KEY POINTS:
Legislation that would give regional councils greater control over public transport services has passed its first parliamentary hurdle.
Under current law, councils can set standards for public transport they contract.
But under the Public Transport Management Bill, councils would be able to set standards that all commercial services, not just contracted ones, would be required to meet.
Transport Minister Annette King yesterday said the bill was essential to creating integrated, accessible and sustainable public transport services.
"If we want New Zealanders to move towards sustainable transport we must create a public transport system that is a realistic alternative to private car use," she told Parliament.
The bill would allow councils to:
* Require services to be disability-friendly, such as super-low floor buses and public address systems.
* Allow councils to require providers to give 90 days' notice instead of 21 days for changes such as to timetables.
* Require different operators to use the same tickets in some cases, for example, where different providers work the same route.
* Allow regions to insist on low emission buses.
The National Party supported it through its first reading to a select committee, but transport spokesman Maurice Williamson said he had reservations about the bill, which risked creating needless red tape for operators.
- NZPA
