Public Transport Trial for South Waikato

South Waikato's first ever public transport trial starts its engine on Monday 22 June 2015.

The Urban Connector is a six month trial providing South Waikato residents with several public transport options Monday to Friday each week (excluding public holidays). The service includes a circuit around Tokoroa (three times a day) and a district route from Tokoroa to Tīrau return (twice a day). It also provides an information service that provides all information about the Urban Connector as well as other transport options around the district and across the region.

Over a number of years South Waikato communities have sought solutions to improve their access to health facilities within the district and region, stay connected with friends and whanau living across our three larger urban centres and have easy access to all information regarding public transportation in our area, said Ben Smit, Council's Deputy Chief Executive.

The Urban Connector is the joint effort of the South Waikato District Council that has funded the trial to $200,000 and the South Waikato Public Transport Steering Group, with support from the Waikato Regional Council.

Currently a number of individual organisations and groups provide transportation in and around the district for their own specific needs, said Akarere Henry, chairperson of the South Waikato Transport Steering Group.

Some transport solutions are provided on an ad hoc basis, some with regular inter regional services, some funded by health authorities, supplemented by volunteer and community groups, and all attempting to satisfy demand.

The Urban Connector bus is brand new and can fit 22 passengers. New Zealand's leading passenger transport provider, Go Bus, will be operating the Urban Connector. The bus will be branded, so it will be easy to spot coming down the road to pick you up! Tickets are purchased from the bus driver and are one way only. There are three services:

• A circuit route around the Tokoroa Township will start at the South Waikato Health Centre on Maraetai Road at various times each day. Fares for this service range between no charge and $2.
• The district route from Tokoroa to Tīrau does two return trips each day, leaving the South Waikato Health Centre at 7.30am and 3pm, stopping at the regular bus stops in Putāruru and Tīrau both ways. Fares for this service range between $1.50 and $8.
• This information service will be run by the Tokoroa and Tīrau i-sites. You can call them on 0800 SWurbanC (0800 798 726) or visit Council's website - front page Urban Connector. Once live, the website will have all information including route maps.

The trial will be a review after the first four months. If there are enough people using the service the trial will extend to the full six months, continued Mr Smit. It is important that the community understands this is a trial, if the numbers don't stack up, the service won't continue.

Once the trial period is complete the steering group will consider all the facts from the trial and recommend changes, if necessary, to meet the needs of the users. If the measures of success are met during the trial, Council could extend this to become a permanent service. At this point there is a good chance the service will continue with some government assistance.

Remember, this is a trial service, use it or lose it!

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For more informaiton click here.