The new MyWay parking bay in the centre of Timaru. Photo: Supplied
A South Canterbury town is continuing to lead the national roll-out of a new public transport model.
Tīmaru was the first to use MyWay in 2020, where residents book their own van trips as needed, instead of using regular bus routes.
The trial was successful, with the service carrying between 500 and 600 weekly passengers in 2021 and 2022.
Waka Kotahi confirmed this week it would continue to help finance the project, committing $270,000 for seating and parking bays.
Spokesperson Kathryn King hoped it would support MyWay's growing popularity.
"This new parklet will be a convenient and safe space to hop on and off Tīmaru's on-demand service, providing better connections for the community into the heart of the city," she said.
Tīmaru Mayor Nigel Bowen said he was excited by the next stage of the project.
"The funding means we can do things we might not have been able to do before. We can provide more environmentally friendly transport choices for our people and make things more accessible for people who find it trickier to get around in traditional ways," he said.
The relocatable seating and stopping bays were being trialled for four months, Bowen said.
A permanent location would be decided in June, based on the trial and public feedback.
Tīmaru's MyWay system was the first project to be delivered from the government's Transport Choices programme.
Waka Kotahi confirmed it would be among new transport options being introduced to 46 councils as part of the $350m programme over the next 18 months.
