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Public transport in New Plymouth

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New Plymouth Public Transport
LocaleNew Zealand
Service areaNew Plymouth District
Service typePublic transport in New Plymouth
DestinationsRoute 1 - Moturoa
Route 2 - Whalers Gate
Route 3 - Lynmouth-Marfell
Route 4 - Westown-Hurdon
Route 5 - Frankleigh Park-Ferndale
Route 6 - Vogletown-Brooklands
Route 7 – Welbourn-Highlands Park
Route 8 – Merrilands-Highland Park
Route 9 – Fitzroy-The Valley-Glen Avon
Route 20 – Bell Block-Waitara
Route 40 – Oakura
HubsNew Plymouth CBD
Fuel typeDiesel, Electricity (historic), petrol (historic)
OperatorTranzit Coachlines
Websitetaranakibus.info

Public transport in New Plymouth, the main city in the west coast of the North Island, is undergoing a revival after many years of minimal council support since the early 1990s. The system covers New Plymouth city, as well as services to Waitara, Inglewood, Oakura and recently Stratford.[1] Major changes were introduced on 31 May 2010. New routes were introduced, and service levels greatly expanded. Funding (from the Council and NZTA) for the expanded service was provided on a “trial” basis for two years and was subject to the services performing satisfactorily.[2] These services became permanent in 2012.

System

Administration

Public transport in New Plymouth primarily consists of diesel buses operating over eleven regular routes during the week (plus a reduced weekend service) and regular school runs. Limited shopper services run south-east of the city to Inglewood and Stratford. New Plymouth has also historically operated both trolleybuses and trams. Despite having had stations at the breakwater, Elliot Street, Fitzroy, Egmont Road and Bell Block, suburban rail services have never operated in the city. Buses in the city are privately owned and subsidised, with the infrastructure (such as bus stops and shelters) owned by the New Plymouth District Council. Planning and subsidising public transport are in turn the responsibility of the Taranaki Regional Council. The district’s transport services are marketed under the name Citylink.[3]

Types of Vehicles Used

Trams

New Plymouth’s electric tramway system (proposed as early as 1906[4] ) began operations on 10 March 1916 between Fitzroy and Weymouth Street (a short distance past the railway station).[5] In the first week of operation, 18,213 passengers rode the trams.[6] Weymouth Street to the Breakwater opened on 21 April 1916 and Egmont Street to Morley Street followed on 20 May 1916. Further extensions opened from Morley Street to David Street in Westown on 29 November 1923 and a final line to Pukekura Park and Gilbert street opened in July 1924.[7] Further proposals were for extensions to Vogletown and Frankleigh Park[8] but these were not successful. New Plymouth Corporation Tramways was reputedly the smallest municipality in the world to operate trams on the overhead electricity system.

The original fleet consisted of 6 cars. No 1-4 were single-truck trams built in 1915 by Boon and Company of Christchurch. No 5-6 were larger double-bogie vehicles also from Boon & Co. No 7-9 were Birney Safety Cars introduced in 1921 (nicknamed “Tin Lizzies”) and were purchased for the Westown extension. Finally No 10 was a double-bogie tram from Boon & Co. almost identical to No5 & 6. All vehicles survived until the closure of the system on 23 July 1954. Bodies were auctioned off and one tram body survives (Birney No 8) and is currently stored in Wanganui awaiting restoration.

Trolley Buses

In 1950 the Westown route was replaced with a fleet of 4 Crossley trolleybuses in 1950, in turn being replaced with diesel buses in October 1967. The Port-Fitzroy route was replaced directly by diesel buses in 1954.

Buses

New Plymouth City Council first started operating buses from 1918 (two years after starting its bus service). The council's preference when purchasng new vehicles was to tag its orders onto those of larger cities, resulting in a fleet of top specification. It could be described as being a microcosm of the fleets of Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.[9] Council continued operating these until the end of 1991 when the fleet was sold to Gold Star Buses, a Hamilton company that failed a few months later.

References

  1. ^ "Stratford bus run trialled". stuff.co.nz. Taranaki Daily News. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  2. ^ "Regional Public Transport Plan for Taranaki 2012 – 2022" (PDF). Taranaki Regional Council website. Taranaki Regional Council. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  3. ^ "Citylink - Routes". Taranaki Regional Council website. Taranaki Regional Council. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  4. ^ "Electric Trams for New Plymouth". Taranaki Herald. 10 April 1906. p. 2. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
  5. ^ Rudd, Don (2010). New Plymouth tramways 1916-1954. [Paraparaumu, N.Z.: D.H. Rudd. p. 9. ISBN 978-0-473-17432-3.
  6. ^ Heazlewood, Kathy. "New Plymouth Trams 1916 - 1954". Pukeariki website. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  7. ^ Rudd, Don (2010). New Plymouth tramways 1916-1954. [Paraparaumu, N.Z.: D.H. Rudd. p. 17. ISBN 978-0-473-17432-3.
  8. ^ Rudd, Don (2010). New Plymouth tramways 1916-1954. [Paraparaumu, N.Z.: D.H. Rudd. p. 21. ISBN 978-0-473-17432-3.
  9. ^ Jones, David (1992). Northern city transport : municipal buses of Eastbourne, Gisborne, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Upper Hutt, Waikanae, Wanganui. Wellington, N.Z.: Omnibus Bulletin. ISBN 0908732090.
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