Bus trial funding falls short of hopes

Environment Canterbury (ECan) is being forced to dip into its reserves to fund its share of an estimated $2.1 million cost for Timaru’s ‘‘on demand’’ public transport trial.

A recent question in Parliament from Rangitata MP Andrew Falloon to Transport Minister Phil Twyford has revealed the NZ Transport Agency will pay 51 per cent ($1.11m) of the trial which is considerably less than the 75 per cent the regional council had hoped for.

‘‘I am advised $1,112,000 starting in 2019-20 and finishing 2020-21 has been estimated, budgeted and allocated to pay the 51 per cent subsidy for the public transport trial of ‘on demand’ buses in Timaru,’’ Twyford’s answer said.

ECan’s deputy chairman Peter Scott, of South Canterbury, said it had hoped that NZTA would fund up to 75 per cent of the trial, rather than the standard 51 per cent for public transport.

‘‘It means we’ve had to dip into our reserves for this project, but we feel that this is worthwhile,’’ Scott said.

‘‘If this works, this could be a model to be considered for the rest of Canterbury.’’

An NZTA spokesman explained said the targeted enhanced funding assistance rate (Tefar), which had a more generous subsidy from NZTA, only applied to Safe Network Programme projects and LED street lighting conversion programmes for the 2018-21 National Land Transport Plan.

ECan has been grappling with falling public passenger transport numbers, and is moving towards the ‘‘on demand’’ system for Timaru, where passengers can pick up the bus by using a mobile phone app or calling a call-centre.

ECan senior public passenger transport manager Stewart Gibbon said with all funding now confirmed, the next stage would be a competitive bidding process for the appointment of technology and operator partners, with the pilot scheme expected to start early next year.

Under the proposal, three bus routes – Grantlea, Watlington and Gleniti – will disappear but the Timaru Link, Temuka service and school routes will remain.

‘‘Our extensive feasibility study over the last year reviewed similar trials running internationally, and identified that for on-demand public transport to be successful, taking the community with us on this journey is really critical for success. Our in-depth community engagement work across Timaru has reiterated this,’’ Gibbon said.

NZTA’s director regional relationships Jim Harland said that the agency’s investment would support a regionally and potentially nationally significant project.

‘‘The potential to transition to a more sustainable public transport model, using an on-demand service, is an interesting proposition, and one we have been working closely with ECan on,’’ Harland said.

‘‘This approach is also consistent with the Government Policy Statement on land transport which includes creating more accessible and affordable transport choices and investment in public transport.’’

With local body elections looming, ECan South Canterbury candidates available for comment yesterday were sceptical about the proposal.

Candidate Peter McIlraith, of Waimate, said the proposal could work, but was more concerned about the ‘‘top down’’ approach.

‘‘It appears to have been rushed, and driven from up in Christchurch instead of the Timaru community. Potentially, this project could work, but it’s pretty ambitious,’’ McIlraith said.

Candidate Jared Ross said it was inevitable ECan would want to try new things in the wake of falling passenger numbers.

‘‘We need to be doing something new, and this is a bit of a bold shift. I’m a little nervous that the initial trial is a bit short.’’

Candidate Herstall Ulrich said he supported any moves to make public transport more user-friendly.

‘‘Clearly public transport wasn’t working as efficiently as it should otherwise more people would be using it. ’