New Express service great news for Hawke’s Bay Hospital

A fast new 40-minute express commuter bus service is great news for Hawke’s Bay Hospital staff and visitors.

The new commuter service linking Napier, Taradale, Hawke’s Bay Hospital and Hastings has just been launched.

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Transport Coordinator John Adams says the express service will be particularly useful for hospital staff wanting to take the bus to and from work, as well as Napier people heading to Hawke’s Bay Hospital for an appointment.

Hastings resident Liz Trelor caught the bus to and from a recent outpatient appointment and says the service was fantastic.

“I just wouldn’t dream of coming in by car again when it can be so hard to find parking. It was just so easy to get on and off the bus,” says Liz Trelor.

Meanwhile, Hawke’s Bay District Health Board (HBDHB) social worker, Mark Hooper lives in Pirimai and takes the bus his work at the hospital.

“Catching the bus is good, because it gives me a 10-minute walk to the bus stop, so it’s good exercise every morning and it’s only 35 minutes from the bus stop into work. I’ve found it’s a lot cheaper than having a second car as well,” says Mark Hooper.

“It’s very convenient for me. I can catch one of three buses in a morning that gets me to work on time.”

GoBay has worked closely with HBDHB to ensure the service works for workers and visitors and fits well with its Go Well programme encouraging people to consider trying a healthy, environmentally sustainable mode of transport to get to the hospital.

Hawke’s Bay District Health Board Chief Operating Officer, Sharron Mason, said the new timetable was a great start to its Go Well initiative.

“Staff are excited about the new express services because they are timed to meet the needs of shift workers at the hospital,” said Mrs Mason.

“Equally we’d like to thank the regional council for introducing a timetable that complements not just shift workers, but helps to better service outpatients and visitors to the hospital – all of which works towards our goal of alleviating parking issues.”

Mrs Mason said the new bus timetable was one of many initiatives that the DHB had been working on to ensure staff and visitors had more choice on how they travelled to and from the hospital in the future.

4 November 2016

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