Plenty of options for trolley buses

I understand that the current proposal is to decommission all of Wellington’s 60-strong trolley bus fleet by 2017.

Wouldn’t it be more appropriate to use the trolleys to establish city loops where from 9am to 3pm, the suburban runs avoid the inner city for drop-offs at the railway station-Rutherford House hub and a new hub at the Basin Reserve?

From those points the trolleys could run city loops around and through the CBD.

Between those same hours, private cars that enter the city could be charged a congestion fee. Delivery vehicles could also be charged for access to the central city.

Suitable park-and-ride facilities could be built at city extremities (Brooklyn, Newtown) to encourage use of the city loop buses. A fare could be as low as $2 per ride or a $5 day pass for one, with discounts for families.

With a fleet of 60, there would be ample spare parts for low-cost maintenance, and with the overhead wires removed from all the current suburban runs, there would be ample infrastructure to not only build a backup power run throughout the city but also for ongoing repairs and maintenance. Is there a downside to this proposal? DAVE MONAGHAN

Karori