Jim Eagles: Hands off us commuters!

COMMENT

What's wrong with this picture?

The Auckland Regional Council wants to encourage public transport so it subsidises most ferry trips to make them cheaper.

Meanwhile, the Auckland Regional Transport Network is about to make tickets more expensive by sticking on a levy.

Yes, it does sound unbelievable. But the transport network has been handing out leaflets announcing the good news so it's definitely true.

It's possible the network thinks increasing prices will make water travel more fashionable (that might work if ferries went to Remuera or Herne Bay where higher prices seem to add a certain cachet).

But the more likely explanation is that our regional public transport strategy is a shambles and the network has no idea what it is doing (as witness the land transport mess).

What is the point of the ARC subsidising fares only for the transport network to put them back up?

The excuse for introducing a levy - initially 20 cents a trip - is that it is needed to maintain and upgrade ferry terminals. This is bizarre.

What does the charge already paid by the ferry company for use of the wharves go towards if not maintenance?

And if even more money is needed then haven't we just had our ARC rates hugely increased precisely to finance upgrading of the public transport infrastructure?

If you live in Devonport you can't get the bus directly to town and the nearest rail station is Britomart. So if you use public transport it has to be the ferry.

I haven't noticed bus or train fares being raised to pay for better bus stops, faster busways or bigger stations.

So why should ferry fares be raised to pay for better terminals?

Why, especially, should Devonport passengers pay to improve facilities at Matiatia, Greenhithe, Half Moon Bay or Gulf Harbour?

As far as our own facilities are concerned, most Devonport commuters I've spoken to are reasonably happy with things as they are - there's certainly no great enthusiasm for transport network's plans to build us a fancy cafe and information office - especially if it will mean higher fares.

If the network and its sister organisations really want to boost water transport then there are a few things that should get higher priority than building a lot of mini-Britomarts around the harbour.

How about, for instance, organising a decent feeder bus service to the Devonport ferry? How about improving parking at Devonport wharf so latecomers - and locals going shopping - don't have to leave their cars at North Head and hike down the seafront?

How about sorting out the chaotic redevelopment of QE2 Square? For months we've had to navigate a constantly changing rat maze in order to reach Queen St - take a wrong turn and you're forced to take a train trip to Swanson - and the latest version has the entrance blocked by a huge Maori warrior. How about fixing up the permanently unfinished covered walkway, which does nothing to protect pedestrians from the horizontal showers that sweep across its windy plain, and vanishes at the very point shelter is most needed, the Quay St pedestrian crossing lights?

How about delivering the promised interface between ferries, buses and trains? The only time I've wanted to go somewhere by rail Rideline advised me to take a bus.

And every time I've wanted to catch a bus I've had to go to Victoria St or the Casino to get it.

But most of all, how about recognising that increasing fares is not the way to encourage people to use public transport?

If the transport network feels more money is required to build fancy new terminals it should get it from the ARC and leave us loyal commuters out of it.

* Jim Eagles is editor of the Business Herald.