Tauranga needs billions, not tens or hundreds of millions, in funding dollars to get its public transport network moving into the 21st century, says a coalition of local community groups.

Twenty groups have backed a $3 billion action plan for a congestion-free public transport network in Tauranga within the next decade.

The Tauranga Transport Alignment Project (TTAP) was developed by the Sustainable Business Network and other groups. It was modelled on the $28b Auckland Transport Alignment Project (ATAP).

Free buses for all children, commuter ferries in the harbour, passenger rail, rapid transport buses, ridesharing and cycleways all feature in the plan, which has a goal to make public transport faster and cheaper than cars at peak times for most people.

The groups have leaned on the Tauranga City Council and the Bay of Plenty Regional Council to fast-track major public and alternative transport projects, urging them to apply for bigger shares of the transport funding offered by the coalition Government.

But as councils sit down to refine their transport priorities this month, some plan advocates were worried reactionary plans for quick congestion fixes would trump bold planning for future of the network as a whole.

Plan spokesman Glen Crowther said the “demotion” of new Tauranga bus services to number 12 on the overall funding priority list in the Bay of Plenty Regional Land Transport Plan last week was concerning.

He believed it should be near the top of the list – which will inform central government funding decisions – alongside safety improvements to State Highway 2.

The council had received more than 800 pro-public transport submissions to back that up, he said.

The 20 groups supporting the plan include the Tauranga Chamber of Commerce.

To read the full Bay of Plenty Times article, click here.