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FENDALTON/WAIMAIRI COMMUNITY BOARD
AVONHEAD BUS ROUTES/BUS STOPS
Report of a meeting held between Waimairi Ward Members and local residents on Wednesday 19 February 1997 at 7.30 pm in the Board Room, Fendalton Service Centre
PRESENT: Councillor Margaret Murray (Chairman), Graham Catley, Cheryl Colley, Pat Harrow, Hazel Tait
ALSO PRESENT: Councillor Diana Shand, Canterbury Regional Council
IN ATTENDANCE: Peter Dow (Acting Community Manager), George Hadley (Traffic Engineer), Wayne Holton-Jeffreys (Passenger Services Manager, Canterbury Regional Council), Delis Aston (Passenger Transport Operations Planner, Canterbury Regional Council)
30 local residents from Withells Road, Merrin Street and Kedleston Drive
1. AVONHEAD BUS SERVICES
At its meeting on 4 February 1997 the Fendalton/Waimairi Community Board received from residents a petition to the Canterbury Regional Council expressing opposition to the use of Withells Road as part of the new Merrin bus route and to the consultation procedures used by that Council. The Board was also addressed by several Withells Road residents concerned about the positioning of several bus stops on Withells Road to service the route.
In response to the expressions of concern, the Board decided that the Waimairi Ward Members host a further meeting with local residents to address the matters raised in a more direct way.
At the commencement of the meeting it was explained that this meeting offered an opportunity to review the consultation arrangements used by the Regional Council and to identify ways in which this process might be improved upon. It was further explained that the Board, on behalf of the Council, had a responsibility to review the matter of bus stop locations particularly with regard to those proposed to be provided in Withells Road.
From the resulting discussions the following key issues were raised for further consideration and/or action:
1. Consultation
The consultation measures used to inform the community about the proposed changes were strongly criticised and challenged. More active involvement by the Board in tandem with the Regional Council was suggested as a means of improving the consultation arrangements in future bus service reviews.
2. Demand for the New Services
The Regional Council's Passenger Services Manager provided an overview of the service changes and an explanation was given of the assessment and selection undertaken to identify the preferred routes.
Residents sought further information as to the justification for the proposed services.
The residents reiterated that the bus services using the intended routes were not wanted and that any legal ramifications arising from this position would be for the appropriate authorities to assess. Consideration also needed to be given to exploring the possibility of changing the routes to other streets.
3. Safety
A number of safety concerns were restated in relation to the use of the routes with particular emphasis being given to the safety issues associated with the use of the Merrin Street/Withells Road roundabout.
Views were expressed that Kedleston Drive was totally unsuitable as a bus route given the configuration of the road.
Safety aspects regarding the placement of bus stops needed to also be assessed.
4. Feedback
Given that the above factors were likely to be pursued by way of submissions to the Canterbury Regional Council's Resource Services Committee on 26 February 1997, the residents called for a further meeting to be arranged in order that the outcomes of that Committee's considerations could be advised.
A number of the residents present indicated a wish to address the Regional Council's Resource Services Committee meeting and an indication was given that the Fendalton/Waimairi Community Board also wanted to address that Committee.
A petition from residents of Kedleston Drive opposing the proposed bus service along their street was handed to Regional Council officers for consideration by that Council.
At the conclusion of the meeting, it was unanimously agreed that the concerns raised by the residents of Kedleston Drive and Withells Road be conveyed to the Canterbury Regional Council for its urgent and legal consideration.
In declaring the meeting closed Councillor Murray thanked the residents for their attendance and contributions and confirmed that a follow up meeting would be arranged in the near future.
The meeting concluded at 8.55 pm.