MEDIA RELEASE

Bus promotion launched in wake of petrol price hikes

Wednesday 24 May 2006

Bay buses are booming, partly thanks to rising petrol prices.

And Environment Bay of Plenty plans to make the most of it with a major advertising push to encourage even more people to travel by bus.

The regional council, which manages passenger transport in the region, will run the promotion in June. It highlights how people can get better value for money by paying a bus fare instead of buying petrol at the pump.

“Are petrol prices making you faint?” the advertisements ask. “It’s better by bus!”

Regional development committee chairman Athole Herbert says the opportunity is “too good to miss”.

“Steep petrol prices are causing people to think again about how they are going to get places. We want them to consider buses when they’re looking at options. We now offer fantastic services all over the Bay of Plenty, and particularly in Tauranga and Rotorua. It’s really very easy – and economical - to go by bus these days.”

In the past year, the price of petrol has risen by about 50%. Bay of Plenty bus use has increased too – to a certain extent. “More people are definitely going by bus and there is definitely a correlation between them. However, there are other factors involved, such as more frequent services in some areas, so it’s not quite that clear cut.”

Environment Bay of Plenty offers a half hour urban bus service in Rotorua city called CityRide. Tauranga’s Bay Hopper service is generally hourly, with half hour services at peak time on several routes. The council’s Draft Ten Year Plan proposes improving the service in Tauranga to the same level as Rotorua.

ENDS

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