Message to NZ Bus: Auckland has had enough

ARC Chairman Mike Lee has delivered a simple and blunt message to NZ Bus, on day five of the company's lock-out of drivers.

"We have had enough. Auckland will not be held to ransom. If you can't deliver the services that the people of Auckland rely on, then we will have to find someone else who can," he says.

Today the industrial dispute again disrupted the travel plans of tens of thousands of Auckland commuters. The disruption was even worse with the start of the school term.

Despite meetings over the weekend and facilitation today, it appears that the company and the union have made no meaningful progress on settling the dispute.

"The Auckland travelling public have run out of any patience or sympathy for this ongoing nonsense," says Mr Lee.

"NZ Bus operates public transport services under contract to the Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA). NZ Bus is currently in breach of those contracts - it is not delivering the services. Like any commercial contract, NZ Bus contracts can be terminated for non-performance.

"If this dispute is not settled, I will be calling on ARTA to start the process of terminating the existing contracts and finding someone else who will deliver the services that Auckland expects and pays for.

"Terminating NZ Bus contracts would be a drastic step. However, it is clear that the company is not responding to other normal commercial pressure, nor in my view does it take seriously its service obligations to the public.

"Perhaps the threat of NZ Bus's entire Auckland business being terminated will sharpen the minds of the negotiators and deliver the breakthrough that is required."