A plan to subsidise Queenstown’s bus network would bring the resort in line with the rest of New Zealand, the network’s operator says.
Ritchies Queenstown branch manager Nyall Fraser said Queenstown was "unique" in having a wholly commercial bus network, which had been built up over many years by Connectabus founders, the McCammon family.
"It’s the only bus service like it in the country — Ritchies operate under a subsidised system everywhere else."
Ritchies has been running the network since buying out Connectabus 12 months ago.
Mr Fraser said the company had not been consulted over the proposal, which was announced by Queenstown Lakes Mayor Jim Boult and Otago Regional Council chairman Stephen Woodhead on Wednesday.
However, Ritchies’ Auckland-based owner, Andrew Ritchie, would attend a meeting about the proposal in Dunedin today.
In the announcement, Mr Boult said his council, the Otago Regional Council and the NZ Transport Agency would jointly subsidise the network to the tune of $2million a year.
He wanted to make buses the default mode of transport by charging a $2 flat fare and raising downtown parking charges.
Mr Fraser said that as owner of the current network, a downturn in passengers directly impacted the company’s revenue, whereas a subsidised network carried less financial risk.
"With a normal system, we’re just a provider for the council."
Were the company to successfully tender for the revamped network, it could easily scale up to cope with the expected jump in passenger numbers.
"The company’s built 75 coaches in the last six months for urban services in New Zealand, so we are in a position to meet whatever the criteria are."
