A petition requesting a weekly bus service between Mataura and Gore will be passed on to the Mataura Community Board.
The petition, signed by 38 people, was part of the Gore District Council agenda last week.
A report prepared by council chief executive Stephen Parry was tabled at the meeting.
Mr Parry said it was not the first time a bus service had been suggested.
"The concept of a community bus service running between Mataura and Gore was first mooted and tried by the Mataura Community Board around 2005. The bus service was ultimately cancelled due to low patronage and fees being considered too high.
A further study was commissioned in 2009 and found the need could be met with a service operated by volunteers or contracted to a bus company.
While either option could have received at least 50% government funding a new service was not started.
Before it could be decided what role, if any, the council should have in a potential bus service it was important to find out what demand there was for the service and what cost potential passengers were prepared to pay.
During the discussion, Cr Robert McKenzie asked if the bus service did not work in the past why would it work now.
"I know fuel costs have gone up and so has the cost of running a service."
Cr Andy Fraser asked if any Mataura residents had approached the community board about a bus service.
Mataura Community Board chairwoman Nicky Coates said no-one had discussed the matter with her.
"I’ve had residents come to me asking me for a cycle trail between Mataura and Gore.
"They want a safe route."
She believed a bus service was a council decision, rather than a community board one.
"We don’t have the funds; we don’t have the power to implement a bus or a van."
There were agencies including Hokonui Runanga that provided transport between the two towns she said.
Cr Neville Phillips said there was no reason why the topic could not be put on the board’s agenda.
