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Otago Daily Times
03-07-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Transport plans considered for Wānaka
The Wānaka community has been petitioning the ORC for a public bus service for years. Photo: ODT The Otago Regional Council (ORC) is working on its plan to spend a considerable amount set aside - $250,000 - for Wānaka transport. The funding had been removed from the council's plans this year, but was since reinstalled on the council's budget for the next financial year. The original aim of the ORC was to partner with NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) to assess the need and costings. But when the agency withdrew its co-funding, the council pulled out. ORC general manager planning and transport Anita Dawe said it would be guided by NZTA on how to spend the funds and where. Anita Dawe. Photo: supplied "The money will be spent on developing a business case, using guidelines from NZTA. It will not, at this stage, provide actual services, which would need to be subject to funding decisions through the next annual plan." The council will consider whether to discontinue free children's bus fares (5-12 years), increase adult fares from $2 to $2.50 and several other public transport changes at its meeting this week. The council's hearings panel for transport is recommending discontinuing free fares for children, increasing the adult fare from $2 to $2.50 and setting child and youth discounts (5-18 years) to 40% off the adult fare (i.e., $1.50). The fare increases are recommended to take effect from September 29, 2025. The plan's hearings panel also recommends moving to a zone fare structure once ORC completes further analysis and modelling. Ms Dawe said no timeframe had been indicated for the recommended change yet. The decisions are a result of ORC's review of the Otago Regional Public Transport Plan (RPTP). The RPTP attracted 549 public submissions, and hearings were held in May. In addition to fare changes, the panel has made recommendations on several potential new public transport services frequently raised by submitters. "Many submitters indicated their support for some type of community transport to facilitate better intra-regional connections. The panel recommends the council maintains support for community transport as written in the plan, with the timing and scale of any future community transport programme to be decided in future council meetings." The council has included funding for an Upper Clutha- Wānaka business case that would seek to understand the demand, location and viability of public transport in Wānaka. The workshop will include a briefing on how the programme has been prioritised following confirmation of funding levels and what the timeframes are expected to be for delivery of designs and construction works. Feedback is sought from the elected members around the "public concern" aspect of the policy ratings. The Queenstown Lakes District Council submitted to ORC's draft 10-year RPTP. The weight of local feedback undoubtedly helped reverse its earlier decision to scrap a public transport business case for the Upper Clutha in its annual plan. Wānaka-Upper Clutha is the fastest growing ward in the Otago region, followed closely by Cromwell. The Wānaka community has been petitioning the ORC for a public bus service for years.
Otago Daily Times
28-06-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Transport plans considered
The Otago Regional Council (ORC) is working on its plan to spend a considerable amount set aside — $250,000 — for Wānaka transport. The funding had been removed from the council's plans this year, but was since reinstalled on the council's budget for the next financial year. The original aim of the ORC was to partner with NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) to assess the need and costings. But when the agency withdrew its co-funding, the council pulled out. ORC general manager planning and transport Anita Dawe said it would be guided by NZTA on how to spend the funds and where. "The money will be spent on developing a business case, using guidelines from NZTA. It will not, at this stage, provide actual services, which would need to be subject to funding decisions through the next annual plan." The council will consider whether to discontinue free children's bus fares (5-12 years), increase adult fares from $2 to $2.50 and several other public transport changes at its meeting this week. The council's hearings panel for transport is recommending discontinuing free fares for children, increasing the adult fare from $2 to $2.50 and setting child and youth discounts (5-18 years) to 40% off the adult fare (i.e., $1.50). The fare increases are recommended to take effect from September 29, 2025. The plan's hearings panel also recommends moving to a zone fare structure once ORC completes further analysis and modelling. Ms Dawe said no timeframe had been indicated for the recommended change yet. The decisions are a result of ORC's review of the Otago Regional Public Transport Plan (RPTP). The RPTP attracted 549 public submissions, and hearings were held in May. In addition to fare changes, the panel has made recommendations on several potential new public transport services frequently raised by submitters. "Many submitters indicated their support for some type of community transport to facilitate better intra-regional connections. The panel recommends the council maintains support for community transport as written in the plan, with the timing and scale of any future community transport programme to be decided in future council meetings." The council has included funding for an Upper Clutha- Wānaka business case that would seek to understand the demand, location and viability of public transport in Wānaka. The workshop will include a briefing on how the programme has been prioritised following confirmation of funding levels and what the timeframes are expected to be for delivery of designs and construction works. Feedback is sought from the elected members around the "public concern" aspect of the policy ratings. The Queenstown Lakes District Council submitted to ORC's draft ten-year RPTP. The weight of local feedback undoubtedly helped reverse its earlier decision to scrap a public transport business case for the Upper Clutha in its annual plan. Wānaka-Upper Clutha is the fastest growing ward in the Otago region, followed closely by Cromwell. The Wānaka community has been petitioning the ORC for a public bus service for years.
