New bus services for South Taranaki

By ANNE-MARIE EMERSON
"USE it or lose it!"
That's the message for South Taranaki residents who are the recipients of three new once-a-week bus services.
The services, covering Waverley to New Plymouth, will be established next month by the Taranaki Regional Council.
So far only the tender for the Waverley-Hawera service had been finalised, with tenders for the Hawera-Opunake and Opunake-New Plymouth services still being considered.
The Waverley-Hawera service, operated by Hawera-based Weir Bros, starts on July 5 and will operate every Thursday.
One bus would travel to Hawera and the other to Waverley.
The buses would stop at Patea, Kakaramea, Manutahi and Mokoia, with other stops by arrangement with Weir Bros.
Taranaki Regional Council policy analyst, Jo Spencer, said the new services were part of the council's ongoing commitment to the "transport disadvantaged" such as the elderly, those without cars, and low socio-economic groups.
"We worked closely with the South Taranaki District Council to see if there was community support for this service, and they indicated there was."
Ms Spencer said the services would operate on an 18-month trial, and warned South Taranaki residents they needed to "use it or lose it".
"We really need community support for this trial. "We need feedback, too ? if we're not doing something right, we need to know about it."
Information on the new services, including schedules and fares, would be available on the Taranaki Regional Council and South Taranaki District Council websites shortly.
Information and bookings were also available through Weir Bros on 06 278 5858.