ARC chairman hails ticketing break-through

“Great news for public transport – great news for Auckland ratepayers”

22 July 2009

ARC chairman Mike Lee heaped praised on the Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA) and the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for achieving a break-through on integrated ticketing.

ARTA and NZTA today announced they will work with an experienced French company, Thales, to develop a system for Auckland’s buses, trains and ferries.

Mr Lee called integrated ticketing a “key piece in the public transport jigsaw” which would enable a quantum leap forward for Auckland public transport patronage.

“Seamless movement between trains, buses and ferries using a smartcard ticket will make public transport a much more attractive option for Aucklanders.”

ARTA began the tender process for the ticketing system last year but it was delayed by an NZTA review, instigated in part by a rival tenderer.

“While the delay has been disappointing, the system has now passed rigorous checks with flying colours – especially in terms of national application.”

“Because of this, the technical work carried out by ARTA and the tenderer is now being picked up by NZTA as the basis of a national integrated ticketing programme, which will allow regions throughout the country to share costs,” Mike Lee says.

“This is a great outcome.”

Central and local government are sharing the project costs.

In February, the ARC was looking at a capital investment of $32 million to fund the region’s share of the system, but Mr Lee said the final capital cost to Auckland ratepayers would now be very much reduced.

“Negotiations between the parties are still proceeding, so we are not at liberty to say how large the reduction will be.”

However, the reduction would be “significant”.  “Great news for public transport, great news for Auckland ratepayers.”

ENDS

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