Petition for free Wellington public transport for students, Community Service Card holders
A petition has been launched to get free Wellington public transport travel for students and Community Service Card holders.
“This is an essential move for students who face unaffordable living costs in the city, foregoing basic needs and services in order to use public transport,” said Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association engagement vice president and campaign spokesperson Grace Carr [pictured above]
The group – backed by a long list of organisations including the Public Service Association, Downtown Community Ministries, and New Zealand Disabled Students Association – has written an open letter to Transport Minister Michael Wood, asking for a trial of the free system.
“Affordable and accessible public transport is an essential tool that would benefit all tertiary students and people who have community service cards,” the letter said.
“The current system does not provide the basic essential needs for our communities.
“Rising housing costs now account for a greater proportion of living costs and many people have been forced out of the city. So for many the cost of public transport has risen, and it is a major portion of people’s income.”
The trial would cover all Wellington region trains, buses, the cable car and harbour ferries.
- New Zealand Union of Student Associations
- Victoria University of Wellington Student Association
- Massey at Wellington Students’ Association
- Āwhina | Maori Student Support @ Victoria University of Wellington
- Young Greens at Victoria
- VicLabour
- Victoria University of Wellington Commerce Students’ Society
- Disabled Students Association of Victoria University Wellington
- CCS Disability Action
- Disabled Persons Assembly New Zealand
- New Zealand Disabled Students Association
- Public Service Association
- Hospo Workers Union
- Hutt Valley Benefit Education Service Trust
- NZ Beneficiaries and Unemployed Workers Union
- Wellington City Mission
- Free Store Wellington
- Catholic Social Services
- Downtown Community Ministries
- Urban Vision
- Anglican Advocacy Wellington
- Blueprint Church
- St Thomas Anglican Church, Newtown
- Lyall Bay Community Church
- Stillwaters Community Association
- Aro Valley Community Centre
- The Common Unity Project Aotearoa
- KiwiClass
- ChangeMakers Resettlement Forum
- Community Law Wellington and Hutt Valley
- Citizens Advice Bureau
- Etc English Teaching College
- Tauira Pasifika
- Kāpiti Climate Change Action Group
- Generation Zero
- Low Carbon Kāpiti
