Councils need to work sustainably with locals

AS council elections take place it would be great to see councils engaging with locals to make Dunedin work sustainably, together.

With the Otago Regional Council overseeing both Port of Otago and bus services, I would love to see bus timetables match start times of workers at the port and viceversa, especially as cruise ships return.

As it stands, first buses arrive from the bus hub into Port Chalmers about 10 to 15 minutes after usual work start times during the week, and it is worse on weekends.

If we are encouraging bus use to reduce traffic, parking and environmental concerns, while industries struggle to find staff, wouldn't it make sense for the council to connect its services and workers by a single bus timetable change? Otherwise those who have no transport or access to a vehicle can't logistically make it to work on time, if at all. That reduces the eligible workforce pool to draw from or maximising impact on key areas of the elections . . . environmental, employment, parking and transport? We can't all hitchhike or bike 12km each way to work. But we can work together to help Dunedin.

Caleb Appleton

Andersons Bay

Reunion

IT is proposed to hold a reunion for the 95th anniversary of the RNVR (NZ Division) Otago in June next year. Registrations of interest from ex and current serving members of HMNZS Toroa are requested to forward names and numbers of those wishing to attend to jimdell295@gmail.com or write to: The Secretary RNZNVR Association (Otago), 211 St Andrew St, Dunedin no later than August 31.