The decision follows a consultation with the Waikouaiti Coast Community Board during which they identified what would best suit the community.

The current route 1 service operates from Monday to Friday with three services to city and back, aimed at morning commuters, school students and afternoon commuters. The service goes through Waitati, Karitane and Waikouaiti.

“The community will be extremely happy,” said Waikouaiti Coast Community Board chair, Alasdair Morrison.

“There has been no weekend or evening service for towns north of Dunedin.

“It allows people to take their kids to Saturday sport, do a spot of shopping and be home for lunch. It also means we can go out in town to the movies or the stadium and get the later bus back.”

Doug Rodgers, Transport Manager, said, “The Palmerston community have been actively engaged in developing a solution that works for them and we are pleased to be able to help them out.”

Services are normally co-funded by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and ORC, but the new weekend service will be funded by ORC only. It will depart Palmerston early on both days with four services on Saturday and two on Sunday, following the same route.

Detail on the service and timetable will be posted on ORC website once an implementation timeline is agreed.