Your Views: Auckland public transport price rises

Auckland commuters are unhappy about higher fares for public transport, which began this week.

The fare increases are being blamed on a rise in costs for bus and train operators.

What do you think about it?

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A selection of your views appear below:

Peter Jones

Public transport is meant for the service of the public but looks like that there is no intention of providing any service to the public but it seems that the public transport companies want to make more profit from the public without any service and the government wants only to earn more taxes from the public. The current public transport scenario does not reflect any sign or intention with benefit for the public as it only shows selfish interest of the transport operators, councils and governement. It is extremely surprising that the government, the councils and the public transport operators have approved the increase in the cost for public transport. On one hand they want more people to use public transport which seems contrary to their action of price increase. There has been no increase or improvements in any service but still they have increased the prices. Most of the bus and train travel has to be via the CBD and that too with low frequency so if a person has to travel from Henderson to Howick he would easily spend nearly two or more hours for each journey which means four hours everyday for a daily commuter. Also the frequency is so bad after 6pm in the evenings that people would not like to waste their precious time just waiting long time for their bus or train. Maybe a few years ago, not many offices, restaurants or shops were open after 6pm but in todays competitive world many workplaces are open either 24 hours or till late in the night. Now this change in the working hours of so many people is not reflected in the bus and train timings. I know many people working in the CBD area who finish their work at ten or eleven in the night and they have to wait one hour for their bus and after waiting one hour for a bus they have to walk for another hour to walk home after getting down from the bus because there is no other bus or train to drop them near their place of residence at that time of the night. Also many students are affected due to either no service or infrequent bus and train service within Auckland region. Hopefully more public transport commuters will raise their voice and I am sure that if more people voice their opinion for reduction in the cost increase and request demand for increase in more service with higher frequency then O am quite hopeful that they will listen to the consumers needs.

Desmond Sanerive

I am utterly disgusted with the fare rises in both bus and trains. First of all the Govt is forever asking the general public to utilise public transport. The bus companies should try updating their buses and they were forever been late or sometimes didn’t turn up at all. I use to travel into work by bus, then because of the uncertainty of their arrival and sometimes the condition of the bus has changed my mind and I have since gone back to using my own car. I have noticed that if you live out South (I do not know about West), you tend to get the buses that are almost falling to pieces, but the good ones are kept for Central Auckland.

Cy

Just putting up the fares is not justified, when we know how unreliable they are. I have for 7 years now been using the bus. The fares have gone up but they are still as unreliable as ever. On several occasions I have been up to an hour late(the bus just does not turn up), and I need to find an alternative means to get to work, which is another bus company that must be paid for in cash not on the monthly card I carry. When are they going to realise that all public transport must be integrated. I spent the holidays in Sydney and Brisbane and was amazed at the public transport there. No wonder our students take off overseas.

Paul Mallitte

As an expat Kiwi, driven out by the high cost of living in Auckland, I find it amazing that on the one hand transport authorities are trying to encourage commutors to leave their cars at home and use public transport and on the other are making it less inviting by making fares uneconomic. Major overseas cities have realised by making public transport cheap, and in some circumstances (Perth’s inner city for example)free, that large numbers of commuters have forsaken their vehicles and have released large amounts of revenue that would have needed to be spent on building new roads.

Tess Pilkington

Hey I think it is quite alright I think that New Zealand public transport prices are quite cheap so your lucky. Its only going up a little bit how about you just get over it. Trust me it will be beneficial for the public transport for all that money but you hardly lose any.

Francesca Frost

My partner and I both work in the city, its now cheaper for us to drive in and pay parking of $12.00 a day and petrol than both catch the bus. There is absolutely no incentive to catch the bus or train now, and having your car is just so much easier, no waiting for that 30min late bus that costs so much!

Jordanna Kelly

I think this is disgusting. The public are being told to use public transport as a way to decrease traffic congestion yet they increase the fares? Its becoming a hell of a lot more expensive than to drive and while the fares continue to rise, the crappy service stays the same. There have been many a time that trains/buses are late or simply do not turn up.

Luke Mason

As a frequent user of the public transport system I am particularly confused over the recent price hike of our public transport system.

I have decided not to use my vehicle and do my duty for the environment. It made sense and was very economical, however with this recent price increase I will probably use my car again because the petrol price of my car each week is half the price of the new weekly fare! This does not make any sense, many Aucklanders dont particularly like the public transport system but were willing to endure ‘sharing’ their space with many others as it relieves traffic congestion, stress and money. However with this illogical increase it will put off many passengers and they’ll go back to the luxury of our own private vehicles.Would no t it make more economical sense to market the service better and attract more punters rather than put off many working people by increasing fares to for an average service?

Kevin Schofield

The fare increases are not enough. Public transport is over subsidised. It would be cheaper to pay the 1500 or so regular train users to stay at home, than it is to provide the train service.

For the commuter, Buses & trains still represent a very cost effective way of getting around in Auckland. These services are provided at a fraction of their real cost, and are much more cost effective than the real cost of running a car.

Nick Thomas

How do they expect to encourage more people to use an already expensive, poor excuse for a rail service. Note to all the execs, increasing prices does not encourage more patronage on a less than satisfactory service. Gee, I though the London transport system was bad. Its gold plated compared to ours.

