DCC backs peninsula bus plea

THE Dunedin City Council has thrown its support behind parents fighting for changes to the bus services on Otago Peninsula and is also asking the Otago Regional Council for an equal role in the running of the city’s buses.

After failing to gain any traction with the regional council, a group of dissatisfied parents and residents from Otago Peninsula turned to the city council for support for a public bus route that better serves school pupils living on the peninsula.

At a full meeting of the city council yesterday, councillors voted 11 to 3 on a motion which called on the regional council to accommodate the community’s request for minor route and scheduling changes on the peninsula and to acknowledge the concern of the community.

Crs Lee Vandervis, Doug Hall and Mike Lord voted against the motion.

Cr Aaron Hawkins said while the city council did not have any authority to make changes to the bus system it did have a responsibility to advocate on behalf of its ratepayers.

‘‘It’s disappointing the regional council aren’t more interested in even considering a review of this service until all the network changes were rolled out and the bus hub completed, when ever that might be.’’

But Cr Vandervis said he was disappointed in the ‘‘extreme arrogance’’ shown by those councillors who supported the motion, in telling the regional council what to do.

‘‘Imagine how we would react if the regional council told us what to do with our councilrun car parking buildings.’’

Earlier, councillors also voted to ask the regional council to consider the establishment of a joint committee of three city councillors and three regional councillors to govern public transport in Dunedin.

Cr Kate Wilson suggested the addition to the council’s submission on the regional council’s longterm plan as a way for the city council to take a much more active role in the city’s public transport system.

Cr Jim O’Malley said a similar model worked in Christchurch and would be a good step in Dunedin.

If it worked, there might be no need for the city council to go further with any plans to take a greater role in the city’s public transport, he said.

The resolution was carried, with only Cr Vandervis voting against it.

During the public forum section of the meeting, Otago Peninsula Community Board chairman Paul Pope and parent Jason Graham presented their case for making changes to the bus service.

When asked by Cr O’Malley if he supported the city council taking a more active role in the running of the buses, Mr Pope said the community did not care who ran the buses as long as it was done well.

The pair were supported by a packed public gallery who cheered and applauded them once their submission had ended.