Flat-fare bus trial extended but price going up

Bus users in the Greater Christchurch area will continue to have flat-fares, but with a 50 percent increase.

Environment Canterbury (ECan) voted to extend its Greater Christchurch flat-fare trial to February 2026 at a council meeting on Wednesday, December 11, as it moves to the new national payment system, Motu Move, next year.

But standard adult fares will jump from $2 to $3, while child (5-18-years-old) and community services card holder fares will increase from $1 to $1.50, total mobility card holders will pay $2 and youth fares (19-24-years-old) will be $2.50.

The new fares will come into effect next year, as a date to be determined.

The Motu Move pilot is being trialled on route 29 (Christchurch Airport to central city) and will be rolled out across the rest of the network next year.

It will allow customers to pay for the bus and Lyttelton Harbour ferry by debit or credit card, Apple Pay and Google Pay on mobile phones and smart watches.

''We're really excited to be the first region in the country to be delivering Motu Move, and our decision today around extending the flat-fare trial should help ensure an easier journey to get there,'' chairperson Craig Pauling said.

''Increasing operating costs and the requirement to provide more private revenue share are some of the factors behind the fare change.''

The decision around the new fares follows recent discussions with Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) around public transport funding.

The council received a report from staff about this and authorised the chief executive and Pauling to draft a letter in response.

Recent media reports have suggested the fares could jump from $2 to $8 due to reduced funding from NZTA.

For now, the $2 and $1 fares contribute 11.7 percent to the cost of fares, but NZTA has set targets of increasing the private contribution to 18 percent for the 2024/25 financial year, 25 percent for 2025/26 and 38 percent for 2026/27.

''It is important to note these fares changes are not immediate and won't come into place for some months,'' Pauling said.

''We encourage customers to make the most of our great $2 or less fares while they're still around''.

Staff will continue to engage with NZTA and will report back on potential alternative target options by 31 March.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.