Latest news with #Ponter
Scoop
2 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Metlink Fares Increasing As Public Transport Funding Squeezed
Metlink fares increase by 2.2% and the off-peak discount on Snapper cards reduces from 50% to 30% from Tuesday 1 July. Greater Wellington chair Daran Ponter says a modest increase in line with inflation was decided in February, when the regional council agreed a reasonable discount for travel outside peak hours should continue. 'To keep rates affordable, we need to increase fares at a time when public transport funding is being squeezed,' Cr Ponter says. 'We know the cost of living remains stubbornly high for our communities but Metlink is also facing fiscal headwinds, including Private Share targets confirmed by the government this month.' The Private Share is the proportion of public transport operating costs funded from sources including passenger fares. The remainder is the Public Share, derived from rates, taxes and other income. 'We pushed back on the initial targets, and we're grateful our interim targets have been accepted,' Cr Ponter says. 'But a number of Metlink projects that would improve public transport, increase patronage and Private Share revenue have not been funded, suggesting a degree of misalignment in government strategy.' Metlink estimates it is facing a $134m shortfall after more than 40 new projects it put forward for funding from the National Land Transport Programme were holistically rejected. With the 2.2% fare increase and an off-peak discount of 30%, an adult using a Snapper card to travel 3 zones will pay $3.17 from 1 July, up from the current fare of $2.22. At peak times from 1 July, the same journey will cost $4.53. Fares will be refunded on some Wairarapa rail line services from 1 July, however, for passengers travelling on buses replacing trains. The services are: 3.38pm departingMasterton, 6:18pm departingWellington, 8.14pm departingMasterton (Fridayonly), 10.25pmdepartingWellington (Friday only). Greater Wellington deputy chair and Wairarapa councillor Adrienne Staples says the fare relief acknowledges passenger frustration over the performance of the Wairarapa Line. 'We've heard Wairarapa passengers loud and clear, and with partners KiwiRail and Transdev, we're working hard to improve both the rail line and passenger services,' Cr Staples says. 'The refunds will be available until a sufficient numberof train managerscan be trained to resume all rail services, which we hope are back on track in September.' SuperGold card users will continue to travel for free off-peak, and existing concessions still apply. Off-peak discounts do not apply to harbour ferry and Airport Express services. Off-peak travel times are before 7am for buses, and between 9am and 3pm, after 6.30pm, and all-day weekends and public holidays on buses and trains. For more information:
Scoop
24-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Next Steps Towards More And Quicker Bus Trips
Greater Wellington Regional Council/ Metlink/ Wellington City Council – Joint news release: Plans for a long-awaited second Wellington city centre bus route running along the waterfront quays are beginning to take shape, and the Capital's two councils will decide in August whether to progress them. Greater Wellington Regional Council Chair Daran Ponter says the second bus priority route is the only way to grow Wellington's bus network. 'This is not a nice-to-have, it's a must. Without critical improvements to the Golden Mile and an established Harbour Quays spine, the logjam of buses through the city will make it impossible to deliver the bus capacity Wellington needs,' says Cr Ponter. 'It's time for faster, more frequent buses and less reinventing of plans and investigations that lead to the same conclusions. People in Wellington don't want more failed transport plans, they want better bus services.' Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau says the proposed creation of a new waterfront bus route will anticipate the increasing demands on the city's roading infrastructure. 'This new bus route will offer a high-capacity, reliable, and environmentally friendly transport alternative. 'If the Council gives its green light in August, we will be engaging with Wellingtonians about the new route and their insights will be invaluable,' adds Mayor Whanau. Ahead of meetings in August, elected members from the Regional Council and City Council are being updated this week on the proposed Harbour Quays corridor, including stop locations and the services likely to use the route initially. Both councils have provided for funding of the route in their long-term plans. They will consider the business case for the project in August and, if agreed, consultation with businesses and the community on the proposed street changes required to put improved bus stops and shelters in place will follow. It's hoped the route can be operational from December 2026. It will: provide quicker journey times for bus passengers travelling along the Golden Mile and the waterfront quays provide all-day, 7-day a week access to waterfront attractions take pressure off the Golden Mile route where buses already have to queue to stop, and footpaths at bus stops can be very congested at times. Council officers speaking at today's briefing said work to assess corridor options had shown the best and only really viable route was via Whitmore Street, Customhouse Quay, Jervois Quay, Cable Street and Wakefield Street, connecting into the city-end of Kent and Cambridge terraces. It is proposed 12 stops, some of which are existing, will be put in place or improved along the route – six on each side. All will either have bus shelters or cover from building canopies. Peak-hour bus lanes on some sections are also being recommended. The stops will serve destinations including Te Papa and Tākina, Queens Wharf and Te Ngākau Civic Square. If approved, the waterfront route would be used at first by existing express services, including the Airport Express, an all-day harbourside service, and by peak-hour services that currently end at Brandon Street, which would instead be extended to Kent Terrace. Initially, it is proposed the route would carry about a quarter of peak-time bus users, about 30 buses an hour. From about 2034 and beyond, as the population and public transport use grows, it is planned the number of services using the waterfront route would increase to carry about 60 buses per hour, and about 60 percent of bus passengers.
