Bus change riles elderly patients
AT’s ‘attractive route’ leaves frail seniors struggling
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AHuckland’s elderly say that Auckland Transport (AT) is “dumping” them on the roadside when they go for medical treatment at Greenlane Clinical Centre.
The axing of a bus service into the clinical centre has angered residents at Selwyn Village in Pt Chevalier and in Mt Roskill at the other end of the cross-town route.
Their annoyance is over AT’s decision to no longer take patients into the clinical area, but drop them at a bus stop outside the hospital gates on one of the city’s busiest roads.
It follows concerns by students, parents and schools about the axing of school bus services as part of new bus networks across the city.
AT is standing its ground, producing figures showing just 5 per cent of trips from Selwyn Village were to the clinical centre in April, May and June this year and that most passengers now had a trip quicker by up to five minutes.
Selwyn Village resident Hugh Dyson said the elderly in various stages of disability, many of whom used walkers, were “dumped” on Green Lane West, had to cross the road and weave their way to the clinic.
He has written to Mayor Phil Goff, councillors and Seniors Advisory Panel chairwoman Janet Clews asking if they are serious about the goal of joining the World Health Organisation’s “Global Network for Age-Friendly Cities”.
The 83-year-old said he relied on buses to get to and from the clinic several times a year, and many needed the “agefriendly” service.
“You have to have this unfortunate decision put into the trash bin where it belongs and reinstate the bus service into Greenlane clinical area,” the letter said.
Selwyn Village resident Lesley Dunne says it will be a “hell of a walk” taking husband, Peter Dunne, 80, to the clinical centre by bus. He has suffered heart attacks and strokes and can barely breathe, she said.
“I am fast finding the attitude to this issue is nothing less than abuse, to expect those unwell and in need, literally dumped on the main road,” Dunne said in a letter to AT this month.
Selwyn Village independent residents’ committee chairman Russell Warren said there was a lot of indignation and resentment.
Glen Innes resident Ailsa Martin-Buss said she and her husband, both 86, frail, and needing walking frames, now had to catch two buses, then faced a long walk.
“Instead of going to that trouble we decided to get a taxi last week, costing us about $40 both ways, even with a mobility card,” she said.
An AT spokesman said the intention was to make the new 650 bus service an attractive route.
By not venturing into the clinical centre grounds, buses avoided turning at lights, waiting for an entry barrier to lift, driving around a carpark and repeating to leave.
Goff is on holiday and unavailable for comment.