New bus shelters set the standard

Andrew Hensley (left), a City Council public transport planner, with shelter installer Keith Walters (of Auckland), as a new shelter is erected in Cashmere Road.

They’re green and cream, shiny, clean, modern and especially for bus passengers.

The City Council decided in 1998, under its public passenger transport strategy, to improve the type of bus shelters. To do this it has a contract with Adshel NZ Ltd to provide modern shelters for Christchurch bus passengers.

It is planned to have 500 modern bus shelters in the city by 2005 to meet growing numbers of passengers.

At present there are more than 300 shelters, of which Adshel provided 107. However, the majority of the Council shelters are the older, red type and many of them will be replaced over the next five years because of their age and because they are increasingly costly to maintain.

Adshel will install another 120 shelters over the next three years so that the Council can reach its target of 500.

The company installs the shelters at no cost to the Council. They are financed by the advertisements displayed at one end of the shelters.

Andrew Hensley, Council public transport planner, says the provision of the shelters is an example of the Council and the private sector working together for the good of the community.

"Good-quality shelters are being provided at no cost to ratepayers."

The steel and plastic shelters, which are lit at night, have a clear glass panel at the end, facing traffic, so that passengers can see the approach of buses, and advertisements are placed at the other end.