Scoop
31-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Councils Plead For Bipartisan Resource Management Act Reform
Article – RNZ Regional councils want greater certainty and bipartisanship on regulations, as they gear up for an expected spate of rule changes. , Journalist Regional councils want greater certainty and bipartisanship on regulations, as they gear up for an expected spate of rule changes when legislation replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA) next year. The government has announced sweeping changes to the rules governing councils' oversight of everything – from housing, to mining, to agriculture – under the RMA, and these have been released for public feedback. Speaking on behalf of Te Uru Kahika – Regional and Unitary Councils of Aotearoa, Greater Wellington chair Daran Ponter said when policy resets every three years, regulators scramble to deliver the new government's national direction. 'As regional councils we have effectively seen these national instruments landing on our lap as regularly as every three years. The music just has to stop. 'We need certainty, we need to be able to have the chance as regulators to actually bed in policies and rules and provide a greater certainty to people who want to do things – who want to build, who want to farm, who want to mine – because the bigger block on those things at the moment, at national and regional levels, is that we continue to change the rules.' Ponter said bipartisanship on regulations was needed to provide certainty. 'I don't want to be in the position in three or six years' time that all the rules are going to change again, because the pendulum has swung the other way.' Ponter said in recent years there had been 'more radical swings' in policy under successive governments. 'At the moment, the meat in the sandwich of all this, is the regional councils, who get accused of not doing this, or being woke, of being overly sympathetic to the environment… when all we are doing is following the national guidance that is put in front of us.' The government has released three discussion documents covering 12 national policy statements and and national environmental standards, with the aim of having 16 new or updated ones by the end of 2025, ahead of legislation replacing the RMA next year. The consultation covers three main topics: infrastructure and development, the primary sector and freshwater. It is open from 29 May to 27 July. Doug Leeder, chair of Bay of Plenty Regional Council, has governed through the implementation of four National Policy Statements for Freshwater Management. He said implementing national direction was a major undertaking that involved work with communities, industry and mana whenua. 'Councils contend with the challenge also faced by iwi and hapū, industry, and communities that the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management has changed every three years since it has been introduced. 'When policy resets every three years, it imposes significant costs on councils and communities, creates uncertainty for farmers and businesses, and makes it harder to achieve the long-term outcomes we all want. 'We need to work towards something more enduring.' Could bipartisanship on regulations work? 'That's the challenge for the minister but also for the leaders of those opposition parties, as well,' Ponter said. 'Everybody is going to have to find a degree of compromise if something like that is going to work.' But he said regional councils had worked constructively with successive governments and they were ready to do so again.
