End of the road for Renwick bus route
The plug has been pulled on the Blenheim to Renwick bus route. Photo: File/LDR
A struggling bus service has reached the end of the road with councillors choosing to pull the plug.
The Blenheim to Renwick service will stop on Friday 30 June due to a significant drop in passengers.
But from Saturday 1 July the Picton bus service will become a permanent fixture giving the public another transport option.
The trial for the Picton service began in 2019 and initially aimed to have a minimum of 192 passengers a month.
Assets and Services Committee Chair David Croad says the numbers speak for themselves with the service averaging 257 passengers a month in the last financial year.
“Due to the demand for this service council, through this year’s Annual Plan, has agreed to allocate $29,400 to make the Picton to Blenheim return bus service permanent,” he says.
“Obviously there is a real need for people to travel on public transport between Picton and Blenheim and it’s great to see the community jumping on board.
"I encourage more people to consider this option when travelling between Picton and Blenheim in future.”
The Picton service runs two return trips on Tuesday and Thursday, between 9.00 am and 3.00 pm and costs $4 for an adult fare or $2 for a child/teen (5-18 years) fare, each way.
Those with SuperGold cards and children under 5 years of age travel for free.
Council has also approved, subject to ratification, $28,000 for the Total Mobility Scheme which provides a service for people who are unable to use buses because of a disability.
This funding means those using the service will now pay one-quarter of the total fare cost, rather than one-half. The difference will continue to be funded by central Government.
“This is great news for the 1400 people who have met the eligibility criteria in our community who rely on this transport service,” David says.
“The subsidised service introduced by central Government following the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in an upswing in usage and it’s wonderful that we can support our community by continuing this service.”