Temuka to get new vehicle link
The wheels are in motion for a vehicle service in Temuka to help those struggling to get around, with a seven-seater van being sought.
With no taxi service or public transport system in the area, Temuka and Districts Project Trust chairperson Charles Scarsbrook is setting up a volunteer-run, community vehicle service.
‘‘If somebody can’t drive, they’re often limited by where they can walk, this also means they’re limited to that level of social interaction too,’’ Scarsbrook said.
‘‘We want to make sure people don’t miss out on things because they can’t access them.’’
A similar service has been operating in Geraldine since 1992, with up to 20 passengers a day using the service. An Environment Canterbury spokesperson said before Covid-19, this number had reached 30-40 passengers daily.
Scarsbrook said 17 people from Temuka have volunteered to be drivers, and Timaru District councillor for the Pleasant Point and Temuka ward Paddy O’Reilly is providing support to get the service up and running.
He said without the taxi service, Temuka residents who don’t drive are reliant on friends and family members or church groups for transport.
‘‘This service will allow them to be a bit more independent,’’ O’Reilly said.
‘‘Environment Canterbury have identified there is funding available for this service [a community vehicle trust].’’
ECan senior manager public transport Stewart Gibbon said he believed the service would provide a ‘‘flexible, cost-effective transport option that enhances accessibility for residents in Temuka, enabling local trips and access to services, shops or visiting friends’’.
‘‘Ideally I want it up and running as soon as possible, but it will take a couple months to do things correctly,’’ Scarsbrook said.
O’Reilly said the trust was being formed, with background checks being run on volunteer drivers.
Scarsbrook said a suitable seven seater van was being sought, with trust members to determine the prices of transportation.