Submitters on Horizons Regional Council's draft transport plan want Capital Connection to go to Whanganui

One submitter said if the Capital Connection was brought to Whanganui a station should be built on Taupo Quay. Photo / NZME

Extending the Capital Connection service between Palmerston North and Wellington out to Whanganui was one of the big ideas submitters have asked Horizons Regional Council to take on.

Submitters have had their say on what they want public transport in the Whanganui region to look like in the next year in feedback to Horizons' draft Regional Public Transport Plan.

There were 123 submissions - five were late - and 27 have asked to speak at a Horizons hearing on Thursday, June 9 in Palmerston North.

One submitter, Isaac Broome, said the Capital Connection between Wellington and Palmerston North should be extended to include Whanganui with a station built on Taupo Quay.

He said it should run seven days per week and would be a much needed new service for Whanganui but also towns like Marton and Feilding in between.

Broome also called for an overnight sleeper train between Auckland and Wellington

Another submitter Michael Nicholson agreed on extending the Capital Connection to Whanganui but suggested a return trip during off-peak times as well as regular weekend journeys.

There were several other submitters wanting the extension to the Capital Connection including Nicholas Morine who wanted to see a 'Northern Explorer' set up in Whanganui.

He said it should have second-class carriages attached and stop in Palmerston North, Feilding, Marton, Taihape and Waiouru.

Madalene Frost said she wanted rail reinstated in Taihape because at the moment residents without a car have to travel to Ohakune to get the train.

She also said Taihape had a growing population and needed better access to Palmerston North and Whanganui hospitals - ideally with subsidised bus connections.

There were several calls for more frequent bus services in Whanganui.

Paul Kamau said all people who buy a house in Whanganui should get a free BeeCard with $10 on it as well as a timetable so they can learn about the services.

He wanted buses to be rebranded to make it clear they were part of the wider city.

Annie Kristinsson said there needed to be more regular transport options for people living in places like Bulls, Turakina and Waverley to get to and from Whanganui for work or shopping.

Other ideas included Linda Keith suggesting banning cars from Victoria Ave in Whanganui for a better shopping experience, while Vincent Mansell said bus services for schools were not matching up well with when school finished.

There were also several calls for a better connection between Taranaki and Whanganui, particularly to and from Hāwera.

In its summary of submissions Horizons said there was broad support for more rail trips to be made available throughout the region - specifically for passenger travel.

"A number of suggestions were received regarding use of the rail network to provide passenger rail to communities such as Taihape, Taumarunui, Whanganui and Dannevirke and interregionally to Napier and Taranaki," the summary said.

There was also a lot of support for reducing carbon emissions among the public transport fleet, with concerns it was not happening fast enough, it said.

Other submissions called for more green hydrogen in conjunction with battery electric buses for the public fleet and more rural transport options.

In its draft RPTP that came out in April, Horizons said it wanted to triple public transport usage in its region by the year 2032.

That included having 10 per cent of the total travel in the region done by public transport and to have at least a 70 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions per kilometre travelled for public transport bus services.

The council will hear submissions next Thursday and from then officers will complete responses to the matters and ideas raised.

They will then make recommendations before deliberations are carried out on June 20 with the final RPTP set for approval on August 16.

The RPTP takes effect 20 working days after adoption.