DCC considers bus station in Octagon

Turning the central carriageway of the Octagon into a bus station is one of six options the Dunedin City Council is being asked to investigate.

The council working party set up to review the city's parking policies also examined the issue of bus stops in the central business district and the six options are part of its report to tomorrow's extraordinary council meeting.

Party chairman Syd Brown told the Otago Daily Times this week the two major public transport "pinch points" were the bus stops in Princes St, between Moray Pl and the Octagon, and the bus stops in George St, between Frederick and Albany Sts.

The party's bus stop subgroup met Otago Regional Council staff and two bus operators before reaching the conclusion that "there is no simple solution" to the issues surrounding the bus stops. It recommended the status quo remain while further investigations were undertaken "into traffic flows in the main street and in relation to the alleged tensions between buses and other users".

It also recommended the council authorise an "overspend" so the investigation could be started "immediately".

In addition to the six options listed in the party's report (see fact box), the party also considered relocating the Princes St bus stops to the Octagon, in front of the theatres, but Mr Brown said "the disadvantages outweighed the advantages" and more evaluation was required.

One option (option 5) would see kerb "protrusions" in each block of the main street where buses would load and unload passengers while motorists waited.

Mr Brown said this would give priority to buses and slow "the progression of the whole main street flow".

The working party's report suggested option 5 would "eliminate bus stop space and increase parking"; have a minimal effect on passenger transport; and improve the amenity value of the area as traffic was discouraged from using the main street as a through route. Also, the cost would be low.

The working party considered turning the central carriageway of the Octagon into a bus station (option 1) would provide parking in the block south of the Octagon; have a minimal impact on passenger transport; detract from the amenity of the Octagon as the outer carriageways became a roundabout; and be expensive to build.

The idea of a transfer station north of the Octagon (option 3) would also be expensive but "could ease" the flow of passenger transport.

Creating a "high-frequency core route" through the main street (option 4) would reduce bus stop space and increase parking; be "likely to discourage use" of buses because of the need to transfer; and improve the amenity of the main street with a reduced number of buses. The cost would be high because of the need to build transfer stations at either end of the main street.

Options involving a "core route" service through the main street might make use of electric buses.

Mr Brown said an investigation, if approved by the council, could also look at other options.

BUS STOP OPTIONS
Options suggested by the Dunedin City Council's parking review working party.-

1. Relocate Princes St bus stops to the central carriageway of the Octagon.

2. Relocate the northbound bus stop to the Octagon central carriageway.

3. Construct a bus transfer station north of the Octagon in the Moray Pl-Great King St area.

4. Consider a "high-frequency core route" through the main street with transfer points at either end.

5. Remove all bus stops between Frederick St and Moray Pl south and have the bus stop in the "through lane".

6. Have a high-quality and high-frequency core route through the main street, with all other routes using a transfer centre in Great King St between Moray Pl and the Centre City Mall.

- mark.price@odt.co.nz [2]