From Tuesday 5 June 2012 Ōtaki residents will have a direct service each weekday to and from Coastlands and new Sunday bus services between Ōtaki and Waikanae.
The changes are the result of a review of public transport services in Ōtaki, Peka Peka and Te Horo after the extension of the commuter rail line to Waikanae. Peter Glensor, Chair of Greater Wellington’s Economic Wellbeing Committee, which oversees public transport, says the changes were based on feedback people gave late last year on timetable options.
“From the 117 responses we received, the clear preference was for a direct service to and from Coastlands and some bus services on both days of the weekend. Currently there are only services on Saturdays.
“Because our funds are limited, the changes had to be made within existing budgets so some poorly used early morning services have been removed to enable the new services to be run. From 5 June the first weekday service from Ōtaki will be at 6.45am and the first from Waikanae to Ōtaki will be 7.25am.”
The direct service to Coastlands will leave from Ōtaki at 9.15am each weekday and arrive in Coastlands around 10am. It will leave Coastlands at 12.15pm. At weekends, starting from Saturday 9 June, there will be four services every Saturday and Sunday, two from Ōtaki and two from Waikanae. The first service from Ōtaki will be at 8.45am and the first from Waikanae will be at 12.20pm. Cr Glensor says services on most of the Ōtaki route, apart from State Highway 1, will be hail and ride. “This means that if you see the bus coming but you’re not at a stop, you can wave out to the driver and the bus will pick you up. This will make it easier and less stressful for people who may have been delayed or lost track of time they won’t have to hurry to the bus stop, they can just catch it from wherever they are.”
Copies of the new timetable will be available soon on the Metlink website, www.metlink.org.nz or from local Metlink timetable stockists.From Tuesday 5 June 2012 Ōtaki residents will have a direct service each weekday to and from Coastlands and new Sunday bus services between Ōtaki and Waikanae.
