The Otago Regional Council (ORC) has committed to investigating trial public transport services for the Upper Clutha.

The commitment is part of the ORC’s Regional Public Transport Plan 2021-31 (RPTP) which was adopted at a council meeting in Dunedin on Wednesday (June 23). 

The plan guides the planning and delivery of public transport services and infrastructure in Otago.

Otago Regional Transport Committee chair Alexa Forbes said some of the most significant themes from submissions were around carbon reduction, frequency and reliability of services, customer service, equity of access, linkages with Otago’s smaller towns, and affordability.

The ORC said it will investigate additional services with a priority for the Upper Clutha, South Otago, and Waikouaiti to Dunedin. 

Co-funding for trial services will be sought from Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency from 2024.

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Alexa told the Wanaka App a public transport trial for the Upper Clutha was “enabled” by the plan, but there was no funding at this point.

The Wakatipu Basin has public transport services subsidised by the ORC, NZ Transport Agency, and Queenstown Lakes District Council.

“We acknowledge the community’s input and have taken a number of recommendations on board following the hearings and deliberations,” Alexa said.

“This Regional Public Transport Plan has a focus on making the existing networks more attractive through improvements to service frequency. The plan also enables council to work with the community on further evidence-based improvements, including new trial services.”

The ORC received 193 submissions on the draft RPTP, and 38 groups and individuals spoke at hearings in Dunedin and Queenstown at the start of June.

Changes from the draft plan demonstrate the council’s willingness to continue to work with communities across Otago to improve and increase public transport, the ORC said in a statement.

The ORC also adopted the Otago parts of the Otago Southland Regional Land Transport Plans, which outlines proposed transport network improvements for the next six years, and forms the application for funding from the National Land Transport Fund for the next three years.

PHOTO: Supplied