Free bus fares for schoolkids may go
Anti-social behaviour, violence, racist taunts from youth may lead to end of trial
Bay of Plenty Regional Council is considering ending Tauranga’s popular free-fare trial for school students travelling on buses.
The move comes as a direct result of a surge in violent behaviour involving young people at the city’s bus stops, particularly on Willow St.
Police, the regional council, Tauranga City Council commissioners and Allied Security met this week to discuss the fate of the free bus fares for school-aged children.
Police recommended allowing free fares to students going to and from schools only.
Regional council chairman Doug Leeder said the “spike in bad behaviour” coincided with the ‘free fares at all times’ policy.
“While those causing the majority of problems don’t appear to be attending school, they are of school age,” Leeder said. All of those involved in the meeting wanted a safe city and the current behaviour of a small group of youths was “totally unacceptable”, he said. “Safety for our bus users is paramount and all agencies have agreed to take further action.”
The free-fare trial will be reviewed at the regional council’s Annual Plan deliberations on May 17. Any changes will likely be put to the community for feedback as the original free fares came following the Long-term Plan consultation in 2021.
The move follows the threat from bus drivers to boycott the Willow St bus stop because of health and safety concerns.
Earlier this month, “frightened” bus drivers told the Bay of Plenty Times of receiving death threats, racial abuse and threatening behaviour from schoolboys. The abuse was to such an extent that some drivers broke down in tears.
First Union organiser Graham Kean said its members were holding off on the boycott for now but drivers still felt unsafe.
Kean said he was aware of at least two incidents involving young people harassing drivers or hitting and kicking buses since the boycott was threatened on April 14.
Police confirmed a young man was arrested on Friday last week for breach of bail and possession of cannabis, appearing before the Youth Court the following day.
The union was part of efforts to address the issue. In the meantime, drivers were empowered to avoid stopping at Willow St if they felt too unsafe doing so, Kean said.
Western Bay of Plenty area com
mander Inspector Clifford Paxton said as part of the efforts, police provided “some key prevention advice” to better help reclaim the area for Tauranga’s community and ensure the “safety of all citizens”.
“Police recognise that the ongoing issues in the Willow St area raising concern for the community cannot be resolved by police alone,” he said.
“We strongly encourage anyone who is aware of potential issues or offending to report them to police so that we can identify those involved and take the necessary action.”
Tauranga City Council commission chairwoman Anne Tolley said the police were taking a lead role “and we are working closely with them”.
The commission has been vocal about its desire to rejuvenate the CBD and make it a vibrant place to be since it was appointed in February last year.
“We do recognise the seriousness of the situation. The anti-social behaviour which has been reported further reinforces the urgent need for us to invest in the city centre so that it can be transformed into an attractive, vibrant and safe place that we can all be proud of,” Tolley said.
While the regional council oversees the running of the bus service, the city council is responsible for providing public transport infrastructure such as bus lanes and shelters, interchanges/transport hubs and park-and-ride facilities.
NZ Bus chief operating officer Jay Zmijewski said the company was first made aware of a rise in anti-social behaviour from school students towards the end of February.
Zmijewski said it took steps to work with the regional council, police and “the relevant schools” to address it.
Offenders were being identified “and dealt with”, he said.
“Anti-social behaviour in all forms is simply unacceptable on board and around our buses.
“It presents a risk to the health and safety of our employees and passengers.”
Zmijewski said the company would not rule out banning people from using the buses.
In July 2019, the regional council agreed to fund a year’s trial of a citywide free school bus fare scheme for students travelling to and from school.
The decision, adopted into the regional council’s 2019-20 Annual Plan, followed six months of a free school bus trial already in place for Welcome Bay students.
It also followed years of lobbying by parents and was seen as key to increasing bus patronage at peak times.
The trial’s success prompted a decision in May last year to extend the free-fare trial to all hours for schoolaged children.