Information regarding discussions with Wellington City Council in regards to traffic light timing for buses
Hugh Davenport made this Official Information request to Wellington Regional Council
The request was partially successful.
From: Hugh Davenport
Dear Wellington Regional Council,
I noticed in the comments of the recent Stuff article (https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/1103509...), that there were comments from both the public and from ex bus drivers, that the timing for the orange/amber light was not adequate for a bus to stop safely if there are standing passengers (and potentially if there are no standing passengers).
I would like to request any discussions that GWRC have had with WCC in regards to traffic light timing, and whether they are planned to be fixed to ensure that a bus travelling at 30km/h full of standing passengers can stop safely after an orange light appears, or that the red light does not show until the bus travelling 30km/h has safely made it completely through the intersection.
In addition, I noted the quote in the article, "Tramways Union secretary Kevin O'Sullivan believed bus drivers were facing significant timetable pressure". I understand that GWRC have no direct contact with Tramways Union in the sense an independent contractor, however the bulk of the members of the Tramways Union make up employees of the independent contractors that GWRC engage with. This statement implies that the bus drivers do no have a safety first attitude, rather a timetable driven attitude. This goes against a lot of advice I've received from Metlink over the years.
I would like to enquire whether GWRC are actively trying to promote a safety first culture, whether there are penalties for not meeting timetable demands that could lead to an undue stress increase that could lead to drivers driving recklessly. If GWRC are not actively trying to promote a safety first culture, I would like to enquire when they will start. If there are penalties for not meeting timetable demands, I would like to enquire what the penalties are, and how often they occur.
Yours faithfully,
Hugh Davenport
From: Sam Horsefield
Wellington Regional Council
Dear Hugh,
Acknowledgement of Request for Information
Thank you for your email dated 5 February 2019, requesting information
regarding discussions with Wellington City Council in regards to traffic
light timing for buses
Your request is being followed-up and a reply will be sent to you shortly.
Yours sincerely,
Sam Horsefield
for
Luke Troy
General Manager
Strategy
Greater Wellington Regional Council
ATTENTION: This correspondence is confidential and intended for the named
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sender immediately. Unless otherwise stated, any views or opinions
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the organisation.
From: Nichola Powell
Wellington Regional Council
Dear Mr Davenport
Attached is our response to your recent OIA 2019-029
Yours sincerely
Nichola
Nichola Powell | Executive Assistant to General Manager Public Transport
GREATER WELLINGTON REGIONAL COUNCIL
Te Pane Matua Taiao
Level 2, 15 Walter Street
PO Box 11646, Manners St, Wellington 6142
T: 04 830 4179 | www.gw.govt.nz | www.metlink.org.nz
ATTENTION: This correspondence is confidential and intended for the named
recipient(s) only. If you are not the named recipient and receive this
correspondence in error, you must not copy, distribute or take any action
in reliance on it and you should delete it from your system and notify the
sender immediately. Unless otherwise stated, any views or opinions
expressed are solely those of the author, and do not represent those of
the organisation.
From: Hugh Davenport
Dear Nichola Powell,
Thanks for that Nichola. Do you think GWRC is likely to refuse a request for just the number of occurrences of the penalties (ie, not the $ amount, just the number of times those penalties were applied). I think that would be in the public interest as there is a large amount of criticism for the network and the performance. It would be useful to see whether any penalties are being shifted to the operators to try reinforce that performance issues are treated seriously.
If it is likely to be refused, I will not send a request through.
Yours sincerely,
Hugh Davenport
From: Nichola Powell
Wellington Regional Council
Hi Hugh, I will send this to the appropriate person for a response.
Regards
Nichola Powell | Executive Assistant to General Manager Public Transport
GREATER WELLINGTON REGIONAL COUNCIL
-----Original Message-----
From: Hugh Davenport [mailto:[FOI #9521 email]]
Sent: Thursday, 7 March 2019 1:40 p.m.
To: Nichola Powell
Subject: Re: Request for Information OIA 2019-029
Dear Nichola Powell,
Thanks for that Nichola. Do you think GWRC is likely to refuse a request for just the number of occurrences of the penalties (ie, not the $ amount, just the number of times those penalties were applied). I think that would be in the public interest as there is a large amount of criticism for the network and the performance. It would be useful to see whether any penalties are being shifted to the operators to try reinforce that performance issues are treated seriously.
If it is likely to be refused, I will not send a request through.
