Changes can be made to hub in future, ORC says

The Otago Regional Council has defended criticisms of its central-city bus hub proposal and staff say the facility could adapt over time to mirror changes in public transport.

The regional council recently submitted its right of reply regarding its proposed facility in Great King St, between Moray Pl and St Andrew St.

Hearings for the application ended on October 25.

Preliminary designs show 10 bus bays on that street, electronic timetables, public toilets, bike stands and new plantings.

One of the designs, which included separate shaded structures for waiting passengers, was especially criticised for not providing adequate shelter.

Regional council support services manager Gerard Collings said the level of shelter would depend on the amount of funding it could secure, but more could always be installed in the future if needed.

"As public transport develops in the future it is imperative that the hub is able to be adapted to meet service and demand changes."

Another common criticism from submitters was parts of the footpath in current designs were too narrow.

On behalf of the regional council, urban designer Emily Cambridge said their widths, which were a minimum of 2.5m, were sufficient given the predicted level of pedestrian activity.

"Footpath width is extended at crossing paths to enable better safety and visibility for pedestrians."

Although bright pavement patterns were removed from the designs, other ways of bringing colour to the hub would be investigated.

The design provided enhanced lighting, new structures and furniture which would "provide amenity" for bus passengers, she said.

Some submitters were concerned the diagonal crossing at the Moray Pl end of the street would encourage pedestrians to unsafely jaywalk.

Regional council traffic engineer Andy Lightowler said this crossing could potentially be realigned, but care needed to be taken not to bring it too close to  a nearby bus bay.

Doing so would save the pedestrian less than 5 seconds, he said.

A suggested pedestrian path through the Dunedin Community House grounds was not practical as it would further reduce the building’s car park by four to six parks, he said.

The hub is being created as part of a wider effort to simplify and improve the city’s bus network. The area was chosen partly because of its central-city location and its ability to potentially ease traffic congestion on main streets.