Holidaymakers keen on heading to Mercury Bay beach will have an easier, hassle free time this summer season.

Waikato Regional and Thames-Coromandel District councils are teaming up to run a bigger Summer Shuttle bus service, operating from December 27 to January 26, and Waitangi Weekend.

A bigger Shuttle bus service will be operating this summer, from December 27 to Janury 26, and Waitangi Weekend. Photo: File/Aaron Mabey

The introduction of a bigger vehicle follows feedback from a survey of passengers who used the shuttle to travel between Hot Water Beach, Hahei, Cooks Beach and Ferry Landing last year.

WRC public transport operations manager Ben Barlow says it was fantastic to get good feedback from people who hopped on the bus service over last summer.

'About 3000 people travelled on the bus during the month it operated, with 83 per cent of the passengers crossing from Whitianga and using the shuttle to go to the Mercury Bay beaches.

'Hot Water and Hahei beaches were the most popular with people, with 84 per cent of them New Zealanders visiting the peninsula.”

One way fares cost $3 for adults, $2 for children, and $7 for families which includes up to two adults and two children.

The councils say park and ride services also remained extremely popular last summer, carrying about 20,000 people up the hill from Hahei to the start of the Cathedral Cove walking track.

The regional council and TCDC have joined with the Mercury Bay Community Board to provide the park and ride service over December and January, as well as during the Waitangi Weekend.

Mercury Bay Community Board chairperson Paul Kelly says they are pleased to be working with the regional council to provide the shuttle this year.

'We realise we need to look at how we manage the growing number of visitors within this area and that traffic and parking need managing.”

The service helps to ease traffic congestion and parking hassles for Cathedral Cove visitors, plus improves safety for pedestrians and other road users.

It will operate three times an hour, between 10am and 6pm. Return park and ride shuttle fares cost $3 for adults, $2 for children, and $7 for families.

For more information on the services, including detailed timetables, visit www.busit.co.nz or call 0800 4 BUSLINE (0800 4 2875463).