Buses travelling in the Western Bay will become more frequent, when the new Western Bay Tauranga network is rolled out on December 10.

An extra Bayhopper service has been added each weekday morning for those wanting to get into the Tauranga CBD from the Hamurana Shops in Omokoroa.

Services to Tauranga will depart from Hamurana Shops at 7.05am, 9.30am and 4.20pm. Services to Omokoroa will depart from Willow Street at 7.55am, 2am, and 5.10pm.

Buses can be caught a further three times during the day from Omokoroa Road near State Highway 2 into the city.

Extra Bayhopper services have been added on weekdays to provide six return trips a day for those wanting to get into the Tauranga CBD from Katikati.

Services will depart from Katikati at 7am, 8.50am, 10.50am, 12.50am, 2.47pm, and 4.25pm. Services will depart from Willow Street in Tauranga at 7.53am, 9.50am, 11.50am, 1.50pm, 3.40pm and 5.15pm.

Each trip will travel past the Moore Park ‘park and ride' on Middlebrook Drive, making this an ideal place to leave your car for the day.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council Public Transport committee chairman Lyall Thurston says the new Western Bay network has been designed to provide maximum flexibility for people, moving away from a CBD focused network.

'We hope these changes give people more travel options,” says Lyall.

'They've been based on input from the community and will address some of the issues people experienced with the old network. The bus driving the route will be fitted with free Wi-Fi and a lowered floor.”

An additional change to the services will be the discontinuation of the Saturday service from December 8.

Passengers wishing to access Tauranga Hospital will need to let their driver know when they get on the bus in Katikati.

They will be able to change to a Hospital Link or route 55 service in the CBD to get to the hospital, with no additional charge.

They will also receive a free ride ticket, which can be used on a Hospital Link or route 55 service to return from Tauranga Hospital to Tauranga CBD.

Bus fares from Katikati to Tauranga CBD is $8.20 per adult, or $4.90 for a concession fare.

Bus fares from Omokoroa to Tauranga CBD is $4.40 per adult, or $2.60 for a concession fare.

Travel is free for SuperGold cardholders between 9am – 3pm. Using a Smartride card will give an additional 20 percent discount off these fares.

Bus fares from Katikati to Tauranga Hospital remains at $8.80/$5.30.

For timetable details, visit www.baybus.co.nz