Urban Transport subsidy assured

Press, 13 March 1985, Page 8

Urban Transport subsidy assured

The Christchurch Transport Board will not have its Urban Transport Council grant cut this year, board members heard at a meeting yesterday. Members had feared that the grant would be cut so the Government could carry out its election promise to subsidise urban rail transport in Auckland and Wellington. Canterbury would still get its full subsidy of $59,931 as the Government had given the Urban Transport Coun-

cil an extra $4406,000 to fund the rail transport, members of the board’s finance and planning committee were told. The committee chairman, Mr C. L. Sugden, said he was relieved that Canterbury’s share would not be cut, but the Government’s action meant that taxpayers had to find an extra $4 million.

“It also perpetuates the wide discrepancy between the funding given to the North Island and that given to the South Island,” Mr

Sugden said. “People in Canterbury get a subsidy of $21.85 a head for transport, but people in Wellington get $77 a head.” The board chairman, Mr Patrick Neary, said he was against the Government’s policy of putting Auckland and Wellington ahead of places like Canterbury and Invercargill. “I can’t see why they should be treated as favoured citizens.” Mrs H. L. Bonisch said subsidising urban rail in Auckland and Wellington

might be in the national interest but it was not in the interest of the South Island.

“We should continue to be vigilant about this, otherwise it will go on and on,” she said.

The general manager, Mr M. G. Taylor, said the Government had said it intended to investigate the urban rail services, so it would be unwise for the board to assume that it would get the full Urban Transport Council subsidy in future years.