Council seeks input on regional transport | Wairarapa News | Local News in Wairarapa

Greater Wellington Regional Council wants to know what people want from the region's transport.

Council passenger transport planner Alex Campbell said yesterday the council is carrying out a comprehensive survey of transport needs in the region for the first time in its history.

Questionnaires are being sent out to households in Wairarapa and this will be followed up with some market research in February next year. Mr Campbell said the council has already received several hundred feedback forms.

The Government has shown a willingness to put more money into public transport and an extra $25 million has already been signalled for an upgrade to the rail carriages. There has also been calls from health sector workers for improved access to public transport in terms of getting people to hospital.

Once the survey has been completed there will be more consultation with the public over the options, he said.

Wairarapa bus company Tranzit is also urging customers to make transport suggestions.

Tranzit manager Les Cockeram said the growing number of elderly moving to Wairarapa for resthome care increases the need for public transport for those people who do not have their own car.

Among suggestions the company has floated is expanding the Tuesday and Friday bus run to a five-day-a-week service, better co-ordinating buses connecting to commuter trains and weekend bus connections to and from trains to Greytown and Martinborough to cater to the increasing number of visitors coming to the region in the weekend.