Tamahere bus service launched connecting residents to Hamilton, Matangi, Tauwhare Pā

Tamahere local David Stephens tests out the new Sprinter bus service from Tamahere to Hamilton. Photo / Waikato Regional Council

Waikato Regional Council and Waikato District Council will launch a new bus service that connects Tamahere to Hamilton.

The service will start on February 12 and go from Matangi to Tamahere to Hamilton and then to Tauwhare Pā via Morrinsville Road (SH26) and return.

Waikato District Council is funding the service as a trial for two or three years.

The 14-seater Sprinter buses will connect those southern areas to the Hillcrest (10), University (13) and Hamilton Gardens (17) routes as well as the high-frequency Meteor and Orbiter services meaning travellers can reach the CBD and beyond from Tamahere all via public transport.

Eugene Patterson, Waikato District Council’s Infrastructure Committee Chair and representative on the regional council’s Future Proof Public Transport Subcommittee, said communities living on the outskirts of Hamilton had long been asking for a bus connection to the city.

“We are extremely pleased to set up this trial on the understanding that, should we have good patronage uptake, we will seek co-funding from the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi to make these services more permanent in the future.”

Angela Strange, Waikato Regional Councillor and Deputy Chair of the Future Proof Public Transport Subcommittee said frequency was an important aspect of the new service.

“Frequency keeps coming up as people’s main request of our public transport services and we believe six and seven trips a day will work well here.”

The Tauwhare Pā (27) service will make six return trips each day via Tauwhare Pā from Kahui Avenue, along Hoeka Road and SH26 to Ruakura Road.

The Matangi/Tamahere (28) service will make seven return trips from Tamahere Eventide via Newell, Tauwhare, Matangi and Morrinsville Roads.

Both services terminate at the University of Waikato transport hub, Gate 1 on Knighton Road, which has shops, amenities and several urban bus connections.

Bee Card ticketing will be available on board and SuperGold concessions can be loaded to them.

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