Manurewa commuter

That’s a $5.50 rise for me, for what? It’s still only a half decent service.

Lee Bond

ARTA. Hmmmmm.Auckland Returning To Automobiles, Another Real Travesty Arising, Attitude Remains Totally Abhorrent. I can feel the possibility of a New Zealand Herald readers competition arising here.....

George Darroch

The cost and inconvenience of getting around the city was one of the reasons I left Auckland for Wellington. Four years later things remain the same.

Jason Heap

In my opinion if we were offered more service for the cost it would be fair. I work 2 jobs, fulltime during the day, and part-time in the evenings, sometimes finishing between 1am - 1.30am, and if I were to need public transport during this time I have to incur the cost of a taxi - bring on 24/7 public transport, its 2007 after all!

Julz

It’s funny really I moved over from NZ to Australia very recently and I have to say I actually enjoy catching the train from home to work and back again each day, maybe the transport authorities should take a leaf out of their Aussie counterparts and listen to their commuter’s instead of coming up with silly excuses for increases to public transport, not everyone is as rich as the big wigs that make up those pathetic reason’s for increase to public transport fare’s, rate rises and all the other increases they come up!!!!! What next a charge to use toilet paper????

Carl Jones

Get over it would you. Look how much you are all quibbling about. I pay $1.05 each way and now we’re talking about $1.25. I’m only on a stage on fare but its all relative to distance anyway. Its a pretty minimal sum really. Services are improving dramatically and seem to be continuing to do so, its still a hell of a lot cheaper than taking a car not just the petrol costs, but the parking, the insurance, the wear and tear on your car adds up to far more than a paltry $140 a month that an earlier comment above was spending. What about the time you now get to spend reading a book or staring blankly out the window. How much is that worth when you are sitting in traffic?

Jilly Dutton

I discovered yesterday that my weekly train ticket (10 trips) had gone from $10.50 to $12.50 - a 19 per cent per cent increase - making the train fares comparative with the God awful buses. I originally started using the trains a year ago, mainly because they offered well priced fares. But after a winter of cancelled/delayed services, endless waits at Newmarket station and power cuts at Britomart, I think I have lost quite a bit of time both at work and at home. If I am forced to choose between two poor public transport systems, which are now both over priced for the service they provide, perhaps I will choose option C, none of the above, and walk, giving neither my money - and encouraging others to do so too.

Daniel McKenzie

My monthly train pass has gone up by 14 per cent. Guess what would happen if I asked my employer to increase my wages by 14 per cent..A small increase linked to inflation is tolerable and to a degree understandable, but these huge increases just dont cut it with the average train commuter. The government and ARC need to keep a tight reign on ARTA, otherwise their drive to get Auckland commuters off the roads will be self-defeating.

Richard Pocock

The bus fare increase is absurd. I bus from Glenfield to the city everyday. Over the last year I have seen an increase in numbers on the buses. Wouldn’t this cover the increasing cost of running a vehicle? Should we be expecting a better service with the increase in cost? And with increasing the cost of a bus ticket, isn’t it going to discourage people from using the service and go back to using their own car?

And this will have a greater negative effect on the traffic around Auckland.

Ray Clarke

The rise in fares from ARTA is part of a huge political ploy being acted out in Auckland to force a new Regional Petrol Tax which has the support of all local Councils and no doubt ARC and ARTA. There have been very clever political moves to accomplish this end because it would take the heat off the A.R.C. to have another huge rate rise in an election year. The Government are creaming it off via fuel levies and they are not pulling their weight via transport subsidies.

Marvin Weatherstein

So bus and train fares are increasing for what purpose? Is it to pay for the much needed light rail system (and perhaps even train services to more than 2/5ths of Auckland as it is now)? Is it to pay for more and more bus services that actually run on time? No, wishful thinking, this is in the same country thats talking about temporary seats for a major event like the Rugby World Cup, so why the hell would I think that infrastructure would be improved also? Surely comrades Clark and Cullen can take a small portion out of their (well, yours and mine) ludicrously oversized kitty to help out the ARTA and alleviate the need for fare increases - that too, is wishful thinking.

Nick Stewart

I think that its a bit of a joke trying to get people to use an average public transport system and now expect them to pay more. I will no longer be using the bus as it will be cheaper to drive to work.

Simon James Thornley

Public transport fare increases are a short sighted solution to solving limited public transport funding. The benefits of public transport extend well beyond the accountants’ ledger. Less congestion and its financial costs, improved physical activity, better air quality and lower carbon emissions are positive spin offs of public transport. Significant financial savings from the public purse in diverse areas result when commuters choose not to drive. Fare increases - resulting in more private motor vehicle use - can only lead to a downward spiral in Auckland’s already nightmarish urban gridlock.

Norbert Borges

I am not surprised at all, after the last pay increase paid to the bus drivers. But having said that it is still unthinkable for me to take a bus or train or ferry with this kind of services. I live in Birkenhead and it cost me about $8 a day to get to work, which would take about one and a half hours. Not only do I have to purchase three tickets, which is stupid. If the city wants the people to take public transport, the city should provide service that makes it worthwhile to used it. Currently I still will use my car which takes me only 20 minutes and the carpark is at work. All up I pay less for all that in comparison to the public transport. where is the incentive to change?

