Wellington's mayor wants to keep the city's trolley buses on the road despite plans to replace them with hybrid and electric buses.
A Greater Wellington Regional Council public transport committee is favour of axing the trolley bus system saying it will save the city millions of dollars.
The committee has heard submissions and on Thursday agreed it would recommend the trolleys be phased out in 2017. The council will vote on the matter in a fortnight.
Greater Wellington Regional Council's public transport portfolio leader Paul Swain said he was confident it would get the votes to go ahead.
"If we take the course of action of hybrid and electrics, we're likely to get a better environmental outcome and it's going to cost the ratepayer less," he said.
"In my view, that's the best of both worlds."
It would cost $52 million to upgrade the current system, and the new fleet would be cheaper, Mr Swain said.
"The first big cost saving is not having to upgrade the network, and not having to upgrade the trolley wires," he said.
But Wellington mayor Celia Wade-Brown said her preference was for electric buses only, and trolleybuses should stay for now.
"Our information is that hybrid diesel still make considerable emissions and particularly greenhouse gas emissions," she told Radio New Zealand's Morning Report programme.
"My view is that we should be moving to electric, and I think the GWRC is closing the options off far too early."
Wellington regional councillor Sue Kedgley said the trolley buses had recently had a $40 million upgrade and getting rid of them made no sense.
"They have just upgraded the overhead wires - they're in better condition than they have been in 50 years," she said.
"The bulk of the regional councillors voted to get rid of them, and I think it's a stupendously short-sighted decision."
As well, the trolley buses were the most environmentally friendly choice, Ms Kedgley said.
NZ Bus runs the trolley buses and chief executive Zane Fulljames said it was a disappointing decision.
"It doesn't appear that all of the options to retain some, or all, of the trolley services have been adequately considered," Mr Fulljames said.
