Hawke's Bay Regional Council Media Release

28 July 2011

Trial Bus Service for Ahuriri and Westshore

Hawke's Bay Regional Council has approved a trial bus service to serve the areas of Ahuriri and Westshore.

"Ahuriri has changed greatly over the past 4 to 5 years, with the development of high density housing, the Princess Alexandra Retirement Village and the Ahuriri Business Park, and ratepayers of both Ahuriri and Westshore have been asking for a bus service for some time," said Chairman of the Regional Transport Committee, Councillor Alan Dick.

The new trial service will start in October and run for six months. Passenger statistics will be collected monthly and closely monitored.

The bus route will go from Dalton Street, Napier to the Napier Health Centre, over Napier Hill, along Hardinge Road into Ahuriri Village and along West Quay to Westshore. The return journey will be via the Princess Alexandra Retirement Village, Ahuriri Village, back over Napier Hill to the Napier Health Centre and Dalton Street.

The service, which will be branded the 'Ahuriri Hopper', will be hourly between 7am and 6pm Monday to Friday and two-hourly on Saturdays between 10am and 2pm.

"If the service proves to be popular we will consider making it permanent although, given the funding constraints we're currently facing, it really will be a case of use it or lose it," says Chairman Alan Dick.

A single trip cash fare will be $3.00 for adults, $2.00 for tertiary students and Community Services cardholders, and $1.50 for children, high school students and seniors. A single trip goBay smartcard fare will be $2.50 for adults, $1.60 for tertiary students and Community Services cardholders, and $1.20 for children, high school students and seniors. SuperGold cardholders will be able to travel free between 9am and 3pm Monday to Friday and anytime on the Saturday services.

Bus routes and timetable information will be available at www.hbrc.govt.nz before the new service starts running.

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