By email
Shed 39, 2 Fryat Quay
Pipitea, Wellington 6011
PO Box 11646
10 December 2018
Manners Street
Wellington 6142
T 04 384 5708
File Ref: OIAP-7-8661
F 04 385 6960
www.gw.govt.nz
David Robinson
[FYI request #8328 email]
Dear Mr Robinson
Request for information 2018-364
I refer to your request for information dated 15 July 2018, which was received by Greater
Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) on 15 July 2018. I apologise for the delay in responding to
you. As you have been advised, due to a system error your request was not logged into our official
information database until 7 December 2018. You have requested the following information:
“
1. Could you please provide with any information you hold of the number of seat kilometres per
day the trolley bus fleet was doing before their removal? Or any information you hold which could
be used to calculate the number of seat kilometres per day the trolley bus fleet were doing.
2. Can you please provide with any information you hold about the projected seat kilometres per
day of electric buses as per their roll out plan? Or any information you hold which could be used to
calculate the number of seat kilometres per day of the electric buses as they are procured.
3. Any information you hold which indicates when Wellington will have the same number of electric
bus provided seat kilometres per day with the new electric buses as Wellington did before the trolley
bus fleet removal.”
GWRC’s response follows:
We do not hold formal figures for seat kilometres per day. However, we can advise that in the
calendar year of 2016, the trolley buses undertook 1,281,936 in-service kilometres. The majority of
the trolley buses provided capacity for 37 seated passengers and 28 standing passengers for a total
capacity of 65 passengers. The total number of trolley buses operating in 2016 was 57.
We do not hold projected seat kilometre information for the future electric buses, but can advise that
we expect the likely kilometres that will be undertaken by future electric buses to be the same, or
more, as those undertaken by the trolley buses. The reason for this assumption is that the future
electric buses are not constrained by the overhead wire network and can therefore be better utilised
RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
across different bus routes and can run in the weekends. Due to maintenance requirements on the
trolley overhead network, trolley buses did not run in the weekends.
The current confirmed roll out plan is:
10 electric vehicle double-deckers (EVDD) now in operation
10 more EVDD by mid-2020, i.e. 20 EVDD by mid-2020
12 more EVDD by mid-2021, i.e. 32 EVDD by mid-2021.
In addition, we are in ongoing discussions with NZ Bus regarding the potential conversion of the
trolley buses to new battery electrics or the acquisition of new electric vehicle buses as direct
replacements. While not yet confirmed, we are hopeful that direct replacements of the trolley buses
will be operational by mid-2020. This would mean that we would have at least 70 electric vehicle
buses on the road by mid-2020, and over 80 by mid-2021.
The EVDD have a total passenger capacity of 82, and any trolley replacement will have a passenger
capacity of at least 75 (by comparison, each trolley bus had a 65-passenger capacity). On this basis
we will have exceeded the trolley bus available capacity by mid-2020, and seat kilometres
potentially sooner.
In addition to the EVDD and trolley replacements, we are working with operators to identify further
opportunities to introduce more electric vehicle buses in the short to medium term, and to this end
we are currently preparing a detailed electric bus strategy to guide the transition process.
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 Local Government
Official Information and Meetings Act 1987.
Yours sincerely
Angus Gabara General Manager, Public Transport (Acting)
RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
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