Bus service’s ‘minor variations’ mean short consultation

AN altered Otago Peninsula bus service has avoided a road block.

At an Otago Regional Council meeting yesterday it was decided that the variations requested in a 960signature petition from the peninsula community were only ‘‘minor variations’’.

This follows legal advice sought by the council.

Therefore only targeted con sultation would be required, rather than a lengthy wider consultation.

The council would consult in a ‘‘timely manner’’, it resolved.

Two weeks ago, the council decided to alter routes on the peninsula in response to community concerns.

The changes are one bus leaving Portobello 10 minutes earlier at 7.47am on weekdays, and the addition of an extra bus at 3.08pm. There would be route variations on these buses to drop children closer to certain schools.

The council will also need to consult the Dunedin City Council and bus operator.

Regional council support services manager Gerard Collings said the council needed to consider the precedent this would set for other schools.

Cr Trevor Kempton said the council could be scoring an ‘‘own goal’’.

Because safety was at the centre of the changes, the council should seek independent safety assessments of the current and proposed services.

Cr Sam Neill said no expert was needed as nearly 1000 people signed a petition saying there were safety issues.

‘‘Why would you need an expert?’’

Cr Bryan Scott said the process came a long way and reached a reasonable outcome.

‘‘It’s just a minor change and the targeted consultation will reflect that. We shouldn’t resurrect the debate of two weeks ago.’’

Concerned peninsula parent Jason Graham said the community would be fine with a targeted approach.

‘‘Hopefully it can be done pretty rapidly so our younger members can begin using them [buses] again.’’