Buses too big to turn on some city streets

IN support of your correspondent Murray Hanan (ODT, 5.7.17) about the big, empty buses, I would like to add some recent observations of the difficulties caused by the oversized buses using the Dunedin streets that were designed and set out before vehicles of the size of the monsters using them now.

I was behind a bus turning into Moray Pl from George St and it took light changes before it, and I, could make the turn. Further along Moray Pl, before making the turn to go past First Church, the bus took a wide turn, taking up half of the road (luckily there was no traffic turning left from Burlington St or there would have been a collision).

This was, it appeared, to avoid wiping out the motorcycles in their parking spot on the turn sited there. Other examples of the buses being too big are seen at the left turn at Cargills Corner, where it is a choice of either the awning on the corner or cars stopped in the right turn lane to be taken out.

I am sure there are other places where turning gives problems, too. As your correspondent suggests, why can’t the ORC see there is a problem? Maybe the traffic manager should follow one or two of their buses and see for themselves, rather than driving their desk. The hub in Great King St sounds good, but the routes to get there need closer scrutiny if the same buses have to arrive there. Thomas Milne

St Clair [Otago Regional Council manager support services Gerard Collings replies: ‘‘We’ve undertaken detailed analysis of the intersections that will serve the bus hub, and identified recommendations for revisions that are being worked through with DCC staff at the moment. Intersection layout and light phase changes have been considered to enable these intersections work to well for buses, motorists, cyclists and pedestrians. This includes a revised intersection layout at Cargills Corner.’’]