The first stage of a new public transport system for Oamaru is under way, but it will rely on national level funding.
Under the new system, bus routes could be implemented or people picked up at their door and delivered to where they need to go.
The Waitaki District Council will apply for funding from the National Land Transport Fund in hopes of implementing the service by May 2025.
"It’s quite challenging because there’s a lot of other districts that also don’t have public transport," she said.
The council has considered a scheduled bus and an on-demand service.
The bus would likely run every hour or two and would be a cheaper option at about $350,000 a year. However, it would be a question of how much usage it would get and what infrastructure was needed.
The on-demand service, similar to "MyWay" in Timaru, would be significantly more expensive at about $1.1 million a year.
That was a more viable option for Oamaru, as it was an on-demand service and people would not have to wait at their local bus stop.
The National Land Transport Fund funding would cover 51% of the costs and the remaining 49% would be funded locally.
If the funding was secured, the 49% would likely be subsidised by regional rates, but other options would be looked at, Cr Linwood said.
The National Land Transport Fund can be applied for every three years and this application would fall under the 2024 to 2027 funding bracket.
Cr Linwood said she hoped to have a decision about the funding by the end of the year.
If the council received funding, it would decide if it would go ahead based on its expense and benefits.
The system may be expensive, but it would provide a benefit to the community, she said.
If funding was secured, the trial period for the public transport would start in May 2025 and run for two years.
Initially Oamaru would be covered but she hoped Weston and Kakanui could be serviced in time, but this would be confirmed after community consultation, Cr Linwood said.
