18 November 2022
File Ref: OIAP-7-26225
Felix Lee
By email:
[FYI request #20937 email]
Tēnā koe Felix
Request for information 2022-191
I refer to your request for information dated 21 October 2022, which was received by Greater
Wellington Regional Council (Greater Wellington) on 21 October 2022. You have requested the
following:
“I would like to make a LGOIMA request regarding installing Snapper as an interim system on trains
before National Ticketing Solution is available.
I would like to request any reports or documents you have that cover the fol owing:
1. Which parts of the Snapper train system (hardware/software/etc) can be kept and which needs to
be replaced for NTS
2. What are the costs required for replacement
3. Given that Snapper has been available for years, what are the factors that prompted you to instal
it just before the NTS wil be available, and not wait until NTS is available”
Greater Wel ington’s response follows:
Background
The National Ticketing Solution (NTS) is a joint initiative between Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency
(Waka Kotahi) and Public Transport Authorities.
Wellington office
Upper Hutt
Masterton office
0800 496 734
PO Box 11646
PO Box 40847
PO Box 41
www.gw.govt.nz
Manners St, Wel ington
1056 Fergusson Drive
Masterton 5840
[Wellington Regional Council request email]
6142
The NTS has the objective of consolidating the various public transport ticketing systems into a
national state of the art ticketing system. NTS will facilitate a more consistent public transport
ticketing experience across the country.
In September 2022, Greater Wellington signed the Participation Agreement which commits it to
implement NTS when it becomes available. The date of the Greater Wellington’s NTS
implementation is still to be confirmed - the latest indication is that it will be before 2026.
As an interim solution and following the successful pilot on the Johnsonville rail line, Waka Kotahi is
supporting Greater Wel ington to implement Snapper across the whole Wellington rail network,
prior to transitioning to the NTS. Snapper on Rail is being implemented across the network in
November 2022.
Snapper on Rail is an important part of our transition to the NTS as it will ensure our rail
passengers have early access to electronic ticketing as well as undertaking the important step of
getting customers used to a modern way of payment for rail journeys across the region. It also
ensures rail onboard and offboard infrastructure and operations are set up for an electronic
ticketing environment and therefore wil significantly reduce the extent and risk of transition to
NTS when it occurs.
In addition, Metlink wil have an electronic platform to be able to make fare changes quickly (such
as the recently announced Community Connect) as wel as the potential to implement new longer-
term initiatives such as integrated fares and fare capping products which were recently approved
by Greater Wellington as part of its Future Fares review.
Finally, electronic ticketing will also provide invaluable data regarding how our rail services are
being used which wil help us improve future rail service planning.
Which parts of the Snapper train system (hardware/software/etc) can be kept and which needs to be
replaced for NTS
• Software – The Snapper software is proprietary to Snapper and therefore this will not be able
to be reused under NTS
• Equipment
– Metlink will work with the NTS provider and Snapper during the NTS design
phase to determine which parts of the Snapper on Rail physical infrastructure (such as
validators) could be reused. We are hopeful that we can keep as much of the infrastructure
in place as possible come the transition to NTS
• Civil/wiring work
– All the civil/wiring work undertaken by Metlink for Snapper on Rail will be
able to be fully reused under NTS
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What are the costs required for replacement?
The replacement cost wil not be known until it is understood what can be kept and what wil need
replacement. Because of this we have refused this part of your request under section 17(g) of the
Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (the Act) on the basis that the
information requested is not held by Greater Wel ington and there are no grounds for believing that
the information is held by another authority subject to the Act.
Note that when this information is available it wil be held by Waka Kotahi as the counterparty to
the contract with the NTS ticketing provider. Therefore, any requests on the replacement costs
should be directed to Waka Kotahi.
Given that Snapper has been available for years, what are the factors that prompted you to install it
just before the NTS wil be available, and not wait until NTS is available
In February 2022, a report was presented to Council to advise it of an interim solution for an
electronic ticketing solution prior to the implementation of the NTS. This report contains information
relating to the implementation of Snapper on the rail network and is attached as
Attachment 1 to
this letter.
In April 2022, an approval and procurement memorandum was prepared for the Chief Executive to
enable the implementation of the interim Snapper on rail ticketing solution. A copy of this
memorandum is attached as
Attachment 2 to this letter.
You will see that some information has been redacted from the memorandum and report. This
information falls outside the scope of your request and is marked accordingly.
If you have any concerns with the decision(s) referred to in this letter, you have the right to request
an investigation and review by the Ombudsman under section 27(3) of the Local Government Official
Information and Meetings Act 1987.
Please note that it is our policy to proactively release our responses to official information requests
where possible. Our response to your request wil be published shortly on Greater Wellington’s
website with your personal information removed.
Nāku iti noa, nā
Samantha Gain
Kaiwhakahaere Matua Waka-ā-atea| General Manager Metlink
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