On the buses
If Chris Laidlaw and Barbara Donaldson are serious about their ‘‘overriding objective’’ of ‘‘getting people to where they want to go’’ in a timely way, then they should reinstate the previous 22 bus route so that Northland/Wilton/ Mairangi workers can get to and from their jobs in the city. Having to change buses at hubs (station/ university/Karori) adds 10-30 minutes’ travel time and can be fraught with health and safety issues for those less mobile, with children, or with luggage/ shopping. Thank goodness your talented correspondent Dave Armstrong regularly highlights the ‘‘bustastrophe’’ issues, which are making bus travel in Wellington one of the worst aspects of living here.
Linda Smillie, Northland [abridged]
You report (Sept 20) that Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) is now to hold a review of the changes to the region’s bus network. How independent could such a review be? And who will do the review work? Who will set the terms of reference? Who will determine what documents the reviewers have access to?
There certainly needs to be a review, but it should not be at the behest of GWRC. It should be by the Ministry of Transport and the auditorgeneral. A review of GWRC by GWRC is just further waste of ratepayer funds.
Peter D Graham, Island Bay
I am finding it increasingly difficult to trust any utterance made by GWRC on the shambles that is the current Wellington bus system and have little faith in them being able to lead us out of the mess. Councillors Laidlaw and Donaldson may attempt to grasp victory from the jaws of defeat, by claiming increased patronage of 17,000 last month, only to have the council admit (Sept 19) that potentially 60 per cent (up to 10,000) of this number are commuters forced to take multiple buses to get to their destination rather than one.
Yes, some suburbs are now receiving a service, and that is good news, but it doesn’t mean we have an improved public transport system. It is time for the council to be honest with its citizens, accept culpability and stop trying to defend the indefensible. Local body elections are next year – an opportunity for some accountability.
Ruth Palmer, Highbury [abridged]
It seems the Tramways Union (Sept 19) wants us to believe the late, missing, too-small buses and the lack of drivers are all caused by GWRC not talking to the NZ Bus drivers. The presented photo of a Tranzit bus ‘‘Not in Service’’ doesn’t look like any Tranzit bus I have seen. Fake?
It is the Tranzit routes that are working well, with many routes having extended services. It seems the problems are mostly on the east-west routes still run by NZ Bus and the union drivers. So what is causing the problem?
It is Tranzit that pays all its drivers the living wage, not NZ Bus. Is it now going to try to negotiate the living wage with the GWRC and keep all the overtime and pay for so-called seniority? And who will be forking out for this if not the ratepayers?
We need unions to look after the good of all drivers.
Theresa Reid, Roseneath