Whanganui is on the move!
Getting around Whanganui should be easy, convenient, and work for everyone, so we're looking at how we can improve bus routes, schedules and services to better connect the community and support the city's growth.
Each of the three options we've proposed takes a slightly different approach to improvements, but we've designed all three to bring about significant and positive changes for Whanganui.
We saw a huge increase in patronage across the Whanganui network in 2024, with more than 190,000 passenger trips, compared to 70,000 in 2023. Regardless of the network changes we settle on, there are some things we think should happen no matter what, including:
- Buses operate seven days a week.
- Services run at least hourly through the day across the city.
- Te Ngaru The Tide route extends to Aramoho Cemetery or nearby.
A number of meetings and information sessions will be held across the city throughout the four week consultation period. Check out the list of key dates and events.
Learn about the proposed options in the tab below, then hit the Have your say tab to share your thoughts. If you have any questions after reading through the option info, check out the FAQs tab and hopefully you'll find an answer there.
The options
Overview
Option 1A: More Frequency would see three routes like Te Ngaru The Tide operating across the city every 20 minutes and two routes running hourly. Option 1B: More Coverage would see two routes operating every 20 minutes and four routes running hourly. These options would also see services extended into some areas not currently covered, like Pūtiki, and would replace existing school services due to the increased connectivity.
Option 2: Network Refresh would see an extended Te Ngaru The Tide route running every 20 minutes and four hourly routes across the rest of the city. This option only covers the current network, so there would be no extensions into areas like Pūtiki, and it would maintain the existing school services.
While Option 2 could be implemented using the existing public transport budget, Options 1A and 1B are only viable if Horizons Regional Council approves further funding through this year's Annual Plan process. Council is currently consulting with the community on the Annual Plan, so make sure you head over to the consultation site and have your say there as well.
Key features:
- Three routes operating every 20 minutes
- Two routes operating every hour
- The Tide extended further into Aramoho
- Extra service to some areas not currently covered, such as Pūtiki
- All buses run seven days a week
- 57% of Whanganui residents within 400m of a route running every 20 minutes
- 72% of Whanganui residents with routes running at least hourly
- Would replace existing school routes because of increased connectivity across the city
- Requires approval of extra investment
Swipe the image below to compare Option 1A to the current network.
Key features:
- Two routes operating every 20 minutes
- Four routes operating every hour
- The Tide extended further into Aramoho
- Extra service to some areas not currently covered, such as Pūtiki
- All buses run seven days a week
- 54% of Whanganui residents within 400m of a route running every 20 minutes
- 75% of Whanganui residents with routes running at least hourly
- Would replace existing school routes because of increased connectivity across the city
- Requires approval of extra investment
Swipe the image below to compare Option 1B to the current network.
Key features:
- One route operating every 20 minutes
- Four routes operating every hour
- The Tide extended further into Aramoho
- No extra service to areas not currently covered, such as Pūtiki
- All buses run seven days a week
- 38% of Whanganui residents within 400m of a route running every 20 minutes
- 71% of Whanganui residents with routes running at least hourly
- Existing school services would be maintained
- No extra investment required
Swipe the image below to compare Option 2 to the current network.
What are the main differences between the options?
Use the table to below to compare the key features of each option with the current network:
Have your say
FAQs
The contract to provide bus services in Whanganui was implemented in 2019 and is set to expire in the near future. A lot has changed since then, so we’re reviewing our services to ensure our network meets the needs of our community and supports Whanganui’s growth.
We want our bus network to be accessible for everyone, and this review will bring positive changes for our community.
You might be thinking about our Regional Services Review, which we did in 2023. That review helped us to learn how you want to use public transport to get across and beyond the Horizons Region. You can learn more about that review here.
The Whanganui Bus Network Review is about urban bus services in Whanganui. While we've taken on board what we learned from the Regional Services Review, we're wanting more specific information to make sure the bus network in Whanganui reflects our community’s needs and supports the city’s growth.
We're looking at how we can improve routes, schedules and services to better connect the community and support the city's growth.
We’ve presented three options for improvements to the network and we’re asking the community to share their thoughts on them.
Each of the three options takes a slightly different approach to improvements, but we've designed all three to bring about significant and positive changes for Whanganui.
There are some things we think should change no matter what:
- Buses in Whanganui operate seven days a week.
- Te Ngaru The Tide extended to Aramoho Cemetery or nearby.
- Services run at least hourly through the day across the city.
Option 1A (More Frequency) and Option 1B (More Coverage) are only viable options if further investment in public transport is approved through Horizons Regional Council’s Annual Plan, or if funding becomes available further down the track.
Option 2 (Network Refresh) is doable under the current budget.
Absolutely, and numbers are increasing at a rapid rate! There were 190,886 trips taken on Whanganui public transport services in 2024, a significant increase on 2022 (93,264) and 2023 (163,464) patronage.
We have buses this size to provide the required capacity at peak times, like 8am and 3pm. The buses are usually full at these times and if they were smaller we’d have serious capacity and overloading issues. This review will help give us an idea of bus sizes required in the future also.
From 1 July 2025, any new buses used for public transport in New Zealand for the first time have to be EV/zero emissions. From 1 July 2035, all buses used for public transport have to be EV.
Yes, this route will continue.
All three proposed options to improve the network include an extension of Te Ngaru The Tide to Aramoho Cemetery or nearby.
While Horizons helps support installation costs, bus stops and shelters on the Whanganui urban network are managed by Whanganui District Council.
The best way to keep up-to-date is to check in on this site regularly.
After the consultation closes, we’ll use your feedback to settle on a network design that we’ll then take to the Horizons Passenger Transport Committee meeting on 17 June for approval.
At this point, we can still make tweaks to the design, so, if it is approved, we’ll come back to the community for specific feedback on it. Once we get the green light, we then have to agree a contract variation with our operator, who’ll need time to organise their fleet and drivers to meet the requirements of the new network.
Taking all this into account, the network improvements would likely come into effect mid-2026.
Ready to share your thoughts?
Head back up to the top and hit the Have your say tab. Still have questions? Head up and hit the FAQs tab to see if we've got answers for you.
Where to from here
You have until 1 May 2025 to have your say on both this review, and Horizons’ 2025-26 Annual Plan. It's essential to share your thoughts on the Annual Plan and the review, as Option 1A and Option 1B both require the approval of extra investment through the Horizons' Annual Plan process.
After 1 May we’ll consider your feedback and come up with a final network design, but it's important to note that changes won’t happen overnight. Once we settle on a design, we'll come back out to the community to do a final check. If the new network is approved, we then have to agree a contract variation with our operator, who will need time to organise their drivers and buses to meet the new requirements. Taking this into account, changes are likely to come into effect mid-2026.
