NZ Bus says driver unions have this afternoon lifted their notice of a day-long strike on Monday against its Auckland bus fleet, the region's largest.

Electronic payments card supplier Snapper says it will claim up to $20 million in costs from Auckland Transport.

Auckland commuters are under renewed threat of disruption after bus drivers voted today to hold all-day strikes every Monday for the next eight weeks.

Bus operators hold lives in their hands, work difficult shifts for little reward, but would prefer to avoid strike, Peter Calder writes in the first instalment of his new column.

Spending on roads and public transport by central and local government over the next three years will increase by almost 13 per cent with much of the additional cash coming from fuel tax and road user charge hikes, Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee says.

KiwiRail may slow train speeds as one way to reassure users about the safety of its network.