Ashburton officials consider appetite for public transport
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
A fact-finding exercise is taking a look at what appetite there is for public transport in Ashburton.
Safer Mid Canterbury and the Ashburton District Council have launched a survey to gather information about the future need for public transport in Ashburton, including what people are willing to pay.
Ashburton mayor Neil Brown has previously stated that whatever option the district came up with there would need to be “some innovative ways of how it would work and how it would be funded”.
Currently, the only form of public transport in the district is the Mid Canterbury Connector service, a vehicle that travels from rural towns to Ashburton.
The new survey considers bus options as well as escooters and ebikes.
The council has asked Environment Canterbury (ECan), which runs public transport in the region, to consider public transport options for Ashburton as part of its regional land transport plan.
As per the council’s request, ECan is looking into innovative transport solutions in Ashburton in the plans.
The Ashburton survey and research will be valuable in preparing a submission on the plan, council infrastructure and open spaces group manager Neil McCann said.
The survey responses will be analysed alongside feedback from community groups, businesses, and transport operators, to help the council gauge if a public transport pilot is feasible.
The process is aimed at finding out the likely level of demand for a public service in Ashburton, McCann said.
“We want to know how often people would use public transport, what sort of schedule they want and if they would be willing to pay.
“This is a great chance to see if we should trial something like a MyWay or if we need any sort of public transport at all.”
The annual operating cost of the MyWay on-demand bus service in Timaru is $2.7m, consisting of $1.1m from rates, $1.3m from NZTA grants, and $0.25m from fare revenue.
Passengers book directly for the MyWay service using an app, website or the call centre.
They then catch the bus from a nearby ‘virtual bus stop’ or an existing stop, allowing for quick and efficient shared trips.
ECan and the Canterbury Regional Transport Committee are working on the 10-year plan for the region’s transport system.
It proposes a $10.8 billion investment in Canterbury over the next decade, with Ashburton’s second bridge the top project on the list.
The draft document points to public transport development in Ashburton.
The draft suggests “potential private innovations” be investigated to support the community transition to a public transport service being rolled out.
A riddle to start the festive season 🌲🎁🌟
I'm a fruit. If you take away my first letter, I'm a crime. If you take away my first two letters, I'm an animal. If you take away my first and last letter, I'm a form of music. What am I?
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post if you know the answer and the big reveal will be posted in the comments at 2pm on the day!
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Poll: Should we be giving the green light to new mining projects? 💰🌲
The Environmental Protection Authority announced this week that a proposed mine in Central Otago (near Cromwell) is about to enter its fast-track assessment process. A final decision could come within six months, and if it’s approved, construction might start as early as mid-2026.
We want to know: Should mining projects like this move ahead?
Keen to dig deeper? Mike White has the scoop.
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53.4% Yes
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46.6% No
‘Tis the season to not get scammed ...
As Christmas gift shopping moves increasingly online, scammers are ramping up their activity across the country.
Dunedin’s Investigation Support Unit is seeing more and more people fall victim to scams and other fraudulent activity, particularly on Facebook Marketplace.
There are a few ways to avoid the scams and keep yourself safe doing online trades this holiday season, says Southern District Service Delivery Manager Senior Sergeant Dalton.
🔒 “A good first step when looking to purchase something on Marketplace is to check when the seller’s Facebook profile was created. If it’s very recent, there is a higher risk that they have just created this account for a one-off fake item.”
🔒 Another important step is to make sure the seller’s profile name and bank account name match up. “We’re seeing a lot of scammers claiming their bank account name is different because it belongs to their partner or family member - that’s a huge red flag."
🔒 “When you’re selling, never trust a screenshot anyone sends you showing that payment has been made. Check your own bank account to make sure a payment has gone through."
🔒 “Quite frankly, it’s best for all parties to agree to pay, or be paid, for items in cash and in-person. Ideally in a public place with CCTV coverage."
🔒 "If you’re buying a car, check Carjam.co.nz to see if it’s stolen or if there’s money owed on it.”
A reminder: Suspicious activity can be reported on 105
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