By email
Shed 39, 2 Fryat Quay
Pipitea, Wellington 6011
PO Box 11646
21 December 2018
Manners Street
Wellington 6142
T 04 384 5708
File Ref: OIAP-7-8678
F 04 385 6960
www.gw.govt.nz
Mike Mellor
[FYI request #9130 email]
Dear Mr Mellor
Request for information 2018-348
I refer to your request for information dated 26 November 2018, which was received by Greater
Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) on 26 November 2018. You have requested the following
information:
“Could you please let me have the following information and documentation for all bus, ferry and
train units, routes and locations. (The bus documentation is referred to in the Bus Contracts section
of the GWRC website.).
1. Metlink Branding Manual
2. Metlink Brand Guidelines
3. Platform and Layover Allocation Map
4.
Schedule
2
Agreement
details
(except
for
Unit
8,
which
is
online
at
http://www.gw.govt.nz/assets/Transport/Bus-contracts/Schedules-2-15-for-publication.pdf)
5. Working Timetables
6. Intermediate Timing Points
7. Fare Media Transition Plan
8. Equipment Operations Manual”
GWRC’s response follows:
Questions 1 and 2 Metlink Branding Manual and Metlink Brand Guidelines
GWRC has provided the operators of Metlink bus, train and ferry services with copies of a ‘Metlink
Brand Manual’, a ‘Bus Branding Guidelines’ and a ‘Metlink Uniform Branding Guidelines’. These
documents contain information and visuals that specify and illustrate details of the Metlink
marketing collateral. The information contained in these documents includes details of
measurements, spacing and sizing, colour coding (including the colour palettes used for design of
train paper tickets), fonts and typography, symbols, typesetting and other technical design,
formatting and printing details of the Metlink logo, livery, templates, and bus fleet and Metlink staff
uniform.
RESPONSE TO OIA 2018-348
Releasing this information would be likely to expose the Metlink marketing collateral to forgery and
misuse. This information has therefore been withheld in accordance with section 7(2)(j) of the
Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (the Act) on the ground that
withholding this information is necessary to prevent the disclosure of the details or use of the
Metlink’s marketing and branding collateral for improper gain or improper advantage.
3. Platform and Layover Allocation Map
Attachment 1 provides a copy of the Platform and Layover Allocation Map at Wellington Station.
4.
Schedule
2
Agreement
details
(except
for
Unit
8,
which
is
online
at
http://www.gw.govt.nz/assets/Transport/Bus-contracts/Schedules-2-15-for-publication.pdf)
The Schedule 2 Agreement details contain information that is subject to an obligation of confidence
under the partnering contracts between GWRC and operators of Metlink bus services. Providing this
information for all bus units in an appropriate format with confidential information redacted would
require substantial time and effort to retrieve and process. Our estimate is that it would take up to 8
working days (about four hours per each operating unit) of additional work for the GWRC staff to
process and collate the volume of data you have asked for. In addition, releasing some information
in the Schedule 2 Agreements would prejudice commercial position of the bus operators. While we
would need to consult with bus operators, as it currently stands, part of the information you have
requested is likely to be refused in accordance with section 7(2)(b)(ii) of the Act.
We consider the time estimated to be involved in processing your request to be so great that neither
charging nor seeking a time extension would enable us to process your current request in a manner
that would avoid an adverse impact on GWRC’s operations.
Therefore, the information you have requested under your questions 4 is likely to be refused in
accordance with section 17(f) of the Act, on the ground that the extensive amount of information
you have requested cannot be made available without substantial collation and research.
We would be happy to further talk to you to assist you with refining your request in another manner
so that we can provide you with information in a form which is manageable for us to process.
Please contact Catherine Jones, Public Transport Commercial Manager on 021 193 4260 to discuss
what outcome you want to achieve so that we can consider how we might process it in a manner that
does not unduly disrupt our operations.
5. Working Timetables
We understand that by ‘Working Timetables’ you are referring to the operational PTOM unit
timetables. The timetables for PTOM units are continuously being adjusted and updated for
operational performance enhancements. The up-to-date versions of these timetables are available on
the Metlink website at the following link:
https://www.metlink.org.nz/#timetables. The PDF
versions of the timetables specify services connections.
Operators of the Metlink services develop and administer their propriety working timetables for day-
to-day operation of the Metlink services. The working timetables developed by operators are
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consistent with the published timetables but include more detailed run board and other operational
information of propriety nature and hence are subject to an obligation of confidence. The propriety
working timetables are withheld under section 7(2)(b)(ii) of the Act.
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 document under the
grounds identified above.
6. Intermediate Timing Points
The intermediate timing points are identified in the services timetables available on Metlink website.
Please refer to the response provided under question 5 for further notes.
7. Fare Media Transition Plan
Attachment 2 is a copy of the Bus Fare Media Transition Plan.
Attachment 3 is a copy of the Rail Fare Media Transition Plan.
The ferry services have not been transitioned to the Public Transport Operating Model (PTOM) yet
and GWRC is still negotiating the contracting arrangement for ferry services with the Operator. The
fare products for ferry services have been transitioned to the new fares package and schedule from
15 July 2018 through engagement with the Operator under the current contracting arrangement.
Therefore, no Fare Media Transition Plan was developed for ferry.
The following are copies of the attachments to the Fare Media Transition Plans for bus and rail:
Attachment 4 is a copy of the Metlink Fares Manual that has been provided to the operators of bus,
rail and ferry services.
Please note these documents are subject to regular update and are current as at the date on their
cover. They are intended for use solely by the Operators and their staff.
The Metlink Conditions of Carriage can be accessed from the Metlink website at the following link:
https://www.metlink.org.nz/tickets-and-fares/conditions-of-travel/
The Metlink Revenue Protection Strategy can be accessed from the following link:
http://www.gw.govt.nz/assets/council-
reports/Meeting_Documents/7454_Agenda_Sustainable%20Transport%20Committee%2021%20M
arch%202018,%20Order%20Paper.pdf
The Metlink refund policy is still being developed and will be communicated to the Operators
accordingly.
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8. Equipment Operations Manual
Attachment 5 is a copy of the latest version of the Bus Services Equipment Operations Manual we
have provided to operators. The manual is subject to regular update and is current as at the date on
its cover and intended for use only by operators and their staff.
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
Angus Gabara General Manager, Public Transport (Acting)
RESPONSE TO OIA 2018-348
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