Bus stop should be moved to car park, councillors say

A controversial Christchurch bus stop should be moved into a shopping mall car park, two city councillors say.

Crs David East and Yani Johanson told a Christchurch City Council meeting on Thursday that moving the Buckleys Rd bus stop in Linwood – the third busiest in the city – to Eastgate Mall was the safest option. ‘‘They (bus patrons) are safer on Buckleys Rd because people driving by can see them. Where they can’t see them is tucked behind the mall.’’

Residents last year asked the council to move the bus stop on Buckleys Rd in Linwood to the other side of Eastgate Mall.

They were tired of dealing with bus patrons urinating, defecating and littering on their properties. They believed it was unsafe for people to cross the four-laned road to get to the stop. However, the behaviour has reportedly improved lately, according to one resident.

A council report investigating public transport hub options in the area said moving the bus stop would be expensive, divert buses away from core routes and create safety issues for pedestrians and cars using the mall’s car park.

The report recommended upgrading the existing bus stop to provide larger, weather-proofed structures and installing a signalised crossing.

Cr East said the council did not appear to be concerned about the primary safety of people and was quite happy to send them across Buckleys Rd, one of the busiest streets in the city. ‘‘Passenger safety seems to be pushed right down the bottom of the list.’’

Johanson wanted the council to develop an integrated transport plan for the area, before deciding whether or not to move the bus stop. ‘‘The plan should inform, not respond to the works already proposed.’’

The council decided to develop a transport plan, but also asked staff to evaluate the option of upgrading the existing bus stop. Cr Sara Templeton said the proposed signalised crossing would make Buckleys Rd safer for pedestrians.