Taranaki Regional Council media release

3 September 2007

Extended Run For Revamped Bus Service

The trial period for New Plymouth’s revamped suburban bus service has been extended until July 2008.

The 18-month trial, funded by the Taranaki Regional Council and Land Transport NZ, was due to run until the end of this year but the Council and the service operator, Okato Bus Lines, last week signed an agreement allowing for a six-month extension.
Council Chief Executive Basil Chamberlain says as well as offering commuters more certainty in a time of rising fuel prices, the extension will give the Regional Land

Transport Committee two years of solid data on which to base future decisions about public transport in New Plymouth.

The extension will also allow regional decision-makers to take into account new funding structures for public transport that are expected as a result of a Government review now under way.

Mr Chamberlain says bus patronage has been improving steadily since the trial began in July last year.

“Adult passenger numbers are improving, a trend that’s been noticeable with the rise in petrol prices this year,” he says.

The new-look New Plymouth Citybus service operates on six routes covering the main suburbs and Bell Block, Waitara and Oakura on weekdays, with two expanded suburban routes operating on Saturdays.

Positive feedback has included a recent Taranaki Daily News letter writer (Eds: 29 July) describing her bus journey as “a very clean experience (on a) modern, clean vehicle, with a friendly female driver and fellow passengers plus the opportunity to enjoy the scenery and developing structures en route. None of this is possible when driving, as constant concentration is vital behind the wheel”.

The service will be further promoted with a free bus day for adult passengers on 21 September to mark World Car Free Day. More details will be announced later.

For information on Citybus routes, fares and timetables, see www.okatobus.co.nz or www.trc.govt.nz.

ENDS

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