Taranaki Regional Council media release
16 February 2009
For immediate release

South Taranaki Bus Services To Continue

The future is more permanent for weekly bus services in South Taranaki.

With a two-year trial of three South Link services ending in June this year, the Taranaki Regional Council has decided they should continue into the future.

The South Link services connect Waverley and Hawera, Opunake and Hawera, and Opunake and New Plymouth. Their future was decided today (16 February) by the Council’s Executive Committee.

The Committee was told that passenger numbers on the Waverley-Hawera and Opunake-Hawera services had easily exceeded trial criteria. The Opunake-New Plymouth service had struggled initially but numbers had improved since last November’s introduction of free fares for holders of Super Gold Cards. This concession, funded by the Government, has boosted passenger numbers on all three South Link services.

“It’s pleasing that we’re able to continue these services, and we will be calling for tenders from bus operators,” says the Council’s Director-Operations, Rob Phillips.

“However, it will be vital for the South Taranaki public to continue supporting these services, especially the one linking Opunake and New Plymouth. We intend having a clause in the contract allowing for the service to be discontinued if passenger numbers fall in the future.”

The South Link trial services began in July 2007 and the criteria included an average of six passengers per trip. Average numbers on each of the services have been:

• Waverley-Hawera: 8.9 since trial began; 12.2 over past four months.
• Opunake-Hawera: 7.1 since trial began; 9.6 over past four months.
• Opunake-New Plymouth: 5.9 since trial began; 7.3 over past four months.

Meanwhile, the weekly Inglewood-New Plymouth trial service will continue until October while a decision is being made on its long-term future.

This trial began in November 2007 and patronage has averaged 6.7 per trip since then, and 10 per trip in the past four months. The trial criteria is six.

“Again, the Super Gold Card concession has boosted numbers on this service, and we will give it another few months to see how things settle down before we make a final decision,” says Mr Phillips. “The message to the Inglewood community is: Use it or lose it.”

The trial South Link services have been operated by Weir Brothers (Waverley-Hawera) and Pickering Motors (Opunake-Hawera and Opunake-New Plymouth).
The trial Inglewood services is operated by Tranzit Coachlines, which also operates New Plymouth City Link services under contract to the Taranaki Regional Council.

ENDS

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