Bus stops safe

Bus stops safe

The St James and Reading bus stops will remain in place when new councils form, predicts current regional council chair Daran Ponter.

Although the bus stops are controversially proposed to be removed as part of the Golden Mile upgrades, Ponter said the majority of candidates did not want to see it happen.  Council officials had indicated that the project could go ahead (and remain funded) with the stops remaining in place, he said.

Regional council candidates were more likely to agree with each other than not, at a meet the candidates meeting on 3 September at St Peter’s Church.

Consensus was struck on a number of issues, including water meters, doubt about the government’s new water governance model, harbour quays busways and opposition to the removal of ‘wellbeing’ from the Local Government Act.

Present were Glenda Hughes (indpt), Tom James (lab), Sarah Free, Tom Kay (independent), Yadana Saw (Greens), Daran Ponter, and Henry Peach (Greens).

The Green candidates and Tom Kay declared their opposition to a new Mt Victoria but all candidates wanted to see walking and cycling options included if it went ahead.

Free said she wanted to see more details.  “I don’t think there’s been nearly enough discussion about what’s happening to city streets.”

Peach said there were many more things that could be done with $2 billion.

Common themes among candidates were their enthusiasm for Wellington’s natural environment, concern about climate change, and the need to provide an affordable, reliable bus service.

Five places are available on the regional council in the Wellington ward.  Chair Daran Ponter and Yadana Saw are standing again.  Sarah Free has previously been a city councillor and Glenda Hughes was previously on the regional council.

Ponter acknowledged that the regional council was lower profile than the city council, due to less conflict and drama. “Boring is good as long as your bus is arriving on time.”

Candidates recalled that 7 years ago, there was more drama, with Wellington in the grips of a bustrastrophe. 

Ponter said that services were increasing, more buses were on order, more of the fleet was electric and the council had ‘stared down’ the government on fare increases, agreeing to an increase of 2.2% instead of the government’s starting point of 70%.

An audience member asked why regional council rates had gone up more than those of the WCC.

Ponter said the rates were scheduled to go up 17% but the council had instructed the chief executive to find “savings internally with the organisation”.  His expectation was that the eventual increase would be in single digits.

On water meters, all said they supported them but opposed privatisation of water.  Several, such as Free and Hughes had become converts after seeing what Kapti District Council had achieved.