Book bus service returning

Dunedin’s mobile library service is to restart at the end of this month, after a new electric book bus is commissioned.

Te Pahi Pukapuka is the first of two electric buses that will replace diesel buses that has been used for the mobile service. It has yet to be repainted in line with its purpose.

Each bus would have more than 2000 books and should help the city achieve carbon-emissions aspirations, Dunedin City Council community services general manager Simon Pickford said.

It had been hoped the mobile service would resume today, but it would restart on January 30 to allow commissioning of the first new vehicle, he said.