Card supplier denies putting scheme at risk

The Snapper card is designed to be used on various forms of public transport. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Electronic card supplier Snapper Services denies putting Auckland's $98 million integrated transport ticketing project at risk, and says others have also yet to reach the finishing line.

It says it and fellow Infratil subsidiary NZ Bus, provider of about half of the region's more than 71 million annual public transport trips, are committed to working with Auckland Transport "to deliver integrated ticketing in Auckland later this year".

That follows a claim by lawyers for the Auckland Council agency that Snapper had said it could not make its equipment compatible with the Hop ticketing project - in which French firm Thales is the main contractor - by a later deadline of November 30.

They accused Snapper in a letter of five breaches of a project agreement, for which they reserved the right to recover extra costs of more than $1 million, and put the company on notice of having the deal cancelled in the absence of satisfactory assurances.

Snapper chairwoman Rhoda Phillippo yesterday said the lawyers' ultimatum letter included "a number of significant errors and inaccuracies".

"Infratil and Snapper strongly refute the allegations made," she said.

"As of today, Snapper has the only fully functioning electronic ticketing capability in New Zealand and has received no funding from Auckland Transport or NZTA [the Government's Transport Agency]."

Ms Phillippo said Snapper's work plan was developed with Auckland Transport and designed to deliver integrated ticketing for NZ Bus passengers by November 30, even though it was not clear when a rival supplier would meet required standards for other bus operators.

Mayor Len Brown has rejected any suggestion that passengers may have to make do with two rival tickets - one for the 650-strong NZ Bus fleet and the other for most other buses, trains and ferries - after that date.

"Going back to multiple tickets across buses, trains and ferries is not acceptable," he said last night.

The Transport Minister, Gerry Brownlee, rejected Labour's claim that the delay was the Government's fault for meddling so Snapper could introduce an early version of the Hop card.

MISSED MARKS

* January - Auckland Transport says more than 100,000 first-issue Hop cards incorporating Snapper chips for travel on NZ Bus routes will have to be replaced as they will be unable to be used on trains, ferries and other buses.

* February - Auckland Transport delays a trial for the new integrated Hop card for use on trains, ferries and buses after Snapper misses a deadline for proving it can comply with the scheme.

* A subsequent deadline of July for implementing a "core" scheme across trains, ferries and NZ Bus services is later extended to November 30.

* May - Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee says there is no suggestion Snapper and NZ Bus will miss the third deadline, but indicates failure could result in the loss of at least $70 million in annual operating subsidies on their 650 or so Auckland buses.