Bus fare rises rile passengers

A public transport web forum has run hot with unhappy bus users expressing frustration at the latest fare rises.

The move, which takes effect on Sunday, will see some users paying up to 20 per cent more per trip.

On the Rideline transport forum, one bus user said that by using the Reserve Bank's inflation calculator, a monthly A zone pass had increased by 45 per cent in real terms since 2000 and the cost of a three-stage adult ticket had risen 28 per cent.

"What a fabulous public transport strategy this has turned out to be.

"First sell off the bus company to a bunch of incompetents, reduce the standard of services, build a massive white elephant at the bottom of town in the form of Britomart, continually put off integrated ticketing, focus all resources on suburb-to-city services, then increase prices enormously when passenger numbers decline.

"Well done to every single person involved. Big ups to you guys.

"So farewell Auckland public transport. You had your chance. Now you're just a rotting carcass kept afloat by incompetence."

But bus user Richard Mayes said the increase did not come as a complete surprise.

"Those of us who've saved money by bussing to work during this latest oil shock (and probably felt pretty clever about it all) can't now turn around and be all surprised and hurt that the bus companies don't have a magic wand that makes fuel price increases disappear. This was inevitable. Prices go up - that's life.

"Does an extra $2 a week getting to work really push your personal finances over the brink?"

Another bus user said she would carpool and drive more, because the lack of integrated ticketing meant her bus fare would rise to $14 a day.

She also urged people to visit www.carpool.co.nz, which she believed would work well once enough people registered.