Concerns have been raised about whether Wellington public transport has the capacity to move large numbers of people across the region with the space for social distancing, under alert level 2.
Passengers queuing at Wellington Railway Station, during the pre-Covid rush hour, earlier this year. Photo: RNZ / Paloma Migone
Under official guidelines physical distancing of 1-metre is required, including on public transport. But large numbers commute into Wellington City for work - from the Kāpiti Coast, Porirua, the Hutt Valley, and Wairarapa.
The Metlink network, operated by Greater Wellington Regional Council, is currently gearing up to return to its full pre-Covid timetable. Bus services have already resumed in full, and trains will from Monday. Ferry services won't resume until alert level 2.
Chair of GWRC, Daran Ponter, said while the network can cater to the numbers commuting under alert level 3, there isn't capacity to provide the same assurances under alert level 2.
"The move from level 3 to level 2 is much more problematic for us than the move from level 4 to level 3, because so many more people ... will start to use public transport.
"We just don't have the capacity to carry people with the physical distancing requirements that might be in place."
The country will remain at alert level 3 until at least 11 May. And as the alert levels are relaxed it's expected more people will return to their workplaces, and increase demand on public transport.
Ponter said the problem was being considered.
"There's discussions going on between the regional councils and Ministry of Health about how we organise ourselves collectively for level 2, to give adequate assurances to the travelling community that they can travel safely."
The level 2 guidelines encourage 'alternative ways of working' "such as remote working, shift-based working, physical distancing, staggering meal breaks, flexible leave", but the increased movement of people is still expected.
Part of the solution requires providing people with viable alternative means of transport, said regional councillor Thomas Nash.
More viable means of transport such as more cycleways are needed in the capital, one councillor says. Photo: 123RF
"We need some practical alternatives that don't mean returning to the congested, polluted, unsafe roads we've become accustomed to prior to the lockdown," he said.
"I don't think going back to that status quo is tenable.
"We've been working with the [Wellington] City Council to encourage these measures to get in place as soon as possible. My view is it's a public health, transport, and climate imperative to get temporary cycleways and wider footpaths in place as soon as possible."
Such actions have already been undertaken in places such as Auckland, Nelson and Palmerston North.
Nash said such measures for the capital might not be far off.
"[There have] been encouraging conversations, and I'm confident we'll see measures in Wellington City in the next few weeks. I'd like it to be sooner - I think Wellington City Council would like it to be sooner as well."
