Loading ...Blog reader Felicity had the misfortune of finding this out the hard way after attending the Justin Timberlake concert on Friday night. Read on to find out what happened…
I was in Auckland on Friday night to see Justin Timberlake at the Vector Arena. I read your review on the arena and yes I give them 10 out of 10 too. Anyway, I want to tell you how I found the public transport that night. We (myself, my carer and her husband) decided to go on the train to Britomart and walk to the arena. I use a power chair and find the trains to be a very easy way to travel.
The trip to Britomart was uneventful but coming back was a different story. After the concert, we walked back to Britomart to catch the last train back to Papatoetoe. The last train was scheduled to leave Britomart at 12:11 am. At 12:07 there was an announcement on the loud speaker telling us the train wasn’t coming due to a freight train accident and that they would make alternative arrangments for all passengers. I told them I needed a taxi with a hoist. They (MAXX) told me a taxt would be here in 20-25 minutes and no taxi arrived. They then told me that there were no taxis with hoists at that time of night (come on guys this is Auckland right? Do people with disabilities not go out on a Friday night?) Anyway to cut a long story short we ended up going back to Papatoetoe on our own train so all’s well that ends well after a long wait at Britomart!!!
Good to hear MAXX didn’t leave Felicity stranded forever, although they really should be better prepared in such circumstances, and realise that not everyone can hop on a bus or a taxi! Have you had a similar experience with Auckland’s abysmal public transport system? Flick me an email and let me know!
4 responses so far ↓
1 Train company responds to Felicity’s story // Nov 30, 2007 at 4:38 pm
[…] hearing about Felicity’s nightmare at Britomart, I wrote to Maxx and requested an official response. They responded in due course, and told me they […]
2 Allyson // Dec 1, 2007 at 12:58 pm
I really think that “disability” taxi’s (the ones with hoists) really do think that we don’t have lives beyond 7pm. I’ve just applied for the GetOutThere project with the CP Society. While it’s an absolute fantastic idea , recieving $300 in free taxi vouchers, the restriction to “disability’ taxis has opened my eyes to the real level of organisation that disabled people have to go through to get anywhere.
I’ve been used to phoning a taxi, it arriving, then going to my destination. “disability taxi services” need to be increased somehow, so that we can have the same access to transport as everyone else.
3 Review: Britomart Transport Centre, Auckland // Dec 5, 2007 at 10:36 pm
[…] For those outside of Auckland, Britomart is our new transport centre, incorporating a plethora of on-street bus stops, ticketing booths, and an underground train station. Check out the pictures here! It’s located at the bottom of Queen St, and is really quite architecturally unique. Featuring water fountains, random metal poles, and green palms where you’d least expect them (see photo), it really is worth a visit if you’re in the area. It’s also really close to Vector Arena, so it’s a good option for travelling home after the gig you’ve just shelled out in excess of $100 to see, (like Justin Timberlake). […]
4 Service Alert: Re-Li-On-Us Mobility Transport // Dec 7, 2007 at 2:11 pm
[…] taxi company in town, with a difference. They are 24/7, which is particularly important given recent events. They are also, as the name aptly suggests, reliable. Case in point: I needed to attend a Christmas […]
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