Long hop to bus stop for pensioners

John Maslin | 15th March 2010

It's a long way to Tipperary, and Barbara Warwick has no intention of going that far.

But Mrs Warwick wonders why the Horizons bus can't detour a little from its Gonville route and call by the cluster of pensioner flats in Walter Nash Pl once or twice a week at least.

Failing eyesight means she can no longer drive, and getting to bus stops on Koromiko Rd near St Peter's Church or Alma Rd means a walk of several hundred metres in either direction, and that's impossible for her.

She approached the Chronicle after reading a news story about possible changes to the regional council bus services across the city.

Mrs Warwick understands that, realistically, her plea will probably fall on deaf ears, "but it's worth a go".

"The district council has a leaflet out, showing all their rental properties for older people, and it says on the bottom 'bus routes on all complexes'.

"Well this is not true. There's no bus route here and none in Parsons St, and it's the same over in Wanganui East," she said.

Mrs Warwick can't walk very far, and she does have a mobility scooter, but if she needs to get to the central city, she uses the taxis.

"They're half-price taxi fares, but if you're going to town three or four times a week it all mounts up when you're on a pension," she said.

She said some of her neighbours have their own transport, but a good number rely on the bus service.

She said losing her ability to drive was a "real big blow".

"You can't nip and see your friends when you want to, and you can't get into town when you want to. You've got to arrange everything around the transport services."

Mrs Warwick said she didn't want to be seen as a whinger, because elderly people did get some great help from a number of providers - "except from the bus service".

"We're only talking about buses deviating a few hundred yards to get closer to our complex and then only two or three times a week. We're not expecting it every day of the week," she said.

• Horizons' transport committee is looking at a considerable overhaul of ts Wanganui urban services. These will be considered at its May meeting.