New bus service linking Coromandel and Hauraki towns proposed

Card holders living in rural towns can connect to Hamilton for hospital appointments. Photo / Supplied

For Rita Lamb of Thames, a bus service has been life changing.

Rita, 85, has cataracts and doesn't drive. Her daughter works and can't be relied upon, and Rita used to have to take a taxi or at times walk in the rain and arrive wet.

A new bus services linking towns in Thames-Coromandel and Hauraki and funded by a targeted rate has been proposed by Waikato Regional Council.

The proposed bus would link Coromandel Town, Whangamata, Tairua, Waihi Beach, Waihi, Paeroa, Ngatea and Puriri all to Thames.

For those on a gold card it would be free. The service would also travel to Te Aroha from Paeroa, linking to Hamilton and returning in the late afternoon.

Fares would be roughly $5 Coromandel to Thames, as an example.

"It's pretty cheap," says Waikato Regional councillor Denis Tegg. "But there would be a rating impact."

Tegg initiated a Thames bus service in 2017 and has pushed hard for other new services to start.

Councillors last week gave the green light on the questions they're seeking public feedback on until April 30 through a proposed amendment to the 2021-2031 Long Term Plan.

Thames-Coromandel representative Tegg says he wants to hear from communities on fast-tracking public transport investment in Thames, Coromandel and Hauraki.

"I think the services will bring real benefits.

"Since I was elected to the regional council in 2019, I have taken soundings in most Thames-Coromandel communities and there does seem to be a strong appetite for new bus services linking our towns.

"This is especially so among our aged population."

Thames-Coromandel has 30 per cent of the population aged over 65.

Tegg said the feedback on the Thames bus service had been "brilliant".

"For some it has been life changing. Some suburbs in Thames are really difficult to get around and it's been great.

"I'm aware of one elderly couple, one of whom was at a rest home and another who had lost their licence and they couldn't even visit their own spouse. And now with an affordable transport service, that can happen."

Waikato Regional Council agreed to get feedback from Coromandel and Hauraki communities on this amendment to the Long Term Plan.

If given the go-ahead, the rating for new public transport services in Thames-Coromandel, Hauraki and Matamata-Piako districts would be collected by the regional council from July 1, so new services could start as early as January 2023.

That's to give the regional council time to negotiate funding assistance from Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, as well as to plan the rollout of the new services.

If that negotiation is unsuccessful, ratepayers are being asked if they would be happy to cover 100 per cent of the cost of new public bus services, $333,500 of rates revenue collected through targeted rates. A split of 80 per cent would come from urban areas benefiting from the services and 20 per cent charged district-wide.

Tune in and join Tegg on a webinar on Thursday, April 7 at 6pm to discuss proposals from Waikato Regional Council for new bus services in Thames-Coromandel and Hauraki. Have your questions answered by Tegg and other councillors and senior staff.

Visit https://bit.ly/3JXwIgr to find out more, register for the webinar, or to make an online submission.