WELLINGTON COMMUTER FARES TO RISE 10PC
1 July 2008
COLIN PATTERSON
WELLINGTON's regional councillors have decided in secret to raise bus, rail and ferry fares by an average of 10.2 per cent.
The rises -- to take effect on September 1 -- were approved in a public-excluded session during a council meeting yesterday.
Councillor Nigel Wilson moved that the matter be discussed with the public and media present but failed to get a seconder.
Council chairwoman Fran Wilde said higher fares were needed to cope with rising oil prices, which had added $2.4 million to the costs of the council's bus contracts.
Other rising costs also played a part.
"Our rail contract has cost us $2.5 million more this financial year, largely because of higher labour-related costs. We're also paying more to maintain our infrastructure, such as bus shelters, car parks, and trolley-bus wires."
Rounding up and a policy of raising fares by 50c increments meant that some fares would not change while others would rise by substantially more than the average.
The city section fare in downtown Wellington remains $1. But the 50c child concession has been abolished.
Though the one-zone fare remains $1.50, fares for zones two, three and four will rise 50c to $3, $4 and $4.50 respectively.
The four-zone fare rises by $1 to $5.50. The $1 increase applies for all subsequent zones.
An adult single train fare between Wellington and Masterton will rise to $15, from $14.
Children's fares for zones one, two and three stay the same but rise 50 cents for subsequent zones.
Porirua, Upper Hutt Valley, Kapiti Coast and Wairarapa commuters will pay $8 more for their 10-trip concession tickets.
Monthly rail passes for commuters from these areas who travel to Wellington will rise by $24, with Masterton commuters paying the most -- $360.
Council public transport design and development manager Brian Baxter said the increases would not apply to commercial services, such as the Airport Flyer bus.
The Wellington Cable Car was also unaffected.
And though fare rises were expected to reduce patronage, Mr Baxter said that drop was expected to be temporary.
That depended, however, on what happened to petrol prices.
After the previous fare increase -- 15 per cent in September 2006 -- there were complaints from commuters who said they had not been told.
Mr Baxter said the council was planning a communications campaign to ensure public transport users were well informed about the latest rises.
"We've learnt a few lessons from last time."
©2008 Fairfax New Zealand Limited
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