One of Wellington City Council's Community Outcomes is that the city's public transport system will be affordable for all. While the city council doesn't control the cost of bus fares, it can certainly make its opinions heard - if it wants to.
Bus fares go up on 1 October, with Snapper fares going up by about 2.5% for most individual journeys between the eastern suburbs and the city centre, just a bit more than the Government's GST increase (that equates to about 2.2%). But many eastern suburbs passengers use GoWellington's $99 Gold Pass, and the bad news for them is that the nearest equivalent pass, the Getabout 30-day Pass, will cost $185 - that's about a 90% increase. Admittedly the new pass will also allow travel to and in the Hutt Valley, but I suspect that that is a facility that not that many easterners would take advantage of.
So the only real option will be to use Snapper, which for three zones (most of the Eastern Ward is in zone 3) will equate to about $137 a month - that's nearly a 40% increase (and the new cost would be about $250 if you used your Snapper on the Airport Flyer!).
And daily passengers will be affected, too. The $6 Daytripper is being replaced by the BusAbout Day Pass at $9 (and also valid in the Hutt Valley) - a 50% increase for journeys with Wellington city.
Clearly these large increases will make bus travel a lot less affordable - so where's the outcry from our elected representatives?
I protested against these increases to Greater Wellington Regional Council, but our transport system is that messy that passes are outside their control, so responsibility sits squarely with Infratil's Go Wellington. My commitment is to work on behalf of the many people who contribute to the city by catching the bus and not driving, and I guarantee that at least one council voice would have been heard if I had been sitting round the council table.
As a Miramar elector, ratepayer and resident I'm disappointed that WRC can sanction a near 90% price hike for a guaranteed income stream from monthly bus users for services most of these loyal patrons will never use.
ReplyDeleteSure someone at Go Wellington has finally done their sums and realised that a patron who return travels every weekday over the course of a month is making up to a 50% saving on the cash fare.
Although I occasionally got out to Lower Hutt on Valley or Airport Flyer (that's why I got a Snapper), I don't have any use for other Valley Flyer or Runciman's services but I am expected to pay for something I may never use.
The excuse was given that this was to cover recent CPI and forthcoming GST increases, but this doesn't equate to 90%! 10% at most, but not 90%!
I'd grumble but be happy to pay $125 per 30 days for a 1-3 zone pass that covered all the services that I currently need or use and still retain the functionality of Snappering those outside that range.
Don't forget Snapper is a "Innovative subsidiary of Infratil" so the revenue that Snapper passes on to Go Wellington just ends up in the same fat cat bucket. Perhaps we all need to buy Infratil and get a dividend to get some of our highway (or is that bus lane) robbery pesos back.
Go Wellington sees sense for Wellington City 3 zone passengers... @ 14 Sep 2010
ReplyDelete"GO Wellington announces that it will be introducing the GO Wellington 30 Day Pass on 1 October."
http://www.gowellingtonbus.co.nz/go-news-events/media-release.php?id=94