Wellington City bus commuters 'ripped off' by new bus network and higher fares
Tuesday, 16 July 2019
Wellington City bus users are being 'ripped off' by millions to subsidise under-used buses elsewhere in the region, a transport advocate says.
Figures compiled by transport commentator Tony Randle show commuters on some of the worst-affected routes on Wellington's new network are paying up to three times more for the running of their service than others in the region.
That's despite last year's changes resulting in widespread problems with lateness, cancellations, and overcrowding.
Peak-hour fares were hiked at the same time the network was redesigned a year ago, despite a Wellington City Council survey finding more than half of Wellington City residents already thought they were paying too much.
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Subsequently, users of what Greater Wellington Regional Council identified as one of the city's worst routes after the redesign - between Lyall Bay and Wellington - are now forecast to contribute 93 per cent of the $4.2 million cost of running the service over the next year.
Commuters on the troubled east-west spine - between Seatoun and Karori - will pay 72 per cent of the $12m cost of running their service.
But in Kāpiti, commuters will pay less than 20 per cent of the $3.2m it costs to run their services. Other regions will also pay less.
The numbers showed Wellington City fares should be reduced, while services running empty in other areas should be reviewed, Randle said.
'All they're doing is running empty buses in Kāpiti when buses in Wellington are packed to the gunnels. We have been massively overcharged.'
Randle's figures are based on predicted revenues and operating costs of different routes across the region, obtained through the Official Information Act, as well as bus operator contracts.
Under targets set by the council and the New Zealand Transport Agency, user charges must contribute between 55 and 60 per cent of operating costs, with NZTA topping up the rest.
On average, Wellington City commuters will contribute an average of 64 per cent of user charges, and the rest of the region 52 per cent.
If Wellingtonians also contributed 52 per cent, they would be paying $5.6m less a year, Randle said.
City councillor Sarah Free said fare zones were smaller in Wellington than elsewhere across the region, so Wellingtonians paid more to travel the same distance.
Fares could be lowered by reducing the number of zones from three to two.
However, a Metlink spokesman said the council disagreed Wellington commuters were subsidising other parts of the region.
'Private benefit is not only about how far passengers travel. It relates to other factors such as service levels (frequency, coverage and access, and availability).
'Compared to other parts of the region, the bus network in Wellington City offers a greater value proposition for users, which results in higher patronage and, therefore, revenue.'
City commuters had also benefited most from a range of fare discounts for off-peak and other commuters, the spokesman said.
Reducing the number of fare zones was considered but ultimately rejected.
'Merging zones creates big winners and big losers, and potentially high fares increases to recover costs.'
Cost-share ratios would be released publicly in the next few months.