Animal Justice Auckland Mayoral and Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board candidate Dr Michael Morris is calling for a regular bus to Auckland prison. A check with Auckland Transport revealed no plans to extend public transport services to the prison. The closest bus service is to Albany, still a two hour walk away.
 

“Public transport is a hot issue at the mayoral candidate meetings, and rightly so,” says Dr Morris.

“The Auckland Plan states that its aim that ‘Aucklanders will be able to get where they want to go more easily, safely and sustainably.’ Yet families visiting Auckland’s most vulnerable residents, inmates of Auckland prison are not able to do so without having a private motor vehicle, which many would not be able to afford.

“Keeping prisoners in contact with their loved ones, and through them to the wider community is a vital part of rehabilitation. It makes no sense to simply incarcerate them and forget them in a public transport desert.

“If elected I will work with the Department of Corrections and Auckland Transport to run a regular bus service”.

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