Stoke bus loop revisited
The much-missed Stoke bus loop may be making a comeback under the new Regional Public Transport Plan.
The Stoke Loop was discontinued in June last year with the council quoting a ‘‘lack of support’’ and budgeting concerns in their decision.
The cancellation lead to frustration for people reliant on the service, especially among elderly residents of the area who either didn’t want or were unable to drive.
Local Grey Power president Christine Tuffnell said committee members who lived in the community saw the effects in the community, as well as feedback from members concerned by the cancellation.
Grey Power took the issue up with the council, and their efforts have paid off in the proposed new loop.
‘‘We had meetings with the mayor and gave feedback, and as a result we’ve had quite a bit of input into the proposed new loop,’’ Tuffnell said.
‘‘We’ve tried to make it more inclusive, putting it past the areas where there are people more likely not to have their own transport.
Tuffnell encouraged people to make submissions to improve the loop further.
Nelson City Council manager of roading and utilities Margaret Parfitt said the proposed new loop had changes which meant it would require a smaller slice of the budget.
‘‘The proposed service is more affordable because it will operate on a reduced schedule; and timetable alterations to other services in the city could mean we will be able use an existing bus and driver that would otherwise be underused,’’ she said.
The council ‘‘looked closely at patronage patterns for the Stoke loop’’ and ‘‘engaged with representatives of various user groups’’ while calculating the best way to provide a bus service that was also cost-efficient.
The bus would be a hail-to-ride service operating only during offpeak travel times, from 9am until 3pm, meaning the service will be free for Supergold card holders. For anyone without a discount card, the loop will count as one zone and have the same price structure as other city buses.
The new loop service is a proposal, and is still open to submissions from the public. Have your say about the proposed service, and other proposals in the The Nelson Regional Land Transport Plan at nelson.govt.nz.
Offline, the Public Transport Plan, which contains the revised Stoke Loop proposal, is available from the Nelson City Council office in Trafalgar St or the Nelson, Tahunanui and Stoke Libraries.