Refreshed bus network launching in Tauranga on November 15

New and improved bus routes and timetables will be launched on November 15. Photo / NZME

Ten Tauranga Bayhopper bus routes will be cut and five new ones added in the biggest route shake-up since a fully redesigned network was introduced in 2018.

The Bay of Plenty Regional Council announced today the new refreshed bus network would be launched on November 15.

Tauranga City, Mount Maunganui, Pāpāmoa and Te Puke will have changes to bus routes and timetables following community consultation.

The changes aim to make it simpler and more convenient to get around on the council's Bayhopper buses.

The changes include all-day direct services between Pāpāmoa and Tauranga city centre and routes that the council hoped would be easier for passengers to understand.

According to the BayHopper website, 10 routes will no longer operate from November 15, including the City Link, Gold Line and Hospital Link, which were among core routes introduced in the December 2018 redesign.

Five new routes will be introduced next month, serving passengers travelling between the high-growth suburbs in the east of Tauranga and the Western Bay and destinations such as Bayfair, Papamoa Plaza, Maungatapu, Mount Maunganui and central Tauranga.

There will be minor changes to the route or schedule of six routes, including two school routes.

Chairman of the council's Public Transport Committee councillor Andrew von Dadelszen said the main catalyst for the changes was to better serve the community and make public transport use a more attractive option.

"Tauranga continues to be one of the most dependent cities in the world on single occupancy vehicle use and this network refresh provides a great opportunity to get people out of their cars."

The refreshed network features the introduction of new flagship bus Route 2, between Pāpāmoa Beach, Pāpāmoa Plaza, Bayfair and Tauranga City.

This service will run every 15 minutes on weekdays and every 30 minutes on weekends and public holidays.

The City Link and Hospital Link will be replaced by new Route 5, which will run every 15 minutes on weekdays and every 30 minutes on weekends and public holidays between Tauranga City centre, Mount Maunganui and Bayfair.

A new Route 20 will run hourly between Te Puke and Bayfair, where there will be connections to Mount Maunganui and Tauranga city centre.

Key benefits of the new Route 2 include travelling directly between Pāpāmoa and Tauranga City without needing to transfer, plus the frequent services and a scenic journey.

To serve more members of the community, the bus route will have two different routes at the Pāpāmoa end of the journey; 2B travels via Livingstone Drive and The Boulevard and 2W via Wairakei Avenue and Emerald Shores Drive.

Route changes from November 15

New:
• Route 2 Pāpāmoa Beach – Pāpāmoa Plaza – Bayfair – Tauranga City
• Route 5 Bayfair – Mt Maunganui – Tauranga City
• Route 20 Te Puke - Bayfair
• Route 21 Mt Maunganui – Bayfair – Pāpāmoa Plaza
• Route 22 Pāpāmoa Beach – Maungatapu – Tauranga City

Cancelled:
• CL City Link
• GL Gold Line
• HL Hospital Link
• 30 The Boulevard
• 30x Golden Sands Express
• 33 Pāpāmoa Beach
• 36 Pāpāmoa via Maungatapu
• 41 Maungatapu
• 57 Greerton to Pyes Pā Memorial Gardens
• 221 Te Puke

Minor route or schedule changes:
• CT Crosstown Connector
• 51 Pyes Pā - Tauranga Crossing - weekend trips extended to Pyes Pa Memorial Gardens to replace route 57.
• 55 Ohauiti - Tauranga City
• 71 Matua - Tauranga City via Brookfield
• School bus route 711a/711b Mt College and Mt Intermediate
• School bus route 714 Pāpāmoa College

For more information and to view the new maps and timetables, visit www.baybus.co.nz