Rail Can’t Be Charity

 

An interesting insight today into the government’s view on Auckland and Wellington’s rail services.
So who said this?

“In Wellington and Auckland, the commuter trains are not paying their full costs.
“I don’t see why one sector of transport should be treated as a charity for ratepayers and taxpayers with a built-in assumption that they deserve to be subsidised.”

According to  Environment Canterbury’s transport chair,  Cr Jo Kane. that’s what Transport Minister, Steven Joyce, said today.

The minister was meeting with the Canterbury Regional Transport Committee and local mayors, for a Christchurch breakfast briefing on regional transport.

He was cautious when it came to rail.

The councillor also quotes the minister saying to them: “In terms of Greater Christchurch,  if people want rail alternatives to the motor car and buses for travel from satellite towns, they need to make sure they do the numbers well and can afford it long-term.”

But Cr Kane said the minister did say he was “very cognisant of the importance of investing in the transport system in Canterbury,”  citing underinvestment in transport infrastructure in the past.

it was clear to him “that the regional unity Canterbury has presented to Government, on transport matters at least, has paid dividends in recent times.

“This must carry on if we are to continue to see current levels of Government money continue to be directed into the region. The Roads of National Significance are a key focus now, but these will be delivered before we know it.  We need to keep our issues in the Minister’s sights, so that other things which benefit both urban and rural sectors - sealed rural roads, public transport, bridges and cycle routes - keep pace with economic growth.”

Auckland's train services over-subsidised?

In answer to other questions, according to Cr Kane, Mr Joyce said he was not anticipating any further rises in the age for getting a driving license which will go to 16 from 15.

Re the mooted decrease in the blood alcohol level for drivers supported by the Canterbury Transport Committee, he said this was “a finely balanced decision” which the Cabinet would work through in coming weeks.

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13 Comments

 
  1. ingolfson says:

    “I don’t see why one sector of transport should be treated as a charity for ratepayers and taxpayers with a built-in assumption that they deserve to be subsidised.”

    Exactly Mr Joyce. Raise fuel taxes and road user permits now. Trucking companies need to finally pay their share rather than get fat from ratepayer money, and car drivers need to finally feel the costs that they expect us all to subsidize!

    I would start with a hefty pollution levy.

  2. Kurt says:

    Quite right Mr Joyce, why should taxpayers subsidise travel, housing, clothing, allowances and their McDonalds for MP’s much less their partners, kids, pet rats and God knows who else. What gives you a “built-in assumption that they deserve to be subsidised”

    How some government ministers quickly forget what planet they are on. Their bare faced hypocracy know no bounds does it.

  3. Matt L says:

    We still in the process of upgrading our rail network any yet in 4 years despite all of the disruptions patronage has been booming. Every new passenger makes rail more affordable and when it is broken down the subsidies provided are about the same as buses (Bus $0.35 per passenger km, Rail $0.36 per passenger km). By the middle of this year the western line will be complete and we should have Onehunga. Next year we get Manukau. Rail patronage will continue to climb and after electrification it will climb even further.

    All of these people using the train would have to find a different method of transportation and for most of the trips that means driving. There is no way we could make our roads wide enough to cope with that. It would take to much land and cost to much money.

    Also ratepayers and tax payers are paying billions to maintain roads, roads that are mostly damaged by trucks (why are we letting heavier trucks on the roads). How is this not a subsidy?

  4. Jeremy Harris says:

    Joyce believes the right wing rhetoric, not based on fact, that PT is the only thing being subsidised…
    Len Brown has said as much publicly, “Joyce believes in cars, he believes a little bit in buses but he doesn’t believe in trains” I think were the exact words, Brown was talking about a meeting he had with Joyce…

  5. rtc says:

    Well this dispells any hopes that we may get the CBD tunnel anytime soon…

  6. jarbury says:

    My word does Joyce completely forget about where around 50% of the country’s local rates go?

    (Hint: subsidising roads)

  7. joust says:

    Councillors from Environment Canterbury might have reason to be not too happy with Cabinet Ministers just at the moment.

  8. Joel says:

    Joyce seems to believe train users are on some exorbitant, novel carnival ride at the expense of ‘mainstream’ motorists.

    Is he really inferring that the country’s road network is sustained exclusively by direct road user costs?

    “subsidised” = subsidy = government funding = tax payer dollar = $NZ billions = example waterview connection.

    I really hope for the country’s sake that Joyce was not thinking straight when he made those comments. How could our TRANSPORT MINISTER be so ignorant?!?

  9. Cam says:

    Is anyone actually surprised by this? Perhaps all of those Joyce supporters who have been mainting he is fact even handed could explain?

    I still maintain there is not a snowball’s chance in hell in 1.5 billion being spent on a CBD loop in Auckland as long as this guy is transport minister.

  10. Luke says:

    So the holiday highway is going to be fully paid for by users of that road?
    If that is the case then sure, go ahead and build it.
    Maybe Joycey could look at some other options of moving large numbers of people into the CBD a peak hour, how much would they cost?

  11. ingolfson says:

    Joyce is a dinosaur. They are becoming extinct all over the world - but then there’s this little island nation at the bottom right, where they still survive, happily romping along in their ancient ways!

  12. [...] rail systems slightly unfair and ignorant, but this has been commented on in other blogs. His comments about rail in Christchurch are very interesting, and suggests to me that there might [...]

  13. Jeremy Harris says:

    A dinosaur who loves fossils (fuels that is)..?

 

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