We’re taking a fresh look at public bus services across the Eastern Bay of Plenty, to make sure they’re working for the people who rely on them.

This review is a practical check-in to share our thinking, to see what’s working for you, what’s not, and where small changes could make a real difference.

With no new funding, any improvements must be balanced by changes elsewhere. That may mean a mix of service upgrades and reductions based on how people are travelling now, what the data shows, and what we’ve heard from the community.

Some services may become more direct, more reliable or better timed. Others may change or stop if they’re used by very few people or no longer match current needs.

While we’re focused on practical changes for now, your feedback will also help guide future decisions on where public transport could grow when funding allows.

What we've seen and heard to date:

• Some buses run late due to outdated timetables

• A few services are used by only a handful of people

• People want reliable connections to shops, services and other key destinations

While we are gathering feedback now, the service will run as normal until 2027. This gives us enough time to consider feedback and finalise the network to inform our new bus services contract for the Eastern Bay.

Improvements

• More direct and frequent services

• Route changes to better connect with Whakatāne CBD and The Hub

• Earlier and more reliable start times

• More suitable vehicle sizes with space for luggage or mobility aids (Route 150)

Reductions

• Stopping low-use routes

• Removing weekend or early/late trips for services with very few passengers

• Removing stops in areas with low demand

Routes under review:

• Route 122 Ōhope - Whakatāne

• Route 131 Whakatāne - Matatā

• Route 135 Kawerau - Whakatāne

• Route 143 Whakatāne - Tauranga

• Route 147 Ōpōtiki - Whakatāne

• Route 150 Potaka - Ōpōtiki

Changes could affect communities around and along these routes, including:

Edgecumbe, Kawerau, Matatā, Ōhope, Ōpōtiki, Tāneatua, Te Kaha/Potaka, Waimana, Whakatāne

Western Bay of Plenty (Route 143): Maketū, Paengaroa, Pukehina, Te Puke