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The Taranaki Regional Council will hear submissions on the Better Travel Choices for Taranaki policy.
Public transport advocates will front the Taranaki Regional Council on Monday to call for changes to the bus network to bring New Plymouth in line with other cities across the country.
The majority of submissions to the Better Travel Choices for Taranaki policy want a more frequent service on the most popular routes, shorter trips and weekend options.
Anthonie Tonnon, who represents the Whanganui District Council on public transport issues on the Horizons Regional Council, is one of 42 submitters scheduled to speak.
While he would be submitting in a personal capacity, Tonnon plans to urge councillors to look closely at the changes made in Whanganui, where patronage has spiked since a service called Te Ngaru, The Tide, was introduced this year.
The cross-town bus service, which runs every 20 minutes, six days a week, was a “game changer”, according to Tonnon.
“In the most recent months we have data for public transport use that has doubled against the same months last year, and half of that is coming from that one route,” he said.
He was concerned the Taranaki Regional Council were planning “very minor” changes to the New Plymouth network.
“What they are planning is out of step with best practice and the big network changes happening in cities like Palmerston North and Nelson,” he said.
“A network review is a once in a decade opportunity, so if passed without changes, New Plymouth is unlikely to get another chance for another nine years.”
ANDY MACDONALD/Stuff
New Plymouth District councillor Amanda Clinton-Gohdes wants changes to the way the Taranaki Regional Council operates the public transport network.
Tonnon was advocating a switch to a patronage focussed network as opposed to the coverage network the Taranaki Regional Council has now.
A patronage network would see more frequent buses on the most popular routes, which would give more people increased options, something he said would appeal to more potential users.
He believed that the current model was fast becoming out of date with best practice in New Zealand and comparable countries.
“If it did this, it would be joining Palmerston North, Nelson, Hamilton, Dunedin, Queenstown and Hawke’s Bay, which have all recently implemented, or are about to implement, patronage focused networks,” he said.
Tonnon’s view was similar to New Plymouth District councillors Bali Haque and Amanda Clinton-Gohdes, who have also called for changes to the way the Taranaki Regional Council operates the public transport network.
They also want the regional council to do more to serve high-density areas.
One possibility they had put forward was to operate such a service from the Valley through Fitzroy and Devon Street and onto the Taranaki Base Hospital.
That service could run every 15 to 20 minutes, seven days a week, with late services on Friday and Saturday nights.
“If we want to make New Plymouth’s transport system fit for the future, for our diverse community, and for the population growth that is forecast, we urgently need a step change regarding our public transport provision,” they said.
