Latest news with #OtagoRegionalPublicTransportPlan
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
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Children's Bus Fares Being Re-Introduced
Children's fares will be reintroduced and adults will pay slightly more to use the buses in Otago from September. Otago Regional Councillors today agreed to raise fares for adults and end free fares for 5- to 12-year-olds. From late September, adult fares will rise from $2 to $2.50 (with a Bee card) and 5- to 18-year-olds will pay a $1.50 fare in both Dunedin and Queenstown. Public and Active Transport Committee Co-Chair Andrew Noone says, 'This was a difficult decision to make, knowing the impact it will have for people. We are balancing the requirements from central government to increase the proportion of public transport funding from things like fares, rather than rates or government funding, along with community expectations.' 'Community feedback on the Regional Public Transport Plan shows 89% of submitters want us to retain free child fares. We will be outlining our disappointment that the policy we have to work within is not flexible enough or fit for purpose to consider local conditions, especially regarding child fares,' Cr Noone said. Councillors agreed to write to the Minister of Transport, Minister of Education and Associate Minister of Education to express concern about the unintended consequences of raising child fares to meet private share which could potentially affect school attendance rates. These decisions are part of the Otago Regional Public Transport Plan review. Other key decisions Moving to a zone fare structure in the future was also approved. Further analysis and modelling will be carried out and there is no timeframe for this change yet. The Council supports public transport connectivity within Otago and will support investigations into community transport, with the timing and scale of any future community transport programme to be decided in future Council meetings. Some regional upgrades will not happen due to co-funding gaps, but the Council is committed to finding ways to improve connectivity options for Ōamaru, Balclutha and Central Otago.
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
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Acting Mayor Disappointed By Potential Withdrawal Of School Buses
Press Release – Queenstown Lakes District Council Whilst acknowledging these are only the early stages of a proposal at this time, were very concerned about the outcomes for our tamariki and whnau should the draft report on Project Takahe be implemented, said Acting Mayor Smith. Queenstown Lakes District Acting Mayor Quentin Smith has expressed disappointment on behalf of the community that the Ministry of Education (MoE) and Otago Regional Council (ORC) are once again considering the partial removal of the school bus services in the Queenstown region, and the transition of students who utilise these services onto the public bus service network. 'Whilst acknowledging these are only the early stages of a proposal at this time, we're very concerned about the outcomes for our tamariki and whānau should the draft report on Project Takahe be implemented,' said Acting Mayor Smith. 'QLDC has lobbied on this topic for a number of years and made formal submissions through, for example, Way To Go (our partnership with ORC and NZTA Waka Kotahi) and the draft Otago Regional Public Transport Plan. We reiterated our desire for ORC to ensure that QLDC is part of any decision making with the Ministry on the question of school bus routes as recently as last week.' 'We note Project Takahe is a national programme and therefore not limited to our district, but it has been a source of frustration for QLDC Councillors that we have struggled to get a confirmed position from ORC and be as closely involved in discussions as we'd have liked up to this point.' 'To ORC's credit, it appears that it has endeavoured to work with the government at how they might transition the public network to address the progressive withdrawal of MoE-funded services.' 'We note that no final decision has yet been made and hope there remains scope for QLDC to be involved in that process on behalf of our community.'
