Month left to fill in Ruakaka bus service survey

Bream Bay residents keen to take part in a survey gauging demand for the possible reintroduction of a public bus service between Ruakaka and Whangarei have a month left to do so.

A public bus service to the area was last trialled about eight years ago, but was discontinued due to low passenger numbers.

However, after an increasing number of requests for a Ruakaka bus service from potential users, the Northland Regional Council is revisiting the issue.

Sharlene Selkirk, the regional council’s Public Passenger Transport Officer, says the council began running a survey in December last year to find out how many people would now use a Ruakaka service, so it can see if another trial service is feasible.

Mrs Selkirk says about 60 people have already responded to the survey and those who still want to take part have just over a month left - until Friday 17 February - to do so.

She says survey forms have already been published in the local Bream Bay News newspaper and distributed to various places in the Ruakaka area.

“The survey is also be available on the council’s website via www.nrc.govt.nz/ruakakasurvey

Meanwhile, Mrs Selkirk says as well as the bus issue, the survey also asks locals about their interest in carpooling.

“If enough people in the area are interested, we can help facilitate the set-up of a local scheme to put them in touch with one another.”

She says carpooling is a cheaper and more environmentally-friendly than driving alone, and there are several successful carpool schemes already running around the country.