Horizons Regional Council's Rachel Keedwell: Have your say on bus changes

Horizons Regional Council wants to make using the bus a realistic travel option for as much of the population as possible. Photo / George Novak

OPINION:

Do you take the bus in Palmerston North? If not, why not? What would make it more appealing and a viable transport choice for you?

Horizons is seeking feedback on the bus service and we would love to hear your views about how to improve Palmy's bus service.

We have put forward two key proposals for the future structure of Palmy's bus service. We don't just want to make it easier and more convenient for those who already use the bus, we want to make using the bus a realistic travel option for as much of the population as possible.

Both of the proposed options move away from the current model that uses confusing alternating loops. This system, where the buses travel on large meandering loops and alternate the direction of travel around the loops, is complicated to try to communicate in a timetable and frequently leaves people standing on the wrong side of the road because they can't work out which direction the bus will be coming from.

It also means your travel time can be quite lengthy as you take a scenic tour on the way to town.

The main advantage of the current model is that almost every house should have a bus stop within 400m, and this is why it is referred to as a coverage model – the goal was for the bus routes to cover as much of the town as possible.

One of the proposed new models maintains this coverage focus, but splits most of the alternating loops into single direct routes, cutting down travel time and confusion. The buses would run on these routes every 30 minutes throughout the day.

The other model also proposes single direct routes but fewer of them, which means you could expect to walk a bit further to get to or from your destination. However, in return for a slightly longer walk, buses will run every 15 minutes at peak travel times, giving much greater flexibility in your travel plans.

We have proposed some changes for the Massey University routes to better integrate these services with the rest of the city services and the timetable would remain the same year round, rather than the current model of having a separate timetable for the semester breaks.

Both proposals also allow for the expansion of the bus routes to accommodate the city as it grows.

The proposed routes are well detailed in some interactive maps that are available online so you can see exactly how the changes may affect you (go online at haveyoursay.horizons.govt.nz). There are also paper copies of the maps available at libraries, on buses and at council offices. Consultation is open until 5pm on Friday, September 3, so let us know what you think.

• Rachel Keedwell is chairwoman of Horizons Regional Council.