Locals push for new bus shelter

The power of community action is to the fore in Port Chalmers this week, where residents are delighted to see works begin around the replacement of a much-needed bus shelter.

Residents in Magnetic, Fox, Meridian and surrounding streets in Port Chalmers had grown increasingly frustrated after battling for months to get a satisfactory response from local authorities about replacing the bus shelter, which was badly damaged and removed in April.

Having been in contact with West Harbour Community Board about the issue, local residents and bus users Mike Webb and John Innes took their concerns to the public forum of last Wednesday’s board meeting — attended by Otago Regional Council (ORC) regional planning and transport general manager Anita Dawe.

Mr Webb highlighted that the concrete bus shelter at the corner of Magnetic, Fox and Meridian Sts had suffered extensive damage in April when a bus manoeuvring in the tight space had backed into it. The shelter, which had been decorated with a community mural, was subsequently removed.

"Ever since then, we have gone back and forth between the DCC [Dunedin City Council] and the ORC to try and get the situation resolved and a new bus shelter put in — to no avail," Mr Webb told the board.

"The last thing we heard was that it would probably take six to 12 months before we have a new shelter — I don’t see why it should take a year to do a job like that."

There had been talk of road repairs needing to be done around the bus stop site and in nearby streets before the bus shelter could be replaced, he said.

Mr Innes backed up Mr Webb, saying his pleas had also gone nowhere and that glass from the damaged bus shelter had been left on the road for far too long.

"That bus stop is very exposed to the weather and without a shelter, it’s not a pleasant place to wait for a bus," he said.

West Harbour Community Board chairwoman Angela McErlane and deputy chairwoman Kristina Goldsmith said they had been in contact with ORC transport implementation lead Julian Phillips and believed there was good news on the horizon around the bus shelter.

"From speaking with him, we believe that there will be a new bus shelter installed sooner rather than later," Ms McErlane said.

Ms Goldsmith said the community had been outraged by the amount of time it had taken to replace the old shelter — especially as bus users had been exposed to the elements during winter.

After listening to the men’s presentation, Ms Dawe undertook to speak to colleagues about the issue.

Contacted by The Star, Mr Phillips said, as the original bus stop was not repairable, a replacement shelter would be installed at the bus stop site.

"Whilst we can’t provide an exact date, it will be soon," he said.

When The Star met with Mr Webb and Mr Innes at the bus stop on Monday to discuss the issue, their hopes were raised by the sight of a team from contractor Fulton Hogan marking the roads.

And on Tuesday, Mr Innes reported that contractors were on-site, working on the roads.

"I guess it pays to speak up. Sometimes it does help make things happen," he said.

Mr Webb was also pleased to see work on the road getting under way, and hoped that a new bus shelter would quickly follow.

Ms McErlane said the West Harbour Community Board had acted as soon as it was aware the shelter was damaged, contacting both councils to urge a speedy replacement, as the bus stop site was "very exposed".

"We are pleased there will be a replacement shelter soon — it will provide much needed shelter [for bus users]."

brenda.harwood@thestar.co.nz