Bus Priority Trial underway on Hills Road

16 November 2006

Christchurch City Council and Environment Canterbury today began a new three-month trial that will see buses given priority on Hills Road.

Two Bus Boarders, which are on Hills Road, extend the footpath out across the parking area so that buses will now stop in the traffic lane, instead of pulling out and then back into the stream of traffic.

The Bus Boarders are being trialled at two bus stops on the west side of Hills Road to assist the number 70 Queenspark bus service.

Bus Boarders are expected to cause little delay to traffic - research shows that that buses stop for an average of ten-fifteen seconds at the trialled stops.

The advantages of the Bus Boarders are quicker entry and exit by passengers, drivers can see passengers more easily, and buses will provide a gap in the traffic flow for cars to enter Hills Road from side streets; the Bus Boarders also mean that cars can’t park illegally on the bus stops.

Bus priority is a key component of the Public Passenger Transport Strategy and is expected to be a prominent in the reviewed strategy due at the Ecan and CCC council tables later this year.

The Queenspark bus route was identified as one of the three busiest in the city, the others being Colombo Street south and Papanui Road. All three corridors will have a variety of bus priority measures in the future to improve bus reliability.

Top of Page ~ Media Release index