Scoop
31-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Councils Plead For Bipartisan Resource Management Act Reform
Regional councils want greater certainty and bipartisanship on regulations, as they gear up for an expected spate of rule changes when legislation replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA) next year. The government has announced sweeping changes to the rules governing councils' oversight of everything - from housing, to mining, to agriculture - under the RMA, and these have been released for public feedback. Speaking on behalf of Te Uru Kahika - Regional and Unitary Councils of Aotearoa, Greater Wellington chair Daran Ponter said when policy resets every three years, regulators scramble to deliver the new government's national direction. "As regional councils we have effectively seen these national instruments landing on our lap as regularly as every three years. The music just has to stop. "We need certainty, we need to be able to have the chance as regulators to actually bed in policies and rules and provide a greater certainty to people who want to do things - who want to build, who want to farm, who want to mine - because the bigger block on those things at the moment, at national and regional levels, is that we continue to change the rules." Ponter said bipartisanship on regulations was needed to provide certainty. "I don't want to be in the position in three or six years' time that all the rules are going to change again, because the pendulum has swung the other way." Ponter said in recent years there had been "more radical swings" in policy under successive governments. "At the moment, the meat in the sandwich of all this, is the regional councils, who get accused of not doing this, or being woke, of being overly sympathetic to the environment... when all we are doing is following the national guidance that is put in front of us." The government has released three discussion documents covering 12 national policy statements and and national environmental standards, with the aim of having 16 new or updated ones by the end of 2025, ahead of legislation replacing the RMA next year. The consultation covers three main topics: infrastructure and development, the primary sector and freshwater. It is open from 29 May to 27 July. Doug Leeder, chair of Bay of Plenty Regional Council, has governed through the implementation of four National Policy Statements for Freshwater Management. He said implementing national direction was a major undertaking that involved work with communities, industry and mana whenua. "Councils contend with the challenge also faced by iwi and hapū, industry, and communities that the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management has changed every three years since it has been introduced. "When policy resets every three years, it imposes significant costs on councils and communities, creates uncertainty for farmers and businesses, and makes it harder to achieve the long-term outcomes we all want. "We need to work towards something more enduring." Could bipartisanship on regulations work? "That's the challenge for the minister but also for the leaders of those opposition parties, as well," Ponter said. "Everybody is going to have to find a degree of compromise if something like that is going to work." But he said regional councils had worked constructively with successive governments and they were ready to do so again.
Scoop
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Councils Consider National Direction Packages From Government
Councils across the country are considering and preparing for a major implementation task, following the Government's release of proposed reforms to national direction under the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA). The proposed changes span 12 existing instruments and introduce four new ones, making this the most wide-ranging reset of national direction since the RMA was enacted. The changes will have significant implications for how land, water, biodiversity and infrastructure are managed. Speaking for the regional councils and unitary authorities of NZ, Greater Wellington Chair Daran Ponter said national direction drives local planning and consent decisions that are central to our environment and economy. 'Regional and unitary councils recognise the pressures on the current system and like central government, want to help solve the housing shortage, support our world-leading primary producers, enable critical infrastructure delivery, and achieve freshwater aspirations. 'We have a lot to offer to ensure national direction is implemented in an efficient and effective way that achieves good outcomes for all parts of New Zealand, and we warmly welcome Ministers and officials to visit councils and see firsthand the scale, complexity, and success of the work being done across the country,' said Chair Ponter. Having governed through the implementation of four National Policy Statements for Freshwater Management in his time as Chair of Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Doug Leeder emphasised that implementing national direction is a major undertaking that involves work with communities, industry, and mana whenua. 'Councils contend with the challenge also faced by iwi and hapū, industry, and communities that the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management has changed every three years since it has been introduced. 'When policy resets every three years, it imposes significant costs on councils and communities, creates uncertainty for farmers and businesses, and makes it harder to achieve the long-term outcomes we all want. 'We need to work towards something more enduring,' said Chair Leeder. Regional government has worked constructively with successive governments to deliver their national direction, Chair Ponter said they're ready to partner and do so again. 'We have appreciated efforts by Ministers during their review to minimise the cost of implementation to ratepayers. 'We stand ready to provide additional advice on this and other matters from our experience enabling water storage, supporting flexible freshwater farm plans, and collectively delivering more than $48 million each year into catchment and biodiversity restoration on the ground,' said Chair Ponter. Looking ahead, Te Uru Kahika welcomes the opportunity to engage constructively with the Government on the new direction. The Government's National Direction Package consultation is open until 27 July 2025.
