A free beach bus has proven even more popular than in previous years in Mangawhai over the summer.
Locals and visitors accompanied by boogie boards, beach bags, skateboards and shopping bags piled on board the Mangawhai Village to Beach bus over summer, turning out in even greater numbers than previous years of the trial service, Kaipara District Council says.
Close to 3000 trips were taken on the free bus, which ran daily from December 27 to January 17 and then every weekend and public holiday through to February 8. Coming into the third year of a trial supported by KDC, Northland Regional Council and Waka Kotahi NZTA, the service saw a 17 per cent increase in use when compared to the same period last year. Local outfit Leabourn Passenger Service Limited operate the buses.
Gail Fotheringham, Community Advisor for KDC, said the success of the trial demonstrates a clear need for a bus service during the summer months.
Four-wheel drive crash
A four-wheel drive and a motorcycle crashed in Otaika, Whangārei, yesterday morning . Police were called to the scene at 10.34am, where a Ford Ranger, which was towing a trailer, had collided with a motorcycle. Both the ute driver and the motorcyclist were taken to Whangārei Hospital in a serious condition. The crash caused the road to be blocked for almost an hour.
Moerewa fire
At 2.24pm on Saturday, Kawakawa Volunteer Brigade responded to a structure fire in Moerewa. The building was a garden shed, approximately 10 by five metres, used for growing potted plants. The brigade is treating the fire as suspicious, and said there have been multiple suspicious fires in the Moerewa area recently. Anyone who saw something suspicious in the area can phone Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 or contact the Kawakawa Volunteer Brigade FB page.
Burglary arrest
A man was arrested in relation to a historic burglary yesterday morning in Waitangi. The incident happened at 9am near the boat ramp in Waitangi and the man is being interviewed at Kerikeri Police Station.
Firearms alert
There was a police pursuit yesterday for a known local offender likely to be in possession of a firearm and risk to the general public. The incident happened at around 3pm and lasted a few hours. The offender drove a black Holden Commodore from Tikipunga through to Hikurangi, where the car was abandoned. A police Eagle helicopter from Auckland was flown in to assist Northland cops, but the offender was not caught and police continued to search for him.
