Fare rises for public transport ‘kick in the guts’

Thursday, 28 November 2024

Passengers from Wellington leave a train at Masterton Station. They may soon pay much more for their ride. (File photo)

Wairarapa commuters could soon pay more for public transport than it would cost them to drive to the same destination, based on the New Zealand Transport Agency’s (NZTA) plan to increase train and bus fares.

Metlink’s public transport fares increased a cumulative 53% from 2008 to 2024.

Thomas Nash says massive fare increases would be needed to meet NZTA expectations. (File photo)

A regional councillor signalled that fare prices would need to increase more than they had in 16 years combined to meet government demands.

NZTA asked district councils and transport authorities by letter to increase their private share revenue from sources other than rates and central government funding - to fund public transport.

An adult fare from Wairarapa Hospital to Martinborough Town Hall, which was six zones, at the current peak rate of $15.44 round trip, would increase to $26. (File photo)

Greater Wellington Regional Council’s Transport Committee chair Thomas Nash said meeting the region’s set targets would require fare increases of 71% next year, “the exact opposite of what we need in a cost-of-living crisis'.

“We know that making public transport less affordable just pushes people into cars, increasing congestion, pollution, and emissions, and making roads less safe,” he said.

A senior public servant from Greytown and train commuter for more than two decades, who didn’t want to be named, said although the fair increases were unacceptable, they would be more palatable if the service was reliable.

“A lot of people like myself made the decision to live in the Wairarapa because there was a regular train line.”

But many trains were recorded as being late, alongside weekly staff shortages, the closing of carriages, and train cancellations that required bus replacements, he said.

“That’s why this is a real kick in the guts for everyone who commutes into Wellington on a daily basis.”

“There is no empathy from the people making these decisions because they have never been in the situation that thousands of us find ourselves in every single day.”

Metlink’s latest patronage report showed there had been about 13,000 bus boardings in Wairarapa and 51,500 Wairarapa Line rail boardings for October.

Green Party list MP Celia Wade-Brown, who was a regular commuter on the Wairarapa Line said, the price increases would be a backwards step.

“Affordable buses and trains are really important for our communities,” she said.

“It's bad for people on low incomes, the climate and congestion and meanwhile, this government is spending billions on new four lane roads.”

Wade-Brown said the Government was directing funds to roads instead of investing in public transport.

Half-price public transport fares were only kicked out earlier this year, she said.

Metlink would also introduce a 1.5% processing fee to payments made using the Snapper app and credit cards at Snapper kiosks from December 2.

Destination Wairarapa general manager Anna Nielson said she wanted public transport scheduling to be modified to bring more tourism into the region.

“Currently the schedule that we have for this region around trains does not suit the leisure traveller.”

NZTA transport services general manager Vanessa Browne said central and local government were investing $6.4 billion in public transport through the 2024/27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP).

“The Government Policy Statement on Land Transport 2024 sets an expectation for public transport authorities to increase private share revenue in order to support the record level of NLTP public transport expenditure already being invested in the ever-growing costs of public transport.

Transport leaders at the announcement of the Government's commitment to spend $800m on new commuter trains for Wairarapa and Manawatū lines, at the Wellington train station earlier this year.

“Increasing private share is about more than passenger fares; optimising services and reducing costs can also increase private share and reduce the need to regularly raise fares.

“More private share means councils can offset pressures on ratepayer funding from public transport, and investment by ratepayers and taxpayers towards public transport goes a lot further.”

NZTA proposed a gradual approach to increasing private share, suited to each region’s individual context and circumstance, she said.

Transport Minister Simeon Brown said public transport costs were rising, burdening ratepayers and taxpayers who subsidised public transport services.

“Our Government expects that councils keep public transport costs under control and ensure that those who use public transport are contributing fairly towards operating the network,” he said.

Last financial year, 20.5% of the Wellington region's public transport costs were funded privately, such as through public transport fares.

NZTA wanted this proportion to be raised to what it was in 2018/19, which was 36.9%.

Train

An adult round trip fare for the Wairarapa Line at the current peak rate of $35.10 could increase to $60.

Travelling 100km by car from Masterton to Wellington for roughly 1 hour 50 minutes, with a fuel efficiency of 8 litres per 100km, could cost $43 per round trip.

A 30-day rail pass using the Wairarapa Line from Masterton to Wellington, which has 14 zones and costs $527, could increase to $900.

Driving the same trip which would be equal to 22 working days in a month, could cost $950.

Bus

An adult fare from Wairarapa Hospital to Martinborough Town Hall, which was six zones, at the current peak rate of $15.44 for a round trip, could increase to $26.

Travelling 44km by car from Masterton to Martinborough for roughly 40 minutes, with a fuel efficiency of 8 litres per 100km at a fuel price of $2.70, could cost $19 per round trip.