Media Release
Transit New Zealand
Christchurch Regional Office
Media Release
3 October 2007
Transit seeks public feedback on bus priority measures for Main North Road
Transit New Zealand is asking Belfast and Redwood residents living alongside Main North Road for feedback on planned bus priority measures to encourage the use of buses serving northern Christchurch.
In the last 10 years traffic flows along Main North Road have increased 36 percent, with the resulting congestion slowing buses and affecting service reliability. With the Waimakariri district expected to grow by another 5,000 new households in the next ten years, the problem is only going to get worse.
"If Christchurch traffic continues to grow at its current rate, in ten years' time there will be 12,500 vehicles a day sitting in congested traffic," says Transit Christchurch regional manager Colin Knaggs. "That has serious implications not just for transportation, but also for the environment. One full bus is equal to 40 fewer cars on the road. However, to encourage people to use the bus, we have to provide a reliable service, and bus priority measures would help achieve this."
Transit's plan is detailed in a flyer has been delivered to residents this week. It envisages bus lanes, either permanent or operating only at peak times of the day along Main North Road north of QEII Drive. This would mean reduced street parking where bus lanes are proposed.
"The lanes will make the bus service more reliable by allowing buses to bypass lines of congested traffic, which is especially important in the early morning and late afternoon," says Colin Knaggs. When they are not in operation, the bus lanes could be used for parking.
Other proposed measures would see amended junction layouts, special bus traffic signals called bus gates and better spacing of bus stops.
The bus priority measures proposed by Transit will link in with proposals being considered by Christchurch City Council for south of QEII Drive.
Being at the early stage of investigating this project,
Transit is now asking for public feedback. More information on this
project will be available at Transit's public open days at:
'
Belfast School, 6 October 12-4pm
' St
Bede's College, 9 October 3-7pm.
An exhibition about the plan will also be on display at Northlands Mall from 10-14 October. Information on this project and how to provide feedback can also be viewed at www.transit.govt.nz/planning/buspriority.jsp and www.buspriority.co.nz
Interested parties have until 29 October 2007 to provide feedback on the proposals.
For more information please contact:
Colin Knaggs
Christchurch Regional Manager
Transit New Zealand
Tel 03 366 4455
Mob 0274 953 624
Visit us at www.transit.govt.nz
visit our consultation page