Buses prove more popular

Plans are afoot to get more Manawatu¯ people riding the bus instead of driving cars, as figures show public transport use growing in some parts of the region, but declining in others.

According to figures from Horizons Regional Council, there were 1.09 million trips taken on Palmerston North buses in the year to June 2019.

Although not hitting the lofty 1.13m mark of the 2014-15 year, it was a recovery from the 1.04m trips taken in 2016-17.

It was not all positive in Palmerston North, however.

Route trials in the past three years have been mixed, with the late-night Palmerston North service – cancelled due to low numbers – arguably the biggest failure.

But the stand-alone Summerhill service was a roaring success, recording 45,690 trips in the past year, nearly double the 2016-17 figure. Weekend numbers had also increased since the timetable was extended in 2017, while the Fernlea and Heights route continued to have strong passenger growth.

Feilding numbers largely stalled, with the 85,065 trips taken in the past year about 3000 less than the year before.

Horizons Regional Council transport manager Phillip Hindrup said there was passenger-number growth between 2011 and 2014, but low petrol prices in the years after meant passengers returned behind the wheel.

‘‘The past four years have been about battling that and it takes time for things to bed in.’’

The success of newer routes, such as Summerhill and Fernlea and Heights, showed there was demand for more services, he said.

The figures come at an important time for Horizons, as it is partway through a review into the Feilding service and about to start reviewing Palmerston North services.

Hindrup said the Feilding review was almost complete and would give a chance to adjust the service to fit with the town’s changing demographic and housing areas.

It would also look at how the service from Feilding to Palmerston North worked, with recommendations likely to be made in 2020.

As for the Palmerston North review, Hindrup said there was the potential to look at different ways to get people on buses, such as shorter routes.