Bus ticket policy attacked

Press, 4 February 1987, Page 9

Bus ticket policy attacked

The Christchurch branch of the Consumers’ Institute has been fielding complaints from consumers who are unhappy with the Christchurch Transport Board’s new policy of not letting people use up old multiride bus tickets. Tomorrow is the last day that patrons can use bus tickets sold at the old price before a new price schedule was introduced by the board on January 5. The Consumers’ Insti-

tute complaints officer, Mr Maurice Smith, said the ruling was affecting budget-conscious people who had bought several bus tickets in advance. In the past there were no limits on the validity of multi-ride tickets and they could still be used after price increases. Mr Smith said that he had received about 20 complaints from people who had supplies of bus tickets which they could not use after tomorrow. ' The board’s general

manager, Mr Max Taylor, said refunds on old tickets could easily be obtained. The board’s new policy was “fair” to all people riding on buses, he said. “It is fair to the people paying the current price that other people are not getting round on tickets which are five years old,” Mr Taylor said. The refund offer was working well, and some people had brought in

blocks of 20 to 30 tickets to get their money back, he said. Mr Smith maintains that people who bought supplies of the old tickets did so before the new limited validity policy was introduced and were therefore entitled to use their old tickets. Mr Taylor said that this was not the case. “I do not accept the contention that there was any illegality,” he said. •