New services and quality improvements are being credited for a rise in patronage on public transport.

Figures from Auckland Transport show use of rail services for the year ending August, is up 16 percent on the previous year.

Matt Lourie from Transport Blog says it's a case of build it and they will come.

Mr Lourie says nearly 40 percent of peak-hour bridge commuters are travelling on a bus, and that number's set to rise.

"What we've seen is every other country, when each of these individual things happen, they see big uplift, and we're doing them all."

Use of Northern Express buses increased almost 10 percent, while overall patronage is up almost seven percent.