Central bus hub dialogue 'crucial'

Dunedin bus users support group co-president Alex King stands near the likely site of a proposed...
Dunedin bus users support group co-president Alex King stands near the likely site of a proposed central city bus hub, in Great King St. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH
It is "crucial'' that Dunedin's bus users are fully consulted on details of a central bus hub, being proposed for a busy block in Great King St.

That comment came yesterday from Alex King, co-president of a Dunedin bus users support group, also called Bus Go.

The users group and interested members of the public visited the proposed bus hub area, near the Dunedin central police station, yesterday.

They then visited a bus stop which the group believes is the city's busiest, outside Farmers department store in George St, to see how a busy bus stop operated, and then held a meeting at the Dunedin City Library.

Mr King said about a dozen members of the public attended the meeting.

The Otago Regional Council has proposed developing a central city bus hub as part of a vision of a swifter, more direct, and more popular bus service.

Mr King acknowledged there had been some delays in sharing details of the proposed hub.

Yesterday's meeting had been constructive, and there had been no criticism of the ORC over delays in unveiling design proposals.

But it was crucial that bus users were fully consulted over bus hub plans.

People discussing the proposed hub yesterday supported the idea of having a warm room where people could wait for a bus.

Asked if there were any security concerns about waiting at a bus hub late at night, given reported violent incidents at a taxi rank in the Octagon, Mr King said it had been suggested having a security guard present at the hub between 8pm and the last bus service at midnight.

Mr King believed there would be fewer problems at the bus hub than in the Octagon, but supported the security guard idea.

ORC support services manager Gerard Collings said the preferred provider for the bus hub development had recently been finalised, and he would be reporting further to an ORC meeting next week.

Bus hub details were being further developed and bus users would have a chance for "input'' into the proposed design, he said yesterday.

john.gibb@odt.co.nz

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