An 11th hour announcement from NZ Bus that it will keep running – at least for now – the Airport Flyer and commuter bus routes 80, 90, 91, 92 and 93 took the heat out of last night’s public meeting organised by Labour MP Ginny Anderson and city councillor Campbell Barry.
But it wasn’t the only piece of news on public transport in the Hutt Valley, with confirmation a fare increase of 3% is coming in on July 15, as well as new discounts, more frequent off-peak trains and an end to fare penalties when passengers using a Snapper card transfer from one connecting bus service to another within a 30 minute window.
About 100 people packed the Petone Rugby Clubrooms to hear from speakers including the deputy chair of the regional council’s sustainable transport committee Daran Ponter and Mt Roskill MP Michael Wood.
The regional council had only been informed by NZ Bus earlier yesterday that, after a review, it had decided it would not stop running the Airport Flyer and the Valley’s five popular commuter bus services. These are services run on a commercial basis (i.e. unlike most other public transport services, there is no subsidy by ratepayers).
Continue reading “Airport Flyer saved – for now”