A regional council u-turn on a Papamoa bus route has left users scratching their heads after a number of stops were removed without prior warning, leaving them unaware of where to catch their daily ride.

For the last four years, Paua Cove resident Dave Dickinson has been catching the BayBus Route 33 home from Willow Street, Tauranga through to Papamoa without fuss.

Papamoa resident Dave Dickinson where the former bus stop on Emerald Shores Drive was. Photo: Bruce Barnard.

But on Friday he and fellow bus users were surprised to find recently added bus stops along Golden Sands Drive, Wairakei Avenue and Emerald Shores Drive removed just four months into a Bay of Plenty Regional Council route change.

Last December regional council 'slightly” tweaked Route 33 to include stops on the three Papamoa streets, as opposed to simply running along Papamoa Beach Road and Karewa Parade.

However, regional council confirms it has reverted back to its original route and road markings have been painted over - a move unbeknownst to residents, including Dave.

'There is a woman who I talk to on the bus who gets off outside the Four Square [On Golden Sands Drive],” says Dave, recalling Friday's bus ride.

'She pushed the buzzer like she normally does and the driver goes around the roundabout and doesn't stop.

'She says ‘hey you didn't stop', and he said ‘no, that one's gone now'.

When questioned, the bus driver said he was unaware of why the change had been made and couldn't tell passengers where the alternate stops were.

Dave previously got off the bus on Papamoa Beach Road, by Karewa Parade, before the new route allowed him to get off on Emerald Shore Drive, closer to home.

But with no explanation from the bus service, he was unsure where the new bus stops would be as he hadn't received word from the bus service or the regional council.

'At this stage no one knows anything - not even the bus drivers,” he says.

'Communication to both your drivers and your passengers seems to be a little less than optimal here.”

Regional council's transport policy manager Garry Maloney says based on public feedback, they have made the call to return Route 33 to its original route, which is along Papamoa Beach Road and Karewa Parade.

'We realised today that the existing bus stops have been removed a week early,” says Garry.

'We apologise for any confusion this has caused to passengers and will be working with the bus company to make sure all drivers are informed of the change.”

The change back to the pre-existing route will come into place from next Monday, March 23.

According to a statement on Baybus' website, the bus stops have already been removed by Tauranga City Council.