New bus service for Whangarei CBD

A new bus service will soon circle Whangarei's CBD about twice an hour.

Whangarei Christmas shoppers should have an extra transport option this year, with the introduction of an inner-city loop bus planned for December.

The route is still being finalised but will take in the Rose St bus terminal, the Town Basin Hub, Okara Shopping Centre, Port Rd and Porowini Ave. The service - expected to take about 15 minutes for a round trip - will cost $1 for regular users and be free for Super Gold Card holders.

The seventh bus route for the city comes after a group of Town Basin business people lobbied Northland Regional Council several times.

NRC transport officer Sharlene Selkirk said a similar route was in place when the CityLink service began in 2008, but it was discontinued through lack of use.

"We have to rationalise the services. So we had to cut it unfortunately, but we're going to give it another go ... We really encourage people to use it," she said.

"People want to go shopping at Okara, our big box retailers are there and we don't service the area."

The bus service would include the installation of four new bus stops - two of which would be either side of Port Rd near a park the Whangarei District Council was building.

The "pocket park" allowed access between the Hatea Loop walkway (near the footbridge) and Okara Shops. It would be flanked by the new bus stops and a pedestrian crossing over Port Rd to the shopping centre.

WDC group manager district living Paul Dell said this was "part of improving the connectivity between various inner city locations".

"As we see more inner city living, connections like this one [between the Loop and Okara] will become important in enabling people to move safely around the city," Mr Dell said.

The park, which would occupy the 900sq m site which formerly contained an H&H Marine building, would be completed this summer.