Three days of free CityLink pre-Xmas cheer this year

Users of Whangarei’s CityLink public transport network can look forward to triple the pre-Christmas cheer this year with a traditional day-long annual free-ride promotion extended to run over three days instead.

Councillor John Bain, who chairs the Northland Regional Transport Committee, says the Northland Regional Council and CityLink operator Ritchies typically team up just before Christmas with a day designed to make the pre-Christmas rush a little more cheerful for passengers.

However, in a bid to spread the goodwill a little further, as well as help ease festive season congestion in the city’s Central Business District this year, people will be able to ride CityLink buses for free over three days instead of the traditional one.

The first free-rides will be offered from 7am to 4pm on Saturday 21 December and then again from 6am to 7pm, on both Monday 23rd and Tuesday 24 December (Christmas Eve).

Councillor Bain says CityLink runs a fleet of 40-seater buses across eight routes in urban areas and typically carries more than 1200 people daily.

“We’re hoping that as many people as possible, not just our regular passengers, will take advantage of the free-ride promotion, enjoy the Christmas spirt and help ease the overall congestion in the CBD at this busy time of year.”

More information about the pre-Christmas promotion is available from the regional council’s Facebook page or the CityLink website 

The website also includes service operating hours up to and over the holiday season.