Tauranga to get bike racks for buses

The roll-out of bike racks on Rotorua's Cityride buses is now complete. Photo/supplied

Tauranga is next in line for bike racks on buses after Bay of Plenty Regional Council completed the roll-out in Rotorua today.

The Bay of Plenty's Public Transport Committee met today to receive an overview of bike rack usage in Rotorua and other centres around New Zealand.

Committee chairman Lyall Thurston said the implementation of racks in Rotorua had just been completed and was too early to gauge how many bus users were taking advantage of the bike racks.

However, he said a positive impact on bus passengers could be seen in other regions which use the racks.

"Bus racks allow people to travel a much greater distance to and from their bus stop, and their eventual destination," he said.

"This opens up public transport to a much wider range of potential passengers, and ultimately may help reduce the number of cars on our roads.

"Obviously there are also health benefits for those that choose to use bikes for part of their journey."

Cr Thurston said the Western Bay Public Transport Blueprint set out some initiatives for the Tauranga urban bus service, including the introduction of bike racks for the start of the new bus service contract, expected to be early 2019.

In the Bay of Plenty, bike racks were currently installed on Rotorua Cityride and the eastern services of Whakatane to Ohope and the Whakatane/Kawerau/Opotiki to Tauranga bus services.