95% of those gigantic monstosity's drive around completly empty and have been doing so for years and years. At $100+ million ? of ratepayers money, every year. It would be cheaper to buy every ratepayer in Christchurch an electric scooter than just one year of ratepayers subsidy of the buses.

I think councilors mayor and senior council staff should have to use the public transport they supply the city to get about while they are in office. It might help them understand the system better and come up with better solutions.

"A commercial service is one that is operated by a bus company without any subsidy or funding from Environment Canterbury. Apart from the 10 Airport – Cashmere and 29 Airport services, all other Metro services in Christchurch are contracted by Environment Canterbury, and the operator receives public funding to assist with the cost of their operation." - quote Metroinfo website.

Ecan can (and did) add any service that competes with a commercial run and they did that with the Comet service (which is subsidised). It was purely added to impact on the number 10 service.

Bus services aren't paying their way, right ? So Parker has the soution: a $4m study of a light-rail network and $400 m already in the budget as a line item or the first link, Uni to CBD. Now tell me that makes sense ? Another ego trip for our "Dear Leader" ?

Any thought of developing an inspired public transport system must now have crashed in flames as we see our current system further degraded and the travelling public left “in limbo” to find alternatives. I pity those of limited means or the vulnerable. Our civic management is clearly incapable of wisely addressing the situation – but this does not justify seeking yet another grossly overpaid bureaucrat or offering junkets around the World to eager Councilors and staff keen to “study transport systems”. I acknowledge the mammoth earthquake-related problems but the way Environment Canterbury and the City Council continue to handle matters is appalling. If they can’t handle an adequate bus service any thought of them handling longer-term more enlightened transport systems would be a sick joke. Without an effective transport system Christchurch will continue to struggle as businesses simply look elsewhere. The public deserve better than this second-rate “leadership”!

Utterly ridiculous- we will be the only city in the world without a decent airport bus service just when we are trying to convince tourists to come back. Agree with the smaller buses more often comments

I am sure that Ecan and redbus did all they could to save the service.....NOT.

Very short sighted Ecan and the bus companies in Chch.

Falling passenger numbers, lets increase fares. Falling numbers, stop the service. And on it goes.

With fuel costs the way they are now, you need to price the bus fares to suit. Smaller or larger buses as required for time of day and routes, fares that make bus travel attractive, make weekend travel, maybe Sunday as a example, $2 anywhere.

Ecan and the bus companies need to think outside the box but reality is, they won't, if it doesn't turn a profit, get rid of it mentality.

Saw some Rangiora buses last weekend, tri axle jobs, only person was the driver. What a waste of money and time even running it.

Having lived oversea's, I have seen public transport well used but it has to be structured to suit the masses or it becomes a flop as Chch is finding out.

Curious to note that these commercial runs suddenly became un-ecconomic after ECAN "allocated" the subsidized "Comet" service. Anyone smell a rat?

They can't even get a bus service right and they want a train set.

Well, this means that I will no longer be able to get to Ballantynes, the Cashell mall re-start, South City mall, Sydenham shops... Only option for shopping: the soulless malls on the Orbiter route. Son will not be able to go to music lessons at the CSM. Just as well we read this before he has enrolled for the year and spent a fortune on lessons he cannot get to. Christchurch has just become even less liveable.