HOP card row escalates

Auckland Transport is in the firing line over its handling of the HOP card debacle from Mayor Phil Goff and senior councillors.

AT dug in its heels and said it will not fix a bug in the card at this stage after Goff on Thursday tried to haul the so- called councilcontrolled organisation into line.

Goff responded to the snub yesterday by writing to AT chairman Lester Levy, telling him to “advise me of short- and long- term solutions to the problem”.

Councillor Desley Simpson said it was shocking that 16,000 HOP card users stood to lose $ 342,000 a year on their cards, and to hear AT’s response. “They are the servants of the people. Saying they will do nothing is not acceptable to the people of Auckland and me,” Simpson said.