Ask Phoebe: Cricket won't stump up for transport

Cricket, Phoenix and Warriors fans must pay for their own transport. Photo / File

Pay own way to Eden Park unless it's for a rugby game or league test

Q: My question concerns event transport to Eden Park and who pays.

I live near the Albany Expressway bus station. For the recent T20 cricket games at Eden Park the public transport advice was to use the ordinary bus and train service. That takes an hour and a quarter and involves changing to the train at Britomart, at a full fare of $9.60 single each way.

In the Herald on Friday, February 15, Blues rugby games at Eden Park were being advertised at $20 each, $5 for children, with free bus transport where organised, or free train trips to the game on production of a prepaid ticket.

My question is, who pays for the transport to the rugby games? The Blues, Eden Park or Auckland Transport? And a supplementary question: If not the Blues, why was the same not provided to the cricket? Simon Sharp, Torbay.

Auckland Transport says that the Blues pay for their patrons, as do the All Blacks and NZ Rugby League. Cricket, Phoenix and Warriors choose not to contribute, so services are provided at a cost to the patron.

Q: Is there a minimum and maximum fare that taxis are allowed to charge from Auckland Airport to an inner-city hotel? A client of mine visiting from Canada missed her organised transfer and caught a Black Cab from the airport to a hotel on Quay St at 8.30pm on Wednesday, March 27. She was charged $92 cash! Does this not sound a bit expensive?

If so, in your opinion should I take it further and who would you advise I take it to? My client felt ripped off as the ride took 25 minutes max in light traffic.

John Crummey, Remuera.

Tim Reddish, executive director of the New Zealand Taxi Federation, says that taxis are allowed to charge only the metered fare.

The rate at which the meter ticks over is determined by the fare schedule; the schedule is required by law to be displayed both inside and outside the taxi. The $92 fare charged from Auckland Airport to the CBD seems excessive as the normal fare is about $65, even allowing for moderate to heavy traffic.

Black Cabs is a subsidiary of Auckland Co-op Taxis and I am certain they would want to know if one of their drivers was overcharging. For their compliance/complaints officer to pursue the matter with the driver they would need to know the taxi's fleet number and the driver's unique identifier name that is displayed under the driver's photo.