The loss making Te Huia
The Taxpayers Union points out:
The Taxpayers’ Union is calling on the Government to end the rort that sees millions of dollars funnelled away from motorists into the inefficient and expensive Te Huia Train Service.
A recent review of the train service between Auckland and Hamilton reveals that it has budgeted a $5.45 million contribution from the NZTA for the current financial year. Roughly 90% of NZTA’s Land Transport Fund comes from fuel, registration and road-user charges.
The Minister of Transport recently said that subsides equate to approximately $90 per passenger for each leg of the journey, or $180 per return trip.
The fares from passengers only cover 3% of the operating expenditure, so it is 97% subsidised.
The number of daily passengers is around 250, so around 1% of those who travel on the expressway.
There are nine daily bus services between Hamilton and Auckland.
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