Wellington commuters have their say

The Greater Wellington Regional Council is being warned to look closely at the numbers when it decides upon its preferred option for transporting commuters into town from the northern suburbs.

Four options have been put out for public consultation, including light rail extending to Courtenay Place and a busway using the Johnsonville rail line.

More than 1600 submissions were received, nearly a thousand supporting the busway, with close to 600 in favour of a rail option.

Brent Efford, who has been involved in the submissions process, said more than 850 of the submissions favouring a bus way were forms submitted by the Bus and Coach Association.

He said they lacked some crucial information, such as the fact the buses would only run one way at a time, which he described as one of the plan's biggest flaws.

Mr Efford said he doubted the majority of those who signed the association's form had much of an understanding of what was at stake.

Bus and Coach executive director John Collyns acknowledged his organisation proposed a one-way system, but said it would be "tidal" in the direction of main traffic movements in the morning and evening peaks.

Empty buses would make return trips on normal roads, he said, and the system would be far cheaper than upgrading the railway line "for the thick end of $100 million".

- NEWSTALK ZB