There is an increase in bus passengers in Tauranga on the back of rising petrol prices.
Environment Bay of Plenty senior transport planner Emlyn Hatch says while patronage has been on a continual growth since July 2009, last month's figures was a new peak.

'I feel this can be attributed to rising fuel prices and also because we offer a frequent, reliable service,” says Emlyn.
'Last November, we held free Saturday buses and patronage went through the roof with 155,000 users for the month. With the figures for last month (March) we have seen 154,000 people, beating the peak by 4,000.”
Petrol has been steadily increasing since March and is currently $2.18/litre for Unleaded 91 – matching the peak price in July 2008 of $2.19/litre.
Emlyn says the urban Rotorua bus service has also shown promising numbers, with 85,000 using the bus in March.
One of the biggest routes is from Mount Maunganui to the Tauranga CBD and onto Greerton, which now carries approximately 35,000 people a month. Papamoa to the CBD, Welcome Bay and the Bay of Plenty polytechnic are also the other most popular routes.
Emlyn says with the recent increase in bus users consultation is underway to explore the possibility of expansion.
'My colleague and I have been working and are currently looking at adding extra buses, due to the increase of these three or four routes, which now have people standing. So we are looking at where we can make savings, reinvest to expand.”
According to the Bay Bus website, the current cash fare for an Adult Cityticket is $2.60 and an Adult Papamoa East to the city is $3.20. A cash fare Cityticket for a child aged five to 15, a Supergold card holder and a student, can travel for $1.60.
Emlyn says despite the rising petrol costs 'we have no plans for a fare rise in the future for the Tauranga area”.