Latest news with #RPTP
Scoop
5 hours ago
- Business
- Scoop
ORC To Consider Public Transport Changes
Otago Regional Council (ORC) will consider whether to discontinue free children's bus fares (5-12 years), increase adult fares from $2 to $2.50, and several other public transport changes at its meeting this week. The decisions are a result of ORC's review of the Otago Regional Public Transport Plan (RPTP). The RPTP attracted 549 public submissions, with hearings held in May this year. ORC General Manager Regional Planning and Transport Anita Dawe says, 'In a report being presented to the Council this week, the hearings panel for the RPTP are recommending discontinuing free fares for children, increasing the adult fare from $2 to $2.50, and setting child and youth discounts (5-18 years) to 40% off the adult fare (i.e. $1.50 fare). The fare increases are recommended to take effect from 29 September 2025.' 'The plan's hearings panel also recommends moving to a zone fare structure once ORC completes further analysis and modelling. Ms Dawe says no timeframe is indicated for this recommended change yet. In addition to fare changes, the panel has made recommendations on several potential new public transport services frequently raised by submitters. 'Many submitters indicated their support for some type of community transport to facilitate better intraregional connections. The panel recommends the Council maintains support for community transport as written in the plan, with the timing and scale of any future community transport programme to be decided in future Council meetings.' There were a number of submissions requesting new public transport services connecting Wanaka and Upper Clutha, Wanaka and Queenstown, and Oamaru and Dunedin, Ms Dawe says. Others asked for services connecting Dunedin and Dunedin Airport, Balclutha, Outram and Central Otago. 'The RPTP recommendations include Council consider these potential new services in the future and accelerates introducing public transport services for Wanaka to a six- to ten-year timeframe.' The panel acknowledged community interest in rail solutions, but concluded there is not the evidence base to include rail in the plan in any great detail. However, minor changes to language from the draft plan have been recommended to reflect sentiment and support study in this area. The panel appreciated many submitters acknowledging the public transport challenges Otago faces, including the constrained funding. The report will be presented to ORC's council meeting this Wednesday (25 June). The report and full agenda are now online, under Meetings on The council will publish the final version of the plan incorporating the recommended changes later this year.
Otago Daily Times
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Council shows support of new bus route
Oamaru commuters wanting to catch a bus to Dunedin will have to wait at least three more years, under draft regional transport plans but politicians here want funding for even more transport services. The Waitaki District Council has shown its support of the introduction of a 112km direct bus connection between Oamaru and Dunedin and a connecting service to the town's North End in a submission to Otago Regional Council's draft Regional Public Transport Plan (RPTP) 2025-35. "WDC has strongly advocated to ORC for public transport opportunities in the Waitaki district," Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher said. While the council continued to support the ongoing Total Mobility programme that provides opportunities for door-to-door public transport for disabled people in Oamaru and the regional bus service between Dunedin and Palmerston, the submission laid out aspirations for improved connectivity for Oamaru residents. "One example relevant in the Waitaki district is providing public transport options to access hospital services in Dunedin," Mr Kircher said. "WDC supports the implementation of daily services between Oamaru and Dunedin via Palmerston." While a key proposal in ORC's draft RPTP is to "investigate" an Oamaru-Dunedin service, the WDC submission asks for much more. The council submission also pushes for the implementation of a "fixed urban connecter service" between Weston and Oamaru via South Hill, as well as "on-demand" service between Oamaru North and the town's city centre. The submission suggested the regional transport plan "proactively engage with communities and organisations, including iwi, to foster trust and ensure public transport projects meet local demand and align with community priorities". It also suggests that a connected and integrated network needs to deliver "a reliable and convenient" transport system that "supports local economies and enhances community resilience" in a manner that represents value for money. Despite not having any direct public transport services operating in the town, Oamaru residents are already charged a $5.45 public transport rate by ORC to support regional planning and potential future services. The inclusion of the Oamaru to Dunedin proposal responds to community interest expressed during the Long-Term Plan 2024-34 consultation, where over 400 submissions region-wide highlighted demand for public transport trials, including in Oamaru. However, an on-demand bus service within Oamaru itself is not planned. The wording of ORC's draft plan also means the introduction of a direct service is still years away, as it is listed as a "medium to long-term initiative" (3–10 years away) due to funding constraints and the need for further planning. The draft plan also proposed raising passenger fares by 50c to $2.50 as well as the introduction of fare zones, where the council could charge more for longer trips (for example, the 50km Palmerston-to-Dunedin route), which could potentially affect Oamaru residents if the Oamaru-Dunedin service is implemented. ORC Moeraki constituency representative councillor Kevin Malcolm said the council was aware of the need. "Council is committed to finding a real option to provide a public transport service between Oamaru and Dunedin but talk needs to stop and we need action." Public consultation on the draft RPTP was undertaken from March 24 to May 2. A total of 549 submissions were received and 32 submitters presented to the regional council Hearings Panel, which heard three days of public submissions from May 13. The recommendations of the Hearings Panel will be presented to the regional council for approval at its monthly meeting, later this month.
Otago Daily Times
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
WDC after more public transport in region
Oamaru commuters wanting to catch a bus to Dunedin will have to wait at least three more years under draft regional transport plans but the region's politicians want funding for even more transport services. The Waitaki District Council has shown its support of the introduction of a 112km direct bus connection between Oamaru and Dunedin and a connecting service to the town's North End in a submission to Otago Regional Council's draft Regional Public Transport Plan (RPTP) 2025–2035. "WDC has strongly advocated to ORC for public transport opportunities in the Waitaki district," Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher said. While the council continued to support the ongoing Total Mobility programme that provides opportunities for door-to-door public transport for disabled people in Oamaru and the regional bus service between Dunedin and Palmerston, the submission laid out aspirations for improved connectivity for Oamaru residents. "One example relevant in the Waitaki district is providing public transport options to access hospital services in Dunedin," Mr Kircher said. "WDC supports the implementation of daily services between Oamaru and Dunedin via Palmerston." While a key proposal in ORC's draft RPTP is to "investigate" an Oamaru-Dunedin service, the WDC submission asks for much more. The council submission also pushes for the implementation of a "fixed urban connecter service" between Weston and Oamaru via South Hill, as well as an "on-demand" service between Oamaru North and the town's city centre. The submission suggested the regional transport plan "proactively engage with communities and organisations, including iwi, to foster trust and ensure public transport projects meet local demand and align with community priorities". Oamaru residents are already charged a $5.45 public transport rate by the ORC to support regional planning and potential future services. The inclusion of the Oamaru to Dunedin proposal responds to community interest expressed during the Long-Term Plan 2024–34 consultation in which over 400 submissions region-wide highlighted demand for public transport trials, including in Oamaru.