Shaun Gear

I think if they brought the prices down so they where affordable to every body then the number of users would increase and that would overall cover the expenditure they require to operate. I think they are covering their costs by increasing the prices because the volume of commuters is down using public transport. I cycle to work or use my private car because it is cheaper to run and I get to work on time.

Bruce Grant

I think that it is absolutely absurd! Let me ask :what taxes do they have on their fuel? Unlike buses none? Who pays for the their infrastructure such as the train stations? ARC (ratepayers). They might argue that there are twice as many services running (which still end at Otahuhu most days if you catch the trains after 8.10pm.) So what!?

Christian Linnell

Regarding the transport fare increases, it is incredible how often they raise these things. This must be the third in less than two years. In many cases the increases are minor, but they really stack up. I know my pay certainly doesn’t increase that often.

Anna

Increasing the prices does not make sense at all. Considering the amount of traffic on Auckland roads, and the problems it causes one would think that the ARTA would be trying to increase incentives to use public transport not decrease them. Under the new prices it will cost me $6.40 a day return to travel from Remuera to Newmarket for work. Considering I could find parking for $5 or less it would be cheaper and more convenient taking the car over such a short distance. Probably safer too when you consider how some buses are driven.

Chris Randal

As far as the trains are concerned, I am convinced that ARTA is using the fare rise to limit demand. It already knows that some peak hour services from Papakura are loading very heavily, it knows that because it has not got any locomotives capable of hauling five or six car trains it can not increase capacity, it knows that it can not increase frequency because it has no more rolling stock available. What better way to avoid doing anything than to drive customers back to their cars. ARTA seems to have forgotten that Dr Cullen and his cohorts are currently evaluating a business plan to fix all the above problems, as well as providing electric trains. This fare increase will be paving the way for Cullen to say no! Well done ARTA!!!

Katrina Allen

Its now costing my husband 11$ a day to bus from Papakura to Great South Road ,Penrose whereas it only costs $20 a week by car. We actually got rid of the car as the latter was cheaper but we are now doing a rethink on repurchasing another.

Renee Blake

I think raising prices on public transport is not encouraging people to use it. I quit using public transport when my flatmate got off the train after work and was attacked and robbed by 6 teenagers. Not only having to pay more to take public transport and now the dangers has now encouraged me to taking the car into work.

Matthew Gordon

I would be less upset about fare increases if Stagecoach had not just wasted a lot of money rebranding. I do not care what name is on the side of the bus but I do care that I have to pay more to use it.

Grant Foster

The latest round of price increases reeks of a short term outlook. It is imperative that public transport is price competitive, otherwise people will simply resort back to taking their car. To ensures this happens the government needs to invest appropriately, starting with track upgrades and electrification of the tracks so public transport is less reliant on cost increases of oil and petrol.

Miriam Crozier

Not impressed at all. I catch the bus Monday to Friday for work and Uni, so it costs me $8.60 per day to come into town. Not sure how much the monthly passes are yet, do not really want to know! If they expect people to use the public transport they should keep prices reasonable, it works out cheaper to bring your car into town (if you have a park of course).

Ta’a Punivalu

I am not happy with the increase as it means I have to pay an exta $20 for a monthly pass (6 stages) but I suppose they have to get the money from somewhere to pay for extra staff etc. If that is the case, I trust that train services will improve —in comparison to last year when trains were delayed for up to an hour while they try to find a train manager due to rostering error etc. If they keep on increasing fares, I would like to see improvement in service so that I can get to work and home on time.

John Harris

Fare rises? Start walking.

Christian Linnell

Why is public transport not government subsidised? Public transport is an excellent potential replacement for the personal car (if it is implemented correctly), and we should not allow monetary profit at the expense of environmental profit.

Jamie Kennedy

I wrote to the rail network when the increase was announced and below was the pathetic letter of response I got which makes no sense at all as people have stated petrol prices have come down there is not noticeable spending on the infrastructure. The only other reason i can think of the increase is the extra week holiday they have to give all their staff. (The response read in part: In response to your concern involving the upcoming fare increase; fares are set by ARTA

and will be increased on average by 15 per cent from Sunday 14 January 2007. This increase is in line with ARTA’s Maximum Fare Schedule. The increase reflects the cost increases seen over the last five years including rises in fuel and wage costs and significant investment in the rail network).

Andrew Millar

Given the councils stance on promoting public transport, it does seem rather redundant to be hiking up the costs to patrons. Our civic leaders constantly tell us they want Auckland to have a world class public transport system like Europe, which is fast, efficient and, most importantly, cheap. This is far from what we have. The bus price has crept up over the last few years every six months or so, and I imagine will continue do so with another good reason from Stagecoach trotted out each time, whether it be putting in a GPS system, increasing the drivers pay or, now, the price of fuel. There is always some reason, and it will be those have no other choice, such as students, the elderly and those on low incomes, who will bare the brunt of it.