Lower Hutt deputies, mayor, demand that the airport bus be returned to the “forgotten” valley

Politicians based in Lower Hutt are from all over the political spectrum Allied powers In a renewed effort to save the only direct bus service connecting the “forgotten” Hutt Valley to Wellington Airport.

On Monday, Labor MP for Hot South Jenny Anderson, National List Representative Chris Bishop, Lower Hat Mayor Campbell Barry, and Counselor Deborah Hislop wrote a joint letter to the Greater Wellington Area Council (GWRC) requesting intervention and funding for the Airport bus flyer, So he can keep running to and from Hutt.

The call comes after Wellington Airport confirmed its plans for Wellington-Lower stalk ax Off track when Tranzit began operating the service in early 2021 because it is no longer commercially viable.

But Darren Bunter, chairman of GWRC, responded by saying that the truth is that many services operate “with zero or one or two passengers”.

“What MPs and the mayor are saying is that the wage payers should be paying for a very poorly used service between Wadi Hut and the railway station.”

The politician’s message also revealed that plans to introduce a Snapper card payment system on the road, and to track the Airport Flyer program on Metlink’s real-time information screens at bus stops, have been hampered by the apparent lack of cooperation by the regional council.

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Punter said the board is actively working with the airport and New Zealand on how to integrate a future service into the Metlink network.

“Since this will involve the use of interest rate payers’ money, we need to make sure that it is justified. Board members will be very reluctant to support the service if the airport insists on continuing to trim the ticket every time the bus comes to the airport.”

Since November 28, the Airport Flyer service has also been into Wellington Paused As the airport works to implement the terms of the new contract with Transit.

Previously, the bus used to depart from the airport, via Wellington, to Lower Hut.

The rerouting means that Hutt residents must take the Hutt Valley Line train to Wellington City and then take the Airport Flyer bus to get to the airport using public transport.

Andersen, Bishop, Barry and Hislop wrote the appeal to the Regional Council after meeting with representatives from Wellington Airport and Transit on Friday.

The group said the airport was clear that it would not operate the service to Lower Hut without funding from the Regional Council because it was extremely difficult to obtain real-time information and a Snapper card payment system operating in the city.

This begs the question, why shouldn’t the service be chosen as part of the public network? Wellington Airport has made it clear to us that they are open to this as a solution. “

Politicians have argued that returning passenger service from the airport to Lower Hut, the second largest city in the area, would improve traffic flow by getting people out of their cars.

“We were disappointed by the regional council’s reluctance to engage positively in a solution for our residents and price payers. Once again, we feel our people have been forgotten.”

Gallacher said Hutt Valley was already connected to Wellington by regular Metlink train, bus and ferry services, which enable people to travel to the hospital, the zoo, the airport and other points across the city.

A spokesman for Wellington Airport said that the regional council appeared not to be interested in operating the “airport flyer”, so it was continuing negotiations with Transit.

The spokesperson confirmed that no decisions have yet been made regarding the inclusion of Snapper on board and the inclusion of the Airport Flyer in real-time updates of Metlink.