Public transport in Invercargill
Encyclopedia
Public transport
in Invercargill
, New Zealand
is mainly by bus
. An unusual feature is the provision of some zero-fare bus services.
told a conference of New Zealand's Disabled Persons Assembly in October 2002 that Invercargill had an innovative approach to public transport, and that he hoped in future that all buses in Invercargill would be free and accessible.
provides the following suburban services under contract
to the Invercargill City Council.
s during peak hours but are zero-fare from 9.00am-2.30pm (to 2.15pm on the Purple Circle) Monday to Friday and 9.00am-3.00pm on Saturdays.
Many of the routes to or from the city provide either a direct route or a route via the adjacent suburb. Passengers are advised to watch for and signal buses travelling in either direction: "flag it down, it will bring you to town."
and shuttle van
.
City Council specifies, tenders, subsidises
and contract
s with bus operators for provision of public transport in Invercargill. Passenger Transport Ltd currently holds this contract.
in 1867 until the cancellation of the final service in 1967, passenger trains operated between Invercargill and Bluff
for commuters and school children. In 1950, seven trains ran each way on the average weekday, with eight on Fridays, five on Saturdays, and one on Sundays. By 1967, only one train ran each way on weekdays for the benefit of school children, and due to being unviable, it was cancelled.
system in the world. Construction began in January 1911 and two lines of 4' 8.5" (1,435 mm) standard gauge
track were opened on 26 March 1912, one to Waikiwi and one to Georgetown. Later that year, two more lines opened, one to North Invercargill and one to South Invercargill; the latter was the southernmost electrified street tram line in the world and ran to Tramway Road. In practice, the network operated as two routes: Route A between Georgetown and Waikiwi and Route B between North and South Invercargill.
The Waikiwi line closed in 1947, though a portion remained in operation until 1951. The Georgetown route was closed on 2 July 1951, but the portion to Rugby Park Stadium
remained open until August 1951. The South Invercargill line was next to close, on 31 May 1952, and the system's final route, to North Invercargill, ceased operations on 10 September 1952.
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
in Invercargill
Invercargill
Invercargill is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. It lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains on the Oreti or New River some 18 km north of Bluff,...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
is mainly by bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
. An unusual feature is the provision of some zero-fare bus services.
Zero-fare services
The Mayor of Invercargill, Tim ShadboltTim Shadbolt
Timothy Richard "Tim" Shadbolt is a New Zealand politician. He is the Mayor of Invercargill and was previously Mayor of Waitemata City.-Early life:...
told a conference of New Zealand's Disabled Persons Assembly in October 2002 that Invercargill had an innovative approach to public transport, and that he hoped in future that all buses in Invercargill would be free and accessible.
- The Freebie is a zero-fare loop service in the inner city.
- All other suburban bus services operate zero-fare during off-peak hours
Bus routes
Passenger TransportPassenger Transport (New Zealand)
Invercargill Passenger Transport Ltd is a bus company which operates public transport routes and school transport services in Dunedin and Invercargill and leisure and tourism transport services throughout New Zealand.-Public transport services:Passenger Transport operates almost all public...
provides the following suburban services under contract
Contract
A contract is an agreement entered into by two parties or more with the intention of creating a legal obligation, which may have elements in writing. Contracts can be made orally. The remedy for breach of contract can be "damages" or compensation of money. In equity, the remedy can be specific...
to the Invercargill City Council.
Zero-fare route
- Freebie Bus Service (inner city loop) – operates 10.00am-2.30pm, Monday to Saturday
Partly zero-fare routes
These services incur fareFare
A fare is the fee paid by a passenger allowing him or her to make use of a public transport system: rail, bus, taxi, etc. In the case of air transport, the term airfare is often used.-Uses:...
s during peak hours but are zero-fare from 9.00am-2.30pm (to 2.15pm on the Purple Circle) Monday to Friday and 9.00am-3.00pm on Saturdays.
- Purple Circle - North (suburban loop)
- Purple Circle - South (suburban loop)
- City to Heidelberg/Newfield to City
- City to Newfield/Heidelberg to City
- City to Clarendon/Clifton to City
- City to Rosedale/Windsor to City
- City to Clifton/Clarendon to City
- City to Windsor/Rosedale to City
- City to Kingswell/Kingswell to City
- City to Waverley/Hawthorndale to City
- City to Waikiwi/Waikiwi to City
- City to Hawthorndale/Waverley to City
Many of the routes to or from the city provide either a direct route or a route via the adjacent suburb. Passengers are advised to watch for and signal buses travelling in either direction: "flag it down, it will bring you to town."
Airport transport
The Airport is only 3 km from the centre of the city and transport is mainly by taxiTaxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
and shuttle van
Share taxi
A share taxi is a mode of transport that falls between taxis and conventional buses. These informal vehicles for hire are found throughout the world. They are smaller than buses, and usually take passengers on a fixed or semi-fixed route without timetables, usually leaving when all seats are filled...
.
Organising public transport in Invercargill
The InvercargillInvercargill
Invercargill is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. It lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains on the Oreti or New River some 18 km north of Bluff,...
City Council specifies, tenders, subsidises
Subsidy
A subsidy is an assistance paid to a business or economic sector. Most subsidies are made by the government to producers or distributors in an industry to prevent the decline of that industry or an increase in the prices of its products or simply to encourage it to hire more labor A subsidy (also...
and contract
Contract
A contract is an agreement entered into by two parties or more with the intention of creating a legal obligation, which may have elements in writing. Contracts can be made orally. The remedy for breach of contract can be "damages" or compensation of money. In equity, the remedy can be specific...
s with bus operators for provision of public transport in Invercargill. Passenger Transport Ltd currently holds this contract.
Trains
From the opening of the Bluff BranchBluff Branch
The Bluff Branch is a railway line in Southland, New Zealand that links Invercargill with the port of Bluff. One of the first railways in New Zealand, it opened in 1867 and is still operating...
in 1867 until the cancellation of the final service in 1967, passenger trains operated between Invercargill and Bluff
Bluff, New Zealand
Bluff is a town and seaport in the Southland region, on the southern coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is the southern-most town in New Zealand and, despite Slope Point being further to the south, is colloquially used to refer to the southern extremity of the country...
for commuters and school children. In 1950, seven trains ran each way on the average weekday, with eight on Fridays, five on Saturdays, and one on Sundays. By 1967, only one train ran each way on weekdays for the benefit of school children, and due to being unviable, it was cancelled.
Trams
Invercargill formerly had the southernmost tramTram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
system in the world. Construction began in January 1911 and two lines of 4' 8.5" (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
track were opened on 26 March 1912, one to Waikiwi and one to Georgetown. Later that year, two more lines opened, one to North Invercargill and one to South Invercargill; the latter was the southernmost electrified street tram line in the world and ran to Tramway Road. In practice, the network operated as two routes: Route A between Georgetown and Waikiwi and Route B between North and South Invercargill.
The Waikiwi line closed in 1947, though a portion remained in operation until 1951. The Georgetown route was closed on 2 July 1951, but the portion to Rugby Park Stadium
Rugby Park Stadium
Rugby Park Stadium is a rugby union venue and home ground for ITM Cup team Southland. Rugby Park Stadium is located on the corner of Elles Road and Tweed Street in Invercargill. It has a capacity of 20,000, although in former incarnations has accommodated up to 30,000 in the 1960s before the...
remained open until August 1951. The South Invercargill line was next to close, on 31 May 1952, and the system's final route, to North Invercargill, ceased operations on 10 September 1952.