Cable car profits — the city's conscience

Wellington City Transport is a problem which we would wish upon no one. Indeed, we can only admire the courage of those city councillors who have tried to bring sense to the complicated mess of services existing in Wellington.

Whether it be the return of the trams, an underground railway, a standard fare, or centre-city minibus transport, everyone has a pet theory to solve the muddle. Particularly in City Council matters, the days of the self-appointed "expert" citizen are still very much with us.

But having said this, let it be clear that we have the utmost contempt for the narrow-minded exploitative attitude of the City Council towards the cable car.

When this paper suggested (Salient 4) that a modernisation of this service is essential, with new cars and a rescheduled service, the city's reply was a classic in evasion.

Passenger usage is declining, the city said. Moreover, the oldest trams in Wellington form part of the cable cars—and any move to replace them would undoubtedly offend older folk, who are proud of Wellington's history.

Now, after a year of record profit, the fare for this "historic service" is to be raised again.

The City Council must be bluntly told that the cable car is not a historic (and profitable) toy. It is a public service, which must be run on a modern system and not merely to make an excessive profit.

We may doubt the sincerity of the Council when it so cynically carries out its present policy. If it were a realistic policy, the Council, to be consistent, would have to pull down its parking buildings and bring back horse-drawn trams to the streets.—H.B.R.