The changes, to be introduced on 28 February, are a step towards making journeys which are the same distance by bus and train cost the same. Ferries are also working towards trips of similar distances having similar fares, and better integrated with buses and trains.
A 10 cent increase to adult AT HOP bus train fares for stages 1 to 4 will help better align short and long distance fares. Currently those travelling a longer distance pay relatively more than those on short journeys.
The increases reflect higher operator costs, which are determined by an NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) public transport industry indexation.
Auckland Transport’s General Manager AT Metro, Mark Lambert, says the changes will make it easier for passengers when fares change from stages to zone-based later this year.
Stage fares for the Inner City Zone, Airport Zone and trains from Orakei to Britomart will be changed to be consistent with the new zone boundaries being introduced later this year. This means that the cost of a train between Orakei and Britomart will increase by $1.40 for an adult with a HOP card.
No changes to child, tertiary and accessible single fares will be made on bus and rail, except for the removal of the Inner City and Airport fare zones and changes at Orakei.
Mr Lambert says it can currently cost more in some parts of Auckland to travel the same distance or be different between bus and train. Passengers travelling a longer distance also pay relatively more than those on a short trip.
The change to simplified zone fares in mid-2016 will make it easier and cheaper to connect between different bus and train services with an AT HOP card. It will allow the introduction of the new public transport network, which will provide more frequent and more connected travel.
Latest figures show that public transport patronage is at an all-time high. Public transport patronage totalled 81.5 million trips for the 12 months to December 2015, an annual increase of 7.6 per cent.
Following the introduction of new electric trains, rail patronage alone totalled 15.4 million trips for the 12 months to December, an annual rise of 22.9 per cent. A rise of 2.9 million journeys in one year.
No comments:
Post a Comment