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A radical idea, free buses!
Radical is the right word! I thought the Greens really wanted us all riding bicycles, not driving around pouring out diesel smoke like the current bus service does?
Why pick on students to get free buses anyway? In Palmerston North it can make sense. Half of the city lives off the income from the Massey Students, much like Dunedin. So a free service is just another city incentive to attract the students.
Here in Auckland we don't do "incentives"! Examples, Around the World Yacht races now pass through Wellington, V8 Cars in Hamilton, Flower Show moved to Christchurch.
Have they all forgotten that we tax and rate payers already subsidise the public transport systems in Auckland by I think 40% of the cost? Yet pretty much every month the northern motorway is congested because of a bus breakdown on the Bridge. The offshore Company who runs the services pocket the extra rather than spend it on maintenance it seems.
I would like a free bicycle, so I can ride to the supermarket at weekend and get the groceries! Why should we not all get free bikes? Some would ride to walk instead of using their car I am sure.
Auckland is not a City which lends itself to effective public transport, and no amount og Green whinging will change that.
If Waterview had been built 15 years ago when firat mooted, it would have cost a tiny franction of the current prices. Now we get motorways with millions spent on fancy landscaping, sculptured concrete works, mass plantings of native trees and shrubs. looks lovely, but we are a relatively poor country. We cannot afford the luxury. Or free buses either.
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