Tauranga people will have a new way to travel from next Wednesday with the launch of the Wednesday Challenge Ferry, operating between Omokoroa, Tauranga and Mount Maunganui.

Project Director, Heidi Hughes, says the ferry service is about providing people with another alternative means of travel.

'The Wednesday Challenge is all about encouraging people to reduce the number of times they travel in their car by themselves, opting instead to catch a bus, bike, walk, run or carpool. We wanted to introduce a trial ferry service to add to the mix and it's pleasing to see the response is already very good. Some sailings are already filling up.”

The ferry service will run each Wednesday from September 28 to November 2 between Omokoroa and Tauranga and Tauranga and Mount Maunganui.

'If you live in Omokoroa but work in Tauranga this is a great way to commute to and from work and avoid the traffic congestion,” explains Heidi.

'As well as a 7am ferry from Omokoroa there's also sailings at 11.30am and 2.30pm with convenient return times, making the later sailing times ideal for people wanting to come into the city for meetings, lunch or social engagements.”

The ferry service will also be operating between the Tauranga CBD and Salisbury Wharf at Mount Maunganui with several sailings each way throughout the day.

'Being able to take a ferry from Tauranga to the Mount for a meeting, a social engagement, a walk around or up Mauao or to enjoy some shopping means people can avoid the traffic and road rage that goes with it,” says Heidi.

'With school holidays coming up it makes for a great outing for the family and a different and fun way to travel.”

Early bird tickets are on sale with $15 return fares between Tauranga and Mount Maunganui for adults and $5 for children and $20 return fares between Omokoroa and Tauranga or Mount Maunganui and $15 for children. Passengers can also book to take their bikes on the ferry.

The service is being delivered in partnership with Tauranga Water Transport and Tourism Bay of Plenty and is the latest offering from the Wednesday Challenge. In June this year they launched the Liftango Carpooling APP, allowing registered businesses to sign up their teams so they can carpool to and from work.

'The challenge is an invitation for Tauranga to roll up our sleeves and begin the work we need to do now to solve our own carbon emission issues, while at the same time, resolving some of the issues we have around congestion and safety on our streets,” says Heidi.

'If Tauranga decides to change the way they travel just one day a week, we will be well on the road to addressing one of the biggest challenges of our time. Together we can achieve more than just a token nod to the future of our city, and the fortunes of the generations following behind us.”

The Wednesday Challenge is led by Envirohub Bay of Plenty with funding from Waka Kotahi, Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Tauranga City Council.

For more info go to www.wednesdaychallenge.co.nz