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A North Shore mayoral candidate wants free off-peak bus travel for senior citizens and $1 flat fares across Auckland for students.
Andrew Williams said offering free travel from 9am to 3pm would encourage use of buses.
"I see 50-seater buses all over town, and you'd be lucky to see five people on them in the 20-minute run," he said. "You'd be surprised at the reduction in cars on the road if there were free buses."
Mr Williams said the cost of running the buses would not be increased as a result because the buses were scheduled to run anyway.
He said peak traffic could be reduced by $1 flat fares to make it more appealing for students to take to the buses.
"It's too easy for students to have an $800 car, and it's cheaper for them to drive into town on $5 of petrol than for them to buy a four-zone bus ticket.
"We must think smarter instead of spending money on bigger and wider roads."
The North Shore representative on the Auckland Regional Council, Joel Cayford, said he won council support last month for a request to the Auckland Regional Transport Authority to report on the cost and benefits of using incentives such as lower fares to encourage off-peak use.
Dr Cayford said he had calls from bus drivers on North Shore runs saying their buses were nearly empty and asking why the council did not provide substantial discounts.
People aged 65 and over currently get a 40 per discount on fares after 9am on the region's public transport.
Residents Action Movement organiser Grant Morgan said the group had pressed for free public transport since 2004. "We want the feasibility study done because we believe it's an idea whose time is coming."
North Shore Poverty Action Coalition chairman Percy Allison said discounted fares should be extended to sickness beneficiaries. Some people were not able to keep hospital appointments because they could not afford to travel.
