Free Fares NZ is urging both the National Party and the Labour Party to recommit to providing half price fares to Total Mobility users travelling on public transport. Labour mistakenly promised to provide half price public transport to disabled people through the Community Connect scheme, as highlighted by Free Fares in July and reported by Stuff, RNZ, and Newshub yesterday. A National Party spokesperson reported to RNZ that National do not plan to scrap the existing discounts.

“Both parties now have the opportunity to clarify their commitment to public transport equity for disabled people, and reaffirm their support for half price fares for all Total Mobility users, or even better, 100% Free Fares for all four target groups of our campaign” says Free Fares spokesperson Hana Pilkinton-Ching. “We already know that most New Zealanders support public transport discounts, based on polling last year; it’s a no-brainer”.

Accessibility and public transport advocate Ari Kerssens says that “At the end of the day, the miscommunication is a symptom of just how complicated this system is, that no one in government understands it. They should simplify it and make the fares free for Total Mobility users on all forms of public transport.”

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