Park & Ride to the Hamilton Nightglow at the University of Waikato

Environment Waikato is again providing its popular Park & Ride bus service to the Hamilton Nightglow at the University of Waikato.

The Nightglow is to be held on the fields of the university on Saturday 12 April. This is where the balloons inflate in the dark and glow to orchestrated music, followed by a spectacular fireworks display. Music, entertainment and food will be available from 3.45pm.

Buses depart the 5 Park & Ride sites from 3:45pm and pick up at designated “Special Events Bus Stops” on route (please see website or phone the 0800 number). The drop-off points are significantly closer to the event than any public car park.

Return tickets will be available from the Park & Ride sites at Grosvenor Park (Thomas Road), Wintec (Avalon Drive), Frankton Primary School (Rifle Range Road), Melville High School (Collins Road) and the City Shuttle circles the CBD. Unfortunately, Park & Ride sites will be unavailable at the Gardens and Claudelands Showground’s this year.

It is important that passengers note there will be no Sunday bus service to the Nightglow if the event is postponed because of bad weather on the Saturday.

Land transport operations manager Russell Turnbull explains that this is because Go Bus drivers can only work a certain number of hours a week for safety reasons and that, if drivers had to work on the Sunday, this would encroach on the hours they would be available to provide bus services for the Hamilton 400 racing the following weekend.

Mr Turnbull said that if the Nightglow is held on the Sunday, people planning to use the bus service would need to look at alternative ways of getting to the event.

Park & Ride is an initiative that aims to reduce congestion, reduce the carbon footprint of the event and make accessing the event as easy as possible. Environment Waikato urges Hamiltonians to BUSIT, Bike-it or Walk-it to the Nightglow.

Full information on the services available can be found at the Transport Centre on the Corner of Bryce and Anglesea Streets, by phone on 0800 4BUSLINE (0800 42875463) and on Environment Waikato’s website at:

http://www.ew.govt.nz/regionalservices/passengertransport/balloonsoverwaikato.htm