New Whanganui urban bus network launches this week

Connect – Horizons Regional Transport is upping its presence in Whanganui ahead of the city’s new bus network launching this week.

Horizons Regional Council manager transport services Mark Read says the new network, which begins from Friday 17 April and is free for the first month, will see changes designed to boost bus use in Whanganui.
 
“Adding a second Te Ngaru The Tide route, having buses go past most high schools every 20 minutes during the week, running buses later in the evening, improving Saturday services and introducing Sunday services will better connect the community and support the city’s growth.”
 
To ensure people are supported during the introduction of the new network, staff will be out and about across the network to give advice, says Mr Read.
 
“We know any change can take time to come to grips with, so having staff on the ground at key stops and on buses is one way we can assist people.
 
“Having free services until 17 May also helps to lower the barrier for people wanting to try the new network. We have noticed more people asking questions about our services across the region since petrol prices started rising, including in Whanganui. The free services are a great way for Whanganui people to see just where they can get to across the city by using public transport.”
 
Staff will also be at the Whanganui Riverside Markets this Saturday with timetables and free Bee Cards, says Mr Read.
 
“Google Maps and Apple Maps have already been updated with the new routes. People wanting to plan their trips on the new network using those tools should make sure to select the ‘public transport’ option and change the travel date to 17 April or later.
 
“People wanting a hardcopy timetable can get them on board our Whanganui services, the iSite, Horizons’ office on Guyton St and Whanganui District Council’s office on Guyton St.”
 
The introduction of the new network on 17 April coincides with the inaugural World Public Transport Day – an initiative to celebrate the role public transport plays in our lives and our cities.
 
For more information about the Whanganui urban bus network, including a map showing the routes being introduced in April, head to https://www.horizons.govt.nz/buses-transport/whanganui-network.

Key features of the new network include:

• Two new routes operating every 20 minutes during weekdays and later last services throughout the week.
• Three new routes operating every hour between 7am – 6pm Monday to Saturday, and 9am-3pm on Sundays
• Service to some areas not currently covered, including Pūtiki, and increased coverage for Aramoho and Castlecliff
• Buses running seven days a week
• Friday evening services on high frequency routes
• More frequent services past or near schools, replacing the current once-a-day school services Horizons provides in the Whanganui urban area.

 
Whanganui public transport patronage figures:

• 2022 – 93,245 passenger trips
• 2023 (the year Te Ngaru The Tide launched) - 163,464 passenger trips
• 2025 – 193,940 passenger trips

 
The changes to Whanganui school bus services are only for the services Horizons Regional Council runs, not the Ministry of Education-run bus services.
 
For more information about public transport in the Horizons Region, head to www.horizons.govt.nz/buses-transport.
 
For information about World Public Transport Day, head to https://www.uitp.org/world-public-transport-day/