28. 5. 97

SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT BY THE

CHAIRMAN OF THE CITY SERVICES COMMITTEE

23. MAIDSTONE ROAD BUS STOPS RR 5344

Officer responsible	Author
City Streets Manager	Chris Kerr, Acting City Streets Manager
Corporate Plan Output: Planning

The purpose of this report is to advise the Council of issues relating to the decision made by the Riccarton/Wigram Community Board regarding the resolution for the placement of bus stops in Maidstone Road.

BACKGROUND

At the April Council meeting the Riccarton/Wigram Community Board was granted a continuation of delegated authority to resolve the position of new bus stops along a section of Maidstone Road. This delegated authority was extended to 7 May 1997, the date of the May meeting of the Community Board

BOARD DECISION

The Area Traffic Engineer for the Riccarton/Wigram area reported back on the extensive door knocking campaign carried out to determine if there were residents happy with having a bus stop outside their property. Agreement was reached on suitable locations at both ends of this section of Maidstone Road but no residents happy to have the bus stops in the central portion were found. Two bus stops were already sited in this area, outside Numbers 204 and 205 Maidstone Road, these had been previously approved by the Board following the initial round of consultation.

The Riccarton/Wigram Community Board confirmed the new bus stop sites at either end of Maidstone Road and determined to remove the bus stops outside Nos 204 and 205 in favour of a `hail and ride' system for this relatively short length of the bus route. This decision was made in reference to a recommendation made by the Canterbury Regional Council's North West Services Working Group:

"That failing confirmation and installation of bus stop locations prior to the commencement date of these services, that they operate as a `hail and ride' service until suitable bus stop locations have been approved and installed."

This recommendation, which is still to be confirmed by the Regional Services Committee, was made in relation to the proposed new services for Waimairi Road, Dovedale Avenue, Solway Avenue and Montclare Avenue rather than the existing service in Maidstone Road. Comment received from the Regional Council's Manager of Passenger Services is attached, this states that it is not feasible to operate `hail and ride' on a bus route which has established bus stops.

DISCUSSION

While it is this Council's responsibility to ensure that bus stops are established at suitable intervals along bus routes, the provision of new bus routes is the responsibility of the Canterbury Regional Council. In the case of Maidstone Road the Council agreed to delegate its authority for the establishment of bus stops in Maidstone Road, a nominated collector route, to the Riccarton/Wigram Community Board.

Considerable effort has been expended to find bus stop sites that met with the agreement of adjacent residents, unfortunately there is a critical length of Maidstone Road where this has not been possible. Clearly the recommendation of the Community Board to remove the bus stops outside Nos 204 and 205 Maidstone Road in favour of a `hail and ride' system was formed based on a misunderstanding of the recommendation of the North West Services Working Group (shown in italics above).

The bus service is operating along Maidstone Road and bus stops at regular intervals along this route are required.

CONCLUSION

To resolve this situation the Council has two obvious options at this time:

1. Put this situation back to the Riccarton/Wigram Community Board for resolution with a recommendation to be reported back to the next Council meeting.

2. Approve the continuation of bus stops outside Number 204 and Number 205 Maidstone Road allowing the bus service to operate properly.

Given the extent of Community Board involvement in the placement of bus stops in Maidstone Road, and the extensive consultation carried out, there would seem to be little point in putting this situation back to the Riccarton/Wigram Community Board as it is unlikely to be able to resolve this situation.

Recommendation: That the Council approve the continuation of bus stops outside Number 204 and Number 205 Maidstone Road.

Chairman's

Recommendation: 1. That the officer's recommendation be adopted.

2. That the necessary procedures be immediately commenced to revoke the delegations of the Riccarton/Wigram Community Board with respect to all matters concerning bus stops and public passenger transport.

3. That a sub-committee of the City Services Committee be established comprising three members thereof and a non-Councillor representative of the Riccarton/Wigram Community Board to deal with the matters referred to in recommendation 2.

CONSIDERED THIS 28TH DAY OF MAY 1997

MAYOR

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