Bus fix: Old routes may return, other trips will be dropped

The Willow St bus exchange. File photo

A new set of timetables will be developed for Tauranga's roundly criticised new bus network.

Old bus routes may return while other services will be less frequent as the Bay of Plenty Regional Council attempts to stem the fallout from the new NZ Bus-operated Baybus network, which has attracted hundreds of complaints since it launched with new routes in December.

In a heated meeting today the council's public transport committee gave staff the go-ahead to work with NZ Bus to create a new set of timetables with changes to the frequency of some services.

Council chief executive Fiona McTavish said that would mean some routes would run less often, for example hourly instead of half-hourly.

She said the new timetable would be sent out to the community and would give people certainty about using the network.

NZ Bus has been cancelling trips daily since schools returned due to, it says, a shortage of drivers.

Today, the committee heard, 90 trips were cancelled.

The council also approved in principle the reestablishment of two old routes ditched when the new network launched on December 10.

Route 36 from Pāpāmoa direct to the CBD will be reestablished and an extension will be introduced via Maungatapu. Route 70 in Matua will return in off-peak hours.

Transport staff were also asked to urgently look into the Brookfield service.

Council staff will report back to councillors on Wednesday next week on the initial changes.

They were also asked to review the network design and bring a "full package of changes" to an upcoming extraordinary meeting of the committee.