Sweeping transport changes

A proposal to make significant changes to Canterbury’s public transport network has survived public consultation largely unscathed.

The public put in 726 submissions and 8944 ‘‘quick polls’’ on the draft Regional Public Transport Plan, which was finalised by the Regional Public Transport Committee after minor changes.

It will be in front of the Environment Canterbury (ECan) council for final sign-off on December 13.

The plan proposes sweeping changes for the region’s public transport network, to be brought in over the next 30 years. They include:

❚ More bus routes, including four new core routes (Lyttelton to the airport, Lincoln to New Brighton, Wigram to Prestons and Belfast to Cashmere) running every 15 minutes.

❚ More frequent services, with the five current core routes (Halswell to Queenspark, Hornby to New Brighton, Sumner to Avonhead, Belfast to Barrington, and the Orbiter) running every 10 minutes.

❚ Rapid transit corridors to and from the north and southwest of the city. This may or may not be light rail, dependent on how technology develops.

❚ An emission-free fleet by 2030.

❚ A central city shuttle trial. The plan is seen as necessary to cope with a projected population growth of 150,000 people across Greater Canterbury over the next 30 years.

Questions remain over where the money to make it a reality will come from. Work has begun on a business case to justify to the Government why it should invest, to be completed in the next three years.

The plan estimates between

$150 million and $240m of infrastructure investment (which is funded by the Christchurch City Council and NZ Transport Agency) will be needed in the next 10 years.

Public feedback on the plan was largely positive, with nearly

550 agreeing with the plan and less than 100 disagreeing.

Major themes from the feedback included a call for light rail, longer hours for bus services, a commitment to bus priority lanes, support for the central city shuttle and support for transitioning to zeroemissions vehicles.

ECan chair Steve Lowndes said a high level of engagement with youth was pleasing.

‘‘We had 71 submissions from young people, reflecting their sense of ownership and desire for a future focused public transport system.’’