Free bus travel for children comes to an end in Taranaki

Fare changes are on the way for child and youth passengers on Taranaki Regional Council operated bus services from the start of May. Photo / Taranaki Regional Council

The end of April will mark the end of free or discounted fares for Taranaki bus passengers under 25.

A press release from Taranaki Regional Council, which operates a range of bus services in the region, including the Citylink, Connector, Your Connector, Southlink and school bus services, states the changes are due to the Government’s decision to stop funding child and youth concessions.

The concessions were introduced by the previous Government and have been in place since July last year. They allowed for children aged up to 12 to travel free, while rangatahi aged between 13 and 24 travelled on half-price fares. From May 1 this year, passengers aged 5 to 24 will return to paying the standard fare, unless they qualify for an alternative concession. Under-fives will continue to travel free.

Council Corporate Services Director Mike Nield said the change would affect young people and their whānau at a time many were struggling with the high cost of living.

”It would be great if those age-based concessions could continue a little longer, however, with the Government withdrawing funding, that is not feasible,” he said.

Taranaki Regional Council (TRC) could not afford to subsidise the cost of travel itself, said Nield.

“Especially with uncertainty around wider public transport funding and rates already forecast to rise.”

Alternative concessions for bus travel are available for WITT students, SuperGold card holders and Community Services Card holders.

These concessions enable WITT students to travel free of charge, by showing their valid WITT student ID. Community Services Card holders will be able to travel at half-price by applying to have the community connect concession applied to their registered Bee Card, and then using this when travelling. SuperGold card holders can travel free on all off-peak Citylink and Connector services (those running between 9am and 3pm and after 6.30pm weekdays, and Citylink Saturday services), and most Southlink services, when using their registered Bee Card.

Nield said TRC has been working hard to make public transport more accessible and efficient, with some changes to bus services coming soon. The Southlink coastal service from Ōpunake to New Plymouth return will increase from three to five days per week and a new Waitara Express bus will begin next month. Other adjustments have been made to routes and timetables in response to community feedback, he said.

“We are working towards developing a public transport system that connects people to where they want to go and is our community’s preferred mode of travel.”

Nield said he encouraged passengers with a Community Services card to ensure they weny online to link their card to their Bee Card if they hadn’t already, to ensure they could access the relevant concession fare.

The Bee Card also gives non-concession passengers a discount on the cash fare, with a single Citylink trip within New Plymouth costing $2 with a Bee Card or $3 cash, while a one-way journey from Hāwera to New Plymouth on the Connector will cost $5 with a Bee Card or $6 cash.