Yours sincerely,
Hugh Davenport
-----Original Message-----
Dear Mr Davenport
Attached is our response to your recent OIA 2019-029
Yours sincerely
Nichola
Nichola Powell | Executive Assistant to General Manager Public Transport
GREATER WELLINGTON REGIONAL COUNCIL
Te Pane Matua Taiao
Level 2, 15 Walter Street
PO Box 11646, Manners St, Wellington 6142
T: 04 830 4179 | www.gw.govt.nz | www.metlink.org.nz
ATTENTION: This correspondence is confidential and intended for the named
recipient(s) only. If you are not the named recipient and receive this
correspondence in error, you must not copy, distribute or take any action
in reliance on it and you should delete it from your system and notify the
sender immediately. Unless otherwise stated, any views or opinions
expressed are solely those of the author, and do not represent those of
the organisation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
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Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
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ATTENTION: This correspondence is confidential and intended for the named recipient(s) only. If you are not the named recipient and receive this correspondence in error, you must not copy, distribute or take any action in reliance on it and you should delete it from your system and notify the sender immediately. Unless otherwise stated, any views or opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not represent those of the organisation.
hide quoted sections
From: Nichola Powell
Wellington Regional Council
Hello, please find below
The percentage of services that have had abatements applied (by operator) since October 2018 are provided below.
October 18 to Feb19 % of services Abatement
applied
Mana Total 0.3%
NZ Bus Total 11.7%
Tranzit Total 1.8%
Regards
Nichola Powell | Executive Assistant to General Manager Public Transport
GREATER WELLINGTON REGIONAL COUNCIL
-----Original Message-----
From: Hugh Davenport [mailto:[FOI #9521 email]]
Sent: Thursday, 7 March 2019 1:40 p.m.
To: Nichola Powell
Subject: Re: Request for Information OIA 2019-029
Dear Nichola Powell,
Thanks for that Nichola. Do you think GWRC is likely to refuse a request for just the number of occurrences of the penalties (ie, not the $ amount, just the number of times those penalties were applied). I think that would be in the public interest as there is a large amount of criticism for the network and the performance. It would be useful to see whether any penalties are being shifted to the operators to try reinforce that performance issues are treated seriously.
If it is likely to be refused, I will not send a request through.
Yours sincerely,
Hugh Davenport
-----Original Message-----
Dear Mr Davenport
Attached is our response to your recent OIA 2019-029
Yours sincerely
Nichola
Nichola Powell | Executive Assistant to General Manager Public Transport
GREATER WELLINGTON REGIONAL COUNCIL
Te Pane Matua Taiao
Level 2, 15 Walter Street
PO Box 11646, Manners St, Wellington 6142
T: 04 830 4179 | www.gw.govt.nz | www.metlink.org.nz
ATTENTION: This correspondence is confidential and intended for the named
recipient(s) only. If you are not the named recipient and receive this
correspondence in error, you must not copy, distribute or take any action
in reliance on it and you should delete it from your system and notify the
sender immediately. Unless otherwise stated, any views or opinions
expressed are solely those of the author, and do not represent those of
the organisation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #9521 email]
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers
If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
ATTENTION: This correspondence is confidential and intended for the named recipient(s) only. If you are not the named recipient and receive this correspondence in error, you must not copy, distribute or take any action in reliance on it and you should delete it from your system and notify the sender immediately. Unless otherwise stated, any views or opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not represent those of the organisation.
hide quoted sections
From: Hugh Davenport
Dear Nichola Powell,
Any reason why reporters at Stuff seem to get much more detailed responses? I asked for the number of occurrences of penalties, and received a percentage. Meanwhile, at Stuff, who seems to have connections, managed to get a precise number of 17,663. Also managed to somehow get a breakdown of that number "The infractions included 3207 cancellations, 8451 late services, and 6005 instances of using buses too small for the route."
Given that you originally refused my request for information under 2(b)(ii), then only released a percentage when I requested the number of occurrences (not percentage), why were journalists at Stuff not also refused, then only given a percentage? Are journalists somehow regarded higher than regular persons under the LGOIMA that I failed to read somewhere? Can you please explain why I was not provided the full number of occurrences when I requested it, and why I was originally refused that information, while you are more than happy to supply it to others...
A reference to a particular section of the LGOIMA or other Act of law would be helpful in understanding this inconsistency.
The article in question.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/1115465...
Yours sincerely,
Hugh Davenport
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