Wakeup call for new bus service

Like all infants, New Plymouth's seven-week old Citylink bus service is experiencing teething problems.

The revamped service has been charged with waking weary international travellers at the Waterfront Hotel and accused of reducing city library accessibility.

Launched at the end of May, the upgraded service increased from four routes to nine.

At a New Plymouth District Council meeting on Tuesday, Neil Drought of the Waterfront Hotel said bus parks outside his hotel on Egmont St had increased from one to four.

However, no-one had consulted with the hotel about the change and now the early morning buses were waking up his guests, he said.

A number of these were international travellers who did not have the luxury of getting to bed before midnight and did not appreciate being woken up when the buses started at 7.30am, Mr Drought said.

He declined to talk directly with the Taranaki Daily News yesterday saying he preferred to wait and see what happened.

However, a number of library users were more forthcoming when asked if the removal of seven car parks to make way for two new bus stop on King St beside the library had affected them.

"It's terrible what they have done. I just feel they have not considered older people at all. I went round the block five times looking for a park.

"They are providing a service that we have no access to," regular library user Joan Mutimer said yesterday.

Sheila Morrison had the same complaint and said she was often forced to give up her library visit aspirations and drive away.

"I don't park on the bus stop like some people do but I don't blame them really," she said.

Colin Shotter of bus operators Tranzit Coachlines does though.

He said the problem of people using the King St bus stops as car parks was particularly bad on Thursday and Friday evenings.

"We've passed that on to the council so I think they have had a bit of a hit on that and it's getting sorted out.

"It's about getting the information out there," he said.

New Plymouth mayor Peter Tennent yesterday said there was a commitment from his council and the Taranaki Regional Council to have a system that worked as well and that meant addressing both the Waterfront Hotel and library parking issues.

"Every suggestion is going through to the TRC and they are taking it pretty seriously. They want to get it right, we want to get it right, everyone wants us to get it right," he said.

TRC director of operations Rob Phillips said most people were pleased with the new bus service and a new smart card system would be available on the buses soon.

The challenge now was to increase passenger numbers, he said.

- © Fairfax NZ News