Waikanae Bus service one year on

WGP 09Mar18 - LVN090318bus

Commuters who regularly use the twice-weekly bus from Levin to Waikanae are more than pleased with the service.

It has been running for one year this week. The anniversary was celebrated with a gift to the bus driver from Grey Power, which has lobbied for this and other public transport services for years.

Family and friends made sure this week's trip got a good send-off. Among the crowd seeing off the bus on Thursday were friends and family of the travellers, and staff from Horowhenua District Council, Horizons Regional Council and District Councillors Jo Mason and Bernie Wanden.

Grey Power President Terry Hemmingsen says the bus service gives people who do not own cars a chance to get out of town, go shopping and/or stay with friends for a few days. Many travellers catch the train to Wellington at Waikanae.

"People from Waikanae and Wellington also use this bus service to visit their family and friends here. This service is a sounding success," Mr Hemmingsen says.

Horizons Regional Council Transport Planner Jayme Anderson says 1876 people used the bus service from March to December 2017.

"If you divide that over 10 months, with eight trips a month this totals roughly 23 passengers [on each]," she says.

Both Greater Wellington Council and Horizons Regional Council are contributing to running the service. Gold card users often use it as well as families with children.

It is an off-peak service departing from the Bath St bus stop opposite New World at 9.30am and returning from Waikanae at 2.55pm, arriving in Levin at 3.48pm and runs every Tuesday and Thursday.

Grey Power is now lobbying for a twice-weekly bus service to Palmerston North, one via Shannon and one via Foxton, says life member Lew Rohloff, who with committee member Margaret Williams has been driving Grey Power's push for more and better public transport in Horowhenua.