018/19): contains granular breakdowns of ticket
sales and revenue information for rail network with calculations and links to multiple
lookup sheets used as the main source of data for the analyses of rail network
4. Past network-wide data (2014/15): contains granular breakdowns of boardings and
revenue for the entire public transport network in 2014/15. The database was developed
and used for patronage and revenue modelling of the
Better Metlink Fares package in
2016/17. This data was reused for comparisons as part of the post implementation review
of the
Better Metlink Fares.
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5. Past detailed bus data (2014/15): contains transaction level bus ticketing data primarily
used for the estimates of transfer rates and peak and off-peak boardings in the past.
6. Financial information (2018/19): the graphs showing financial performance of the fare
package were generated using the information contained in the 2019 annual farebox
recovery calculations and GWRC’s financial performance reports used for the 2018/19
Annual Report. The 2019 annual farebox recovery information has been provided to you
in response to your request for information OIA 2019-073. The 2018/19 Annual Report
is available from the following link: https://www.gw.govt.nz/annual-report/
7. Results of the modelling for Better Metlink Fares: this information has already been
provided to you as part of our response to your request for information OIA 2017-104 at
the following link: https://fyi.org.nz/request/6429-request-for-information-supporting-
the-better-metlink-fares-consultation#incoming-21
The underlying data and information for the current network is provided in Attachment 6 (bus)
and Attachment 7 (rail). Part of the information provided in these attachments and all the
2014/15 data has been withheld on the following grounds:
A significant number of rows in the underlying data in Attachment 6 and Attachment 7
contain records of 5 or less boardings on a specific route or area. If this level of
granularity is combined with other similar or more detailed information, it would
potentially reveal travel routines of individuals or groups of passengers on a particular
route and consequently would compromise their safety. Therefore any record of 5 or less
boardings in the underlying data is withheld in accordance with section 6(b) of the Local
Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (the Act) on the ground that
making available of that information would be likely to endanger the safety of any person
who is the subject of the information.
The underlying data for current bus and rail network contains details of the third party
fares and ticketing products including information on the Snapper Ridebank trial,
university discounts and operator specific staff travel discount schemes. This
information is withheld under section 7(2)(b)(ii) of the Act on the ground that making
available of the information would be likely unreasonably to prejudice the commercial
position of the person who supplied or who is the subject of the information.
The 2014/15 data (both network-wide and detailed bus data) contains information that
is protected under an obligation of confidentiality between GWRC and previous bus
operators. Therefore this information has been withheld in accordance with section
7(2)(c)(i) of the Act on the ground that withholding the information is necessary to
protect information which is subject to an obligation of confidence, where the making
available of the information would be likely to prejudice the supply of similar
information, or information from the same source, and it is in the public interest that
such information should continue to be supplied. Any formula or value with a reference
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to this information has been hard coded and retained in the attachments to preserve the
original format of the tables, charts and graphs that rely on those values.
As you can appreciate, the supporting information is large and unable to be transferred via email.
We have given serious consideration as to what would be the best way in which we can share
this information and have arranged for this information to be provided to you via a secure link
to the documents saved on GWRC’s cloud storage on Microsoft One Drive.
You will receive a separate message via the email address you have provided for this request
following the receipt of this response.
We have considered whether the public interest in the requested information outweighs
GWRC’s need to withhold certain aspects of the requested information. As a result, we do not
consider that the public interest outweighs GWRC’s reason for withholding parts of the
documents under the grounds identified above.
We hope you find all of the information we are providing useful. If you have any concerns with
the decision(s) referred to in this letter, you have the right to request an investigation and review
by the Ombudsman under section 27(3) of the Act.
Yours sincerely
Scott Gallacher
General Manager, Public Transport
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