Petition to retain bus stop unsuccessful

A petition to retain a Mosgiel bus service stop in Cumberland St has failed, but transferring passengers will be sheltered from the rain at a new central Dunedin bus hub.

That was the outcome of an Otago Regional Council finance and corporate committee meeting yesterday , at which the issues were considered.

Mosgiel resident Lynne Hill is concerned the proposed bus stop change, linked to the planned bus hub, will make it harder for Mosgiel residents visiting Dunedin Hospital for medical appointments.

In March, Mrs Hill presented to the council a petition signed by 180 people, seeking retention of the bus stop near the Centre City New World supermarket in Cumberland St, which was near the hospital.

Mrs Hill said the direct access through the Cumberland St stop enabled her to use the 9am bus to keep a 10am hospital appointment.

However, this stop will no longer be used, and the route will switch to the planned central bus hub in Great King St, near the central police station, when the hub is established later this year.

Recently elected regional councillor Carmen Hope told the committee yesterday she had taken the Mosgiel bus to the Cumberland St stop this week and talked to passengers about the bus stop issue.

Cr Hope appreciated the convenience of the current stop and wanted to ensure that Mosgiel passengers, including people with disabilities, would be adequately protected from bad weather while waiting for a connecting bus at the planned hub.

The committee was assured that transferring passengers would be adequately sheltered.

A report from council corporate services director Nick Donnelly said council staff had considered the matter further, after receiving the petition.

Staff still believed, that even with an extra bus transfer at the hub, ''access to the hospital is improved for all users'', Mr Donnelly wrote.

The report acknowledged that Mosgiel passengers wanting to walk from the bus hub would have to walk further to reach the hospital.

But it was planned to provide a bus stop in the hospital block of Great King St, which would bring bus passengers closer to the hospital than previously.

Councillors said overall efficiency gains would flow from using the hub.

Several councillors were also concerned to ensure the proposed new hospital service worked well, and that any possible further improvements were considered.