Weekly Review No.125
Inside this edition: Te Pahi Taranaki kicks off new network, Contactless card and device payments set to begin in Wellington, and new bus stops for Franklin.
NOTE: A previous version of this post referenced Te Huia’s passenger numbers. This post has been removed as the data was incorrect.
Kia ora and welcome to the Weekly Review. It’s been a short week for most, but there was so much transport news in the week that was, so let’s dive right into the Weekly Review.
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A Taupō district councillor has ruffled feathers with her “tasteless” April Fools prank, saying she did it to show her disgust at a decision not to fund a bus service between Taupō and Tūrangi.
The month of March saw 95,656 passenger journeys on the Nelson eBus. A new high since the upgraded service was introduced in 2023.
A bus service organised by parents to replace a Ministry of Education service that was cut will also be cancelled, as cost meant the expected uptake hasn’t materialised.
A bid for funding to fix the storm-damaged Hauraki Rail Trail has been knocked back, leaving those behind it to find two to three million dollars.
Whanganui Regional Health Network will take a more active role in the Waka Hauora Mobile Health Bus. This comes after the organisation strengthened its relationship with the Robert Bartley Foundation.
Students are getting a chance to experience the Hastings Art Gallery in a regional first with the art bus. The bus provides free transport for eligible schools from Hastings, Napier and Central Hawke’s Bay to visit the gallery.
City Rail Link testing found that any fault on Auckland’s heavily congested southern rail lines cascaded through the network, diminishing hopes for increased peak services across all lines when the new network opens.
KiwiRail crews have now livened the main station switchboard at Paerātā Station. This comes hot on the heels of Drury Station’s main switchboard also being livened.
Alongside launching their new bus network on Tuesday, Te Pahi Taranaki had staff out and about handing out updated urban bus timetable booklets at Ariki St on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Auckland Transport has begun public engagement for the investment case that will identify solutions for 21 level crossings across the Western Line and get ready to start construction of the first new bridges or underpasses from the early 2030s.
Construction problems continue to delay O Mahurangi Penlink. However, the extended timeline requires Auckland Transport to keep the Gulf Harbour ferry running at current levels until the highway opens.
Rising fuel prices have cast doubt over the future of the express bus service between Rolleston and Christchurch. However, increasing diesel costs are now raising questions about whether the privately operated service is able to continue.
Busit route 25 to Taumarunui from Hamilton is coming to an end on June 26. This change will also affect the Te Kuiti, Otorohanga and Kihikihi communities.
Public transport options will continue to be available through the 26 Te Kuiti service for Te Kuiti and Otorohanga, and the 24 Te Awamutu service for Kihikihi. Public travellers can use the InterCity bus service after 27 June 2026.
A dedicated health shuttle for Taumarunui patients travelling to Waikato Hospital will be available. Further information on booking, shuttle schedule, and pick-up and drop-off sites will be shared in late May.
New Plymouth’s urban bus fleet is now fully electric, with 11 new electric buses added to it. The electric buses were a long-planned but timely switch from diesel power, given the hike in fuel prices.
Te Huia has announced they are now able to operate during the school holidays. The change comes as major disruption works on the Auckland Rail network come to an end, with a new maintenance plan coming into use.
Canterbury schools may need to prepare for some distance learning if the current fuel crisis continues, a principals’ association head says.
A Rod Drury-backed gondola public transport system for Queenstown has stepped through another hurdle and entered the fast-track. Beyond obtaining full consent approvals, which project director Ross Copland hopes will occur by the year’s end, revenue streams still need to be secured through public transport funding and an infrastructure funding and financing vehicle. All going well, Copland expects construction of the first phase of the $400 million Queenstown Cable Car project to begin in 2027.“
NZTA is constructing a new northbound bus priority lane on SH1 from the Wilks Road overbridge to the Silverdale off-ramp at Dairy Flat. The lane will be about 2.5 kilometres long and built within the existing highway corridor, alongside the existing lanes.
The new widened area will operate as a bus priority lane between 3 pm and 7 pm, Monday to Friday. Works are due to be completed in late 2026.
Residents and visitors to Wellington will be able to use their debit, credit card, or mobile device (including smartwatches) to pay for Metlink buses and trains from 12 April.
Existing Snapper devices onboard buses and train stations have been upgraded to enable debit or credit card payments ahead of the implementation of the National Ticketing Solution Motu Move, planned for the first half of 2027.
Once Motu Move is introduced to Wellington, passengers will continue using their credit or debit card to travel or switch to a Motu Move card.
Paying an adult fare with a credit, debit, or mobile payment method will cost the same as using a Snapper card on all bus and train services except the Airport Express.
Snapper cards are still available and a valid way to travel. Passengers with a student or Community Service Card concessions are encouraged to keep using their Snapper card for discounted fares.
A 1.5% contactless surcharge will apply to each credit or debit card transaction.
From 7 April, the following Fullers360 weekday stop-offs at Devonport will be cancelled until further notice.
Auckland - Waiheke via Devonport: departing Auckland at 13:00. Sailing runs direct to Waiheke without stop-off.
Waiheke - Auckland via Devonport: departing Waiheke at 12:00 and 14:00. Sailing runs direct to Downtown Ferry Terminal, Auckland without stop-off.
Weekend sailings are unaffected.
Fuel prices have hit record highs and your bank account is probably feeling it. But tucked away in the lower South Island, there’s one route where you can travel for less than twenty cents a kilometre.
As upgrade works at Henderson Station wrap up, crews over the Easter long weekend planted native plants on an unused section of the rail corridor to balance some of the emissions from the asphalt and steel used on the project.
Adding to the new ‘green’ vibe, crews have also installed solar-powered systems for station security cameras, on-site waste separation, and protected decades-old pōhutukawa trees that were originally planned for removal.
Crews will begin construction on new bus stops around Franklin ahead of new and improved bus services starting later in the year. The stops are concrete pads with tactile pavers and line markings. No shelters at this stage due to cost.
Areas getting new stops include:
Linwood Road – 4
Clarks Beach Road (Clarks Beach) – 1
Torkar Road – 1
Waiau Pa – 1
Cnr Kingseat Road/Linwood Road – 1
Hingaia Road – 2
Maketu Road – 3
Karaka Village Parade – 3
Ross Stevenson Road – 2
A trial community transport link between Ōamaru and Dunedin will continue operating after receiving a funding boost. The Otago Regional Council voted to extend the Ōamaru community transport trial by six months until September 30.
Auckland Transport has updated its planned rail closures calendar. The calendars have been updated through to July 2026, showing that most full-line/network closures going forward appear to be one weekend a month.
Auckland Transport and KiwiRail will be installing traffic islands on both sides of the Mt Lebanon Lane level crossing in Henderson to ‘improve safety’ ahead of the City Rail Link opening. Works are set to take place between April and June.
Te Pahi Taranaki have launched a new website to coincide with their new bus network. The website features a journey planner, live tracking and interactive maps.
The Opportunity Party says the numbers stack up on permanent, free public transport in New Zealand - even before the fuel crisis. With the party is calling for the immediate introduction of permanent, free-to-ride public transport across New Zealand.
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I can't see what is tasteless about the Taupo councillors april fools prank, certainly a lot worst around. good publicity for the cause , i would call it .