Otago Regional Council transport implementation lead Julian Phillips was invited to attend the meeting to discuss ongoing efforts to address the gap in school bus services left when Otago Road Services closed late last year.
Since late January, the regional council has extended routes in the city’s public bus network to support pupils left without viable bus services.
Board member Leanne Stenhouse has been acting as liaison between the community and regional council to work through gaps and issues as they arise.
At a meeting on February 17, Mr Phillips thanked Ms Stenhouse for her work around the issue, particularly collecting and collating community feedback on problem sites.
This had been very helpful, as it had taken a lot of work off the regional council’s shoulders and had helped speed up the response, he said.
It had been a difficult situation, as the regional council was trying to modify existing services within the public transport network to cater for children.
After feedback, pupils from the Saddle Hill area would take buses to Kaikorai Valley College, and from there transfer to other buses to complete their journey to other schools, Mr Phillips said..
"It is a movable feast. We are trying to fill the gaps wherever we can. We will keep on looking at where we may need to go in the future."
Broadening the discussion, board member John Moyle pointed out that Green Island had become a busy bus hub, and yet was still waiting for the covered bus shelter that had been mooted six years ago.
Mr Phillips said he believed the regional council intended to work with the Dunedin City Council on relocating the bus stop up the road a bit.
Councillor Jules Radich said he looked forward to a joint meeting between the two councils to discuss local bus services, and was pleased to note the popularity of the services.
Mr Phillips said part of the popularity was that the regional council had been running a $2 flat-fare trial, which had helped to make public transport more attractive to the community.
After board members discussed concerns over maintenance of local reserves and issues with graffiti, board chairman Scott Weatherall said a meeting was needed with council parks and recreation and transportation staff to work through solutions.
Board member Keith McFadyen raised the issue of the closure of the camping ground in Brighton, whose long-term residents had been required to leave by last Friday.
He asked attending council staff member, council property services group manager Anna Nilsen, about developments in the city’s community housing plan, and if something could be done to help former camping ground residents.
Ms Nilsen said the council’s community housing team had re-homed three people from the motor camp and a further six were on the waiting list for housing.
"We don’t have community houses in Brighton, so it is difficult to get people into housing quickly," she said.
Councillors had approved $20 million towards building more community housing, and a range of sites were being considered.
She would be happy to keep the board up to date with progress on community housing, Ms Nilsen said.