Scoop
22-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
ORC To Consider Public Transport Changes
Otago Regional Council (ORC) will consider whether to discontinue free children's bus fares (5-12 years), increase adult fares from $2 to $2.50, and several other public transport changes at its meeting this week. The decisions are a result of ORC's review of the Otago Regional Public Transport Plan (RPTP). The RPTP attracted 549 public submissions, with hearings held in May this year. ORC General Manager Regional Planning and Transport Anita Dawe says, 'In a report being presented to the Council this week, the hearings panel for the RPTP are recommending discontinuing free fares for children, increasing the adult fare from $2 to $2.50, and setting child and youth discounts (5-18 years) to 40% off the adult fare (i.e. $1.50 fare). The fare increases are recommended to take effect from 29 September 2025.' 'The plan's hearings panel also recommends moving to a zone fare structure once ORC completes further analysis and modelling. Ms Dawe says no timeframe is indicated for this recommended change yet. In addition to fare changes, the panel has made recommendations on several potential new public transport services frequently raised by submitters. 'Many submitters indicated their support for some type of community transport to facilitate better intraregional connections. The panel recommends the Council maintains support for community transport as written in the plan, with the timing and scale of any future community transport programme to be decided in future Council meetings.' There were a number of submissions requesting new public transport services connecting Wanaka and Upper Clutha, Wanaka and Queenstown, and Oamaru and Dunedin, Ms Dawe says. Others asked for services connecting Dunedin and Dunedin Airport, Balclutha, Outram and Central Otago. 'The RPTP recommendations include Council consider these potential new services in the future and accelerates introducing public transport services for Wanaka to a six- to ten-year timeframe.' The panel acknowledged community interest in rail solutions, but concluded there is not the evidence base to include rail in the plan in any great detail. However, minor changes to language from the draft plan have been recommended to reflect sentiment and support study in this area. The panel appreciated many submitters acknowledging the public transport challenges Otago faces, including the constrained funding. The report will be presented to ORC's council meeting this Wednesday (25 June). The report and full agenda are now online, under Meetings on The council will publish the final version of the plan incorporating the recommended changes later this year.
Scoop
30-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Passenger Numbers Up, Revenue Down For ORC's Public Transport
Press Release – Otago Regional Council Fare revenue in Dunedin for the three quarters was down 8% to $3.11 million while in Queenstown revenue for the same period declined 6% to $2.42 million. The Public Transport patronage and revenue data is being presented to ORCs Public and Active Bus passenger numbers across ORC's Dunedin and Queenstown Public Transport services continue to increase, but to a backdrop of falling revenue as NZ Transport Authority subsidies decline. For the first three quarters of the current financial year – covering from July 2024 to March 2025 – Dunedin passenger numbers rose by 4% to 2,611,577 trips and in Queenstown rose by 3% to 1,489,729 trips, says ORC's General Manager Regional and Planning Transport, Anita Dawe. 'We are really pleased that we continue to see a steady increase in patronage, especially as the removal of subsidies can create challenges for our public transport community. We're also seeing more older and younger people using our buses, especially on the Dunedin network,' she says. Fare revenue in Dunedin for the three quarters was down 8% to $3.11 million while in Queenstown revenue for the same period declined 6% to $2.42 million, Ms Dawe says. Using Dunedin as an example, Ms Dawe says in the six months to December 2023, there were 1.67 million passengers and the NZTA subsidy for that period was $602,819. However, for the six months to December 2024, there were 1.73 million Dunedin passengers, but the NZTA subsidy reduced by more than $443,000, to $159,069. The subsidy reductions are across public transport services around the country. Ms Dawe noted numerous NZTA subsidies ended in April 2024, including for free child (5-12), youth (13-18) and Youth Plus (19-25). She predicted that for the full year overall Otago bus patronage numbers will exceed the previous year, while year-on-year percentage growth will be lower because 2023-24 had a 'very high rate of growth' to better, she says. The Public Transport patronage and revenue data is being presented to ORC's Public and Active Transport Committee next Thursday (5 June) for noting. The full Agenda and report is now online, under Meetings on The Queenstown ferry operation saw a 6% decline in patronage to 55,829 passengers for the three- quarter period,while revenue was down 3% to $618, 984. Mrs Dawe notes the impact on the ferry revenue after its return to full fares was more keenly felt in dollar terms than on the bus services. On Total Mobility patronage, there was a 17% increase in patronage for the three-quarter period, rising to a total 105,996 trips. The trip costs are shared between the passenger, ratepayer and taxpayer.
Scoop
30-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Passenger Numbers Up, Revenue Down For ORC's Public Transport
Bus passenger numbers across ORC's Dunedin and Queenstown Public Transport services continue to increase, but to a backdrop of falling revenue as NZ Transport Authority subsidies decline. For the first three quarters of the current financial year – covering from July 2024 to March 2025 – Dunedin passenger numbers rose by 4% to 2,611,577 trips and in Queenstown rose by 3% to 1,489,729 trips, says ORC's General Manager Regional and Planning Transport, Anita Dawe. 'We are really pleased that we continue to see a steady increase in patronage, especially as the removal of subsidies can create challenges for our public transport community. We're also seeing more older and younger people using our buses, especially on the Dunedin network,' she says. Fare revenue in Dunedin for the three quarters was down 8% to $3.11 million while in Queenstown revenue for the same period declined 6% to $2.42 million, Ms Dawe says. Using Dunedin as an example, Ms Dawe says in the six months to December 2023, there were 1.67 million passengers and the NZTA subsidy for that period was $602,819. However, for the six months to December 2024, there were 1.73 million Dunedin passengers, but the NZTA subsidy reduced by more than $443,000, to $159,069. The subsidy reductions are across public transport services around the country. Ms Dawe noted numerous NZTA subsidies ended in April 2024, including for free child (5-12), youth (13-18) and Youth Plus (19-25). She predicted that for the full year overall Otago bus patronage numbers will exceed the previous year, while year-on-year percentage growth will be lower because 2023-24 had a 'very high rate of growth' to better, she says. The Public Transport patronage and revenue data is being presented to ORC's Public and Active Transport Committee next Thursday (5 June) for noting. The full Agenda and report is now online, under Meetings on The Queenstown ferry operation saw a 6% decline in patronage to 55,829 passengers for the three- quarter period,while revenue was down 3% to $618, 984. Mrs Dawe notes the impact on the ferry revenue after its return to full fares was more keenly felt in dollar terms than on the bus services. On Total Mobility patronage, there was a 17% increase in patronage for the three-quarter period, rising to a total 105,996 trips. The trip costs are shared between the passenger, ratepayer and taxpayer.
