Under the proposal, passengers in Wellington would pay for a maximum of eight trips per week, with all additional travel by bus or train for the rest of the week free.
The joint policy, released by Wellington mayoral candidate Andrew Little and Greater Wellington Regional Council candidates Daran Ponter and Tom James, is aimed at tackling the cost of living while boosting public transport use.
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“For many Wellingtonians, transport is a significant cost,” Little says.
“A weekly cap on bus and train fares will help to lower the cost of living, reduce congestion and increase public transport usage and reliability.”
Little described the plan as a “commonsense, affordable policy” that could save regular commuters over $400 a year.
Ponter says the move could generate up to 300,000 additional trips on the region’s public transport network.
“This policy will help unlock our city,” he says.
“I’ve worked hard to deliver more buses and better rail services, and I look forward to working with Andrew as Mayor to deliver this cost-of-living relief.”
“I want to get more people on buses and trains, lower costs for families, and reduce emissions. A fare cap does all three and is affordable for ratepayers,” first-time GWRC candidate Tom James says.
The policy also includes a commitment to explore additional affordability measures, such as workplace subsidies for transport and off-peak fare discounts, similar to schemes already in place in Auckland and Sydney.
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