Tauranga bus network 'refresh' attracts mostly 'good feedback' after two weeks

Some bus routes in Tauranga were scrapped and replaced with others last month. Photo / NZME

Feedback on a "refresh" of Tauranga's bus network that removed key routes and replaced them with other direct runs has been largely positive, the regional council says.

The Bay of Plenty Regional Council brought in a revised bus network two weeks ago in a bid to provide more direct travel and more convenient services.

Passengers in Tauranga City, Mount Maunganui, Pāpāmoa and Te Puke now have new bus routes and timetables. Ten previous bus routes including the 30x Golden Sands Express, CL City Link and HL Hospital Link were scrapped.

The regional council's Public Transport Committee met online on Tuesday and was told the changes appeared to have been well received, so far.

Council legal and commercial manager Jessica Easton said: "We've had really good feedback from the community around the service, particularly from residents in Pāpāmoa and Pāpāmoa East who can have more frequent services and more direct services into town.

"We did receive feedback from some customers who said the trip from Pāpāmoa East was faster on the bus than on the car now, which is fantastic."

The "refresh" also resulted in an $870,000 reduction in costs, she said.

Councillor Stacey Rose agreed that the revised bus programme had been largely welcomed.

"As a bus user and someone who travels to the Mount, the new bus refresh has been an absolute success. By being out and about I'm hearing a lot of positivity around the bus refresh, it has been really good.

"I think staff should be really proud of what we have done with the new system."

However, there was some concern at the loss of the former Hospital Link route.

Rose questioned whether staff would review the removal of this link.

"That's probably the only set of complaints I'm receiving. People at the Mount, Pāpāmoa and Pāpāmoa East who work at the hospital are not able to get to mahi without transferring at Willow St."

Council transport and urban planning manager James Llewellyn confirmed staff would review the changes.

The bus routes that were removed were:
* CL City Link
* GL Gold Line
* HL Hospital Link
* 30 The Boulevard
* 30x Golden Sands Express
* 33 Pāpāmoa Beach
* 36 Pāpāmoa via Maungatapu
* 41 Maungatapu
* 57 Greerton to Pyes Pa Memorial Centre
* 221 Te Puke

New bus routes are:
* Pāpāmoa Beach - Pāpāmoa Plaza - Bayfair - Tauranga City
* Bayfair - Mount Maunganui - Tauranga City
* Te Puke - Bayfair
* Mount Maunganui - Bayfair - Pāpāmoa Plaza
* Pāpāmoa Beach - Maungatapu - Tauranga City