On the (Regional) buses
Correction
The price of taking the bus between Cambridge and Leamington and Te Awamutu and Kihikihi is $2.67 per ride not $1 as reported in last week’s The News. We apologise for the error.
16 April 9am
One of Cambridge’s best‑kept secrets – the $1 public transport service between Leamington and the town’s CBD – is finally gaining traction.
The Cambridge service from Leamington stops outside the New World supermarket. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
But the same has not yet happened in Te Awamutu and Kihikihi.
A record 61 trips in February, followed by 59 last month, suggests Cambridge residents have embraced the service. A school holiday promotion by Waikato Regional Council could see those figures rise further.
The News follows regional bus statistics each month and the latest figures show the Cambridge-Hamilton service is also on the up, with a record 18,403 passengers in March.
The Te Awamutu-Kihikihi service also reached a new high with 15,921 passengers, although residents there have yet to fully embrace the benefits of an additional shorter stop between the two towns.
Other satellite services from Tauwhare and Tamahere-Mātangi continue to show positive growth – unlike the South Waikato Connector, which runs daily to and from Tokoroa through Cambridge.
A passenger has his Bee card at the ready to scan off the bus.
That service, along with a Te Kūiti Connector option, will come under councillors’ scrutiny as they attempt to keep rates down.
A dedicated Tokoroa circuit option, however, continues to be well supported.
Passenger numbers also lifted last month on the Taumarunui service, established in 2020 to provide safe and reliable transport for patients travelling to Te Kūiti and Waikato hospitals for specialist appointments.
Despite this increase, Waikato Regional Council and Health NZ have agreed the combined public and health service will end in June.
The 277 passengers recorded last month were up from 166 in February but still below the record 325 set in May last year.
Council transport chair Angela Strange said the Health NZ‑funded 40‑seat bus was not well suited to people with health needs.
“At the same time, there were safety concerns and other challenges associated with the mix of public users and health service passengers,” she said.
“To respond to the patient voice and ensure a safe, sustainable and fit‑for‑purpose service, Health NZ will move to a dedicated health shuttle model and end its contribution to the current joint service.”
Waikato Regional Council will not run an alternative public replacement once the health shuttle begins in July.
The Cambridge single and double decker buses pass each other near the Town Clock.
