One-card system not top priority
A long-awaited one-card public transport system has been ranked well down the list of Wellington’s transport priorities, despite the public throwing its support behind the proposal.
An integrated ticketing system, which is already in place in Auckland and several other cities around the world, would allow commuters to use one card or device on all of the region’s buses, trains, and ferries.
The technology has been talked about for years, with the latest target date 2020-21, but the Greater Wellington Regional Council recently proposed to list the project at No 22 on a list of 26 priorities in its Land Transport Plan.
Public submitters had an entirely different view, ranking the project joint-second on their list of priorities, behind only the massive Let’s Get Wellington Moving project under way to solve the city’s congestion issues.
Despite Auckland unveiling its Hop Card integrated ticketing system in 2011, plans to roll out the technology in Wellington have been stalled by various factors, including the Government’s wish to have just one ticketing network for the whole country.
Wellington City Youth Council chairman Brad Olsen is among those growing impatient with the slow progress, saying the region’s complex public transport system was ‘‘at the heart’’ of accessibility issues for young people.
‘‘It’s an equity issue. It’s not just the [extra] cost, it’s the convenience of getting around and getting to work, study, or training,’’ Olsen said.
‘‘Integrated ticketing is currently priority No 22 on the Land Transport Plan, and that’s a bit low to be frank. From our perspective, we’d like to see it
bumped up considerably because it’s quite a key way to reinvigorate the public transport system in Wellington.’’
Former regional councillor and now Congestion Free Wellington lobby group member Paul Bruce agreed the slow progress was hurting commuters.
‘‘We’re really embarrassed by the way [the target date] keeps getting pushed further and further out.
‘‘It’s something many other places in the world have had for 10 years. We’ve been talking about it for the last 12 years.’’
Regional council chairman Chris Laidlaw said work was well under way on the project, and its ranking on the list did not reflect its importance.
The latest hold-up came after Auckland Transport recently decided to get on board with the national system, which had slowed the process down again, Laidlaw said.
However, it was important that Auckland had joined.
The regional council said in a statement that it was a tough exercise to co-ordinate the number of councils and agencies involved.
It was possible the project could be given a higher rankling when the changes to the plan were finalised on May 29.
Regional councillor Daran Ponter said another complicating factor was the plan to introduce an ‘‘accounts-based’’ ticketing system, where people could pay with bank cards or smartphones, as opposed to a ‘‘store-value’’ system like the Hop Card or current Snapper card.
But the council was no longer ‘‘talking hot air’’ about the project and was on track for the 2020-21 deadline, he said.