Wheels in motion for rural bus

A community trust hopes a trial bus service may help older residents in rural communities hit the town.

The Nelson Tasman Community Transport Trust, formed last year, has been awarded a $12,500 Office for Seniors grant to research the transport needs of the elderly and run a trial bus service.

Trust secretary Elena Meredith said it would start with a once-a-week service between Wakefield and Richmond, using a van given to the trust by Wakefield Rest Home which seated nine passengers.

‘‘This grant has enabled us to set up things like the booking systems, the requirements of the bus to have a phone, those kind of things to actually make it happen,’’ she said.

The trial follows long-term calls for increased public transport services in rural areas around the region.

The trust has received strong support from the Tasman District Council. Meredith said it hoped the community-run service would provide valuable data for the council on the need for, and usage of, a rural bus service.

The trial would be up and running by the end of the month, with plans to eventually run the Richmond-Wakefield bus twice a week, with a Saturday run to Nelson.

Specific costs and routes were still to be finalised but Meredith said the trust would keep the service affordable, using volunteer drivers.

While the primary focus was a bus service for the elderly, it had potential to also be used as a commuter service, or for young people to access town-based activities, she said.