"We are fortunate to still have a bus service in this region which is cheaper to use than most other urban networks," he said.
Depending on the trip, passengers may find their fare has increased slightly more or slightly less than the five per cent amount.
"We've had to allow for the fact that a strict five per cent rise would not have worked for passengers paying for their fare on the bus with cash, so where appropriate the cash fare has been rounded to the nearest 10 cents."
Tauranga's bus services will also be subject to the rise.
The five per cent increase will also be applied to passengers using Smartride cards.
"We're proud of the fact that it's still cheaper to travel by bus in the Bay of Plenty than it is in many other New Zealand cities and hope that the more than 13,000 trips taken on the Baybus network each day continue.
Improvements to the Cityride network launch on Monday 20 July.
From that date buses will travel on an inner city loop, with stops in Arawa, Amohia and Fenton Streets and at the Rotorua Central mall. Buses will no longer use the current stops at Pukuatua St.
In addition, Route 2 is being split into two routes, providing easier options for passengers travelling to and from the CBD to Wairakei Institute of Technology, while minor changes are being made to other routes.
Bay of Plenty Regional Councillor Lyall Thurston said the changes to where the buses stopped in the central city mean people should find it easier to catch a bus to get to where they needed to go.
"It means that for most routes, people now have four options for where they can get on or off the bus in the inner city," he said. "This, combined with the fully accessible fleet that Cityride uses, makes the trip to town a lot easier for more people."
People may also start to notice a change to the look of some of the Cityride timetables and signs.
"We've taken the opportunity to give the timetables and signs a bit of a refresh and we hope we've made them easier for people to use," he said. "But as always, feedback is welcome and we'll be taking this on board to improve the timetable information as they develop."
Rotorua Lakes Council's Inner City Revitalisation Portfolio lead, Councillor Karen Hunt, said the changes supported the work underway to revitalise the inner city as part of the Rotorua 2030 vision.
"Our local residents and our inner city business community will be much better served by more bus stops around the inner city.
"It was a suggestion we heard many times from locals visiting our Ideas Store in Tutanekai Street late last year, so we're pleased that the regional council has embraced the idea and is making it happen."
Passengers are encouraged to pick up a new timetable before the service starts.
To find out more about the changes, ask your driver for an updated bus timetable, visit www.baybus.co.nz or call 0800 4 BAY BUS (0800 422 928).
Key information
• Route and timetable improvements on the Cityride network will be launched on Monday 20 July
• All buses will travel along a central city loop which includes Fenton, Arawa and Amohia streets and Rotorua Central mall.
• Route 1 (Ngongotah?): to operate via Rotorua Hospital instead of Ranolf Street
• Route 2 (Polytech): To be split into two separate half hourly services, one operating to the Polytechnic via Fenton Street and one operating via Ranolf Street
• Route 6 (Koutu): to include an additional one-way loop serving Kawaha Point
• Route 9 (Springfield): to operate as a large one-way loop by omitting the current end of route loop via Jackson Street and Nikau Street and continuing along Otonga Road and Old Taup? Road to rejoin the existing route north of Hillcrest Avenue
• Route 10 (Airport): to operate along Vaughn Road instead of Te Ngae Road on the trip out to the Airport
