Calls for Tauranga City Council to take over buses

Support is growing among Tauranga City councillors for taking over the city's bus service from Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

There were heavy criticisms levelled at the city's recently redesigned bus network at a Tauranga City Council meeting on Wednesday. Responsibility for the city's bus network is currently split between the city and regional councils.

As the local roading authority, the city council controls bus infrastructure such as shelters, bus lanes and interchanges while Bay of Plenty Regional Council sets the routes and timetables.

Tauranga councillors say the city's bus service could be better managed. Photo / File

The regional council has a nine-year contract with NZ Bus to provide the service - including the buses and drivers.

But the regional council has pushed back against city councillors' criticisms saying that the city council needs to get on with the fixing the bus infrastructure.

Several city councillors expressed concern about the design of the new network and how it was being delivered during the city council's Annual Plan deliberations meeting.

There was also concern about the regional council planning to spend tens of millions of dollars on bus infrastructure when there was a lack of confidence in the network's design.

Tauranga City Councillor John Robson. Photo / File

Cr John Robson has been pushing for Tauranga City Council to take over the reins for some time, arguing the service would be better managed.

"Having a service designed by people who aren't putting the bus stops in is a recipe for disaster."

Cr Leanne Brown said the bus service was "breaking, if not already broken".

Regular bus user Cr Catherine Stewart said she was keeping "an open mind" about which organisation should manage the entire service.

"I think the service is not working as well as it should for the community and it's not working for the people, which is reflected on the low numbers of people using the buses.

"There is hardly anyone using these big buses going around.

"There is no point us spending a lot on interchanges when I believe the current route and timetable is not correct one for the community ... Having to transfer from one bus to another on routes is putting people off using the buses."

Councillor Leanne Brown.

Mayor Greg Brownless said the council needed to have an in-depth conversation with the regional council about the management of the service to ensure it was "fit for purpose".

"A lot of money has been spent on public transport and a lot more will be spent. We need to get it right and when there are complaints, most people contact the city council.

"I think it is far better to have one captain steering the ship who is responsible for managing the entire service and the infrastructure, bus lanes and so on."

Bay of Plenty Public Transport Committee chairman Cr Lyall Thurston said it was time to immediately advance critical bus infrastructure in order to get the city moving.

Lyall Thurston.

"This why the regional council is offering to advance the funding required in order to fast-track progress in the city," he said.

"It is imperative that we keep people moving and the region urgently needs public transport infrastructure in order to assist this, address traffic congestion and support efficient travel around Tauranga – now and into the future."

Talk of Tauranga City Council taking over public transport was "simply a distraction" from the council's key objectives of fixing this infrastructure, Thurston said.

"We want to help Tauranga City Council and the people in our community to achieve the best outcomes for the city, and that means urgently fixing the infrastructural challenges facing our city."

Thurston said he was more than happy to have a stocktake discussion with the city councillors and mayor.

"However, we also need action now, and if critical infrastructure projects do not get under way as soon as possible, we will still be talking about the city's congestion challenges in 12 months' time – and the situation will probably be even worse."