Public quizzed on timing of extra bus services

What time should new commuter bus services run? That’s the question being put to New Plymouth residents as the Taranaki Regional Council prepares for an urban passenger transport upgrade from July 1.

A survey is being run on-line at the Council’s website,

www.trc.govt.nz , and survey forms will also be available at Puke Ariki and New Plymouth District libraries from Monday, 21 April.

The deadline for responses is noon on Friday, 2 May.

A new contract for urban bus services in New Plymouth begins on 1 July, following a two-year trial of expanded services which finishes at the end of June. The Council has awarded the new contract to Tranzit Coachlines.

"The new contract gives us scope to introduce early-morning and late-afternoon commuter services. Feedback we got during the trial suggests such services are needed and will be used," says the Council’s Director-Operations, Rob Phillips.

"We’re throwing open the question of timing to give the public a say for a couple of weeks before we decide on the final details.

"We want to get more people on the buses and with fuel prices the way they are, the new services are coming just at the right time."