Bus Routes Proposals
Interim improvements planned
GW transport planners are working to improve the
reliability of the current Churton Park timetable as an interim
solution prior to the two new routes coming into operation in 2017.
The objective of the minor changes is to ensure that more buses
arrive at their destination on time, which will then allow more buses
to start their subsequent trips on time.
Significant timetable changes are not anticipated, but it is more about working with the operator on the dead running of buses, and adding time into the timetable where it is needed to address late running. We look forward with interest to these improvements which are scheduled to be implemented in February 2016. Work is also under way to finalise the location of new bus stops and shelters on the new routes. The locations have to be safe from a traffic point of view. Greater Wellington are discussing the locations with affected property owners. CPCA were given the opportunity to comment on the locations proposed. When the new stop locations are finalised more information will be provided. |
Bus route recommendation goes to Council
The ongoing saga of the Churton Park bus service passed a significant milestone when the report detailing the proposed routes was presented to Greater Wellington Regional Council on 25 February. This is the outcome of the community surveys, workshops and community consultations. The final proposal is a modification of Option C detailed in the consultation brochure. This includes a 30 minute service all day to and from the CBD through the centre of the suburb and extending into Stebbings valley, supplemented by a 30 minute loop service to Johnsonville, extending further west into Churton Park. This supplementary service will run to and from the CBD in the peak periods. There will be additional services on both routes in peak periods. Your Association representatives made strong representations on the earlier proposals at the GW political level, and gained some concessions over coverage and bus frequencies. The following links will take you to the appropriate GW reports. This link goes to the overall report. Note that the section relating to Churton Park commences on Page 12. http://www.gw.govt.nz/assets/council-reports/Report_PDFs/2015.63.pdf This link goes to the detailed Churton Park consultation report. http://www.gw.govt.nz/assets/council-reports/Report_PDFs/2015.63a3.pdf Following the adoption of the routes, your
Association representatives will be requesting GW that they be fully
involved in reviewing the actual timetables and location of bus
stops. The new routes and timetables are scheduled to come into operation in 2017
In addition we will be continue to pressurise GW to make provision for the buses which connect Johnsonville with Tawa, Kenepuru Hospital, Whitireia Polytech and Porirua also service the Churton Park Village.
The Association would like to thank all who made submissions on the consultation proposals. The number of submissions received by GW indicated to them the importance of this issue to the residents of Churton Park.
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Have your say on options for bus routes
GWRC have recently delivered a brochure to all residents which outlines three options for changed bus routes in Churton Park. Responses must be made by 21 December 2014http://www.gw.govt.nz/have-your-say-on-options-for-churton-park-bus-routes/ Responses can be made using the on line form, or emails detailing your views can be sent directly to ptreview@gw.govt.nz Your committee will continue to press GWRC to withhold a final decision on future bus routes until an analysis of other possible options, including the current route and timetable has been undertaken. We would welcome feedback from the community. Emails should be sent to secretary@churtonpark.org.nz Judith AitkenEmail: judith.aitken@gw.govt.nz
Paul BruceEmail: paul.bruce@gw.govt.nz Chris LaidlawEmail: chris.laidlaw@gw.govt.nz
Sue KedgleyEmail: sue.kedgley@gw.govt.nz Fran Wilde (Chair)Email: fran.wilde@gw.govt.nz |
Bus route community consultation
The following information has been received from GWRC on Monday 5 October 2014 Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) is seeking volunteers from the Churton Park community who regularly use the local bus service. We’d like these volunteers to work with us to help come up with route options for the bus service in Churton Park. GWRC will be running a two-part workshop for these community volunteers on the evenings of 22 and 29 October. As a basis, previous community feedback will be used to initiate discussions at the workshops. The aim of the workshops will be to come up with options, which can then be used for consultation later this year, with the wider community in Churton Park. A decision on the preferred option for future bus services is planned by the end of this year/early next year, so preparations can be made to go out to tender for services by the end of 2015/early 2016, with services commencing mid-2017. To engage and gain volunteers we will have newspaper advertisements in the local media, information flyers given out on the local bus service and posters at some local bus stops. For your information we have attached a copy of the flyer which will be distributed to Route 54 bus customers. If you are interested in volunteering and attending the workshop you can register at http://www.gw.govt.nz/churton-park-registration/ by 13 October . We’re looking for 30 volunteers who reflect the different aspects of the local community and you must be available to attend both sessions. Should we have more than 30 volunteers we will then select volunteers based on location and use of services in order to ensure we have a good range of volunteers from across the community and their differing needs |
Time extension for submissions on GW Key Questions and suggested bus routes
Response to GWRC Key Questions
CPCA response to Key Questions raised by GWRC at meeting held on Tuesday 6 May 2014 in relation to the Churton Park bus service
Yes. Feedback from the community clearly indicates they see this as an important factor. People need to be on time for appointments etc. Lack of reliability forces people get an earlier bus to ensure they are on time as they cannot risk the bus that should get them to their destination on schedule being late. Similarly, having to transfer at a hub increases the risk of missing engagements.
Several alternatives present themselves and we would like to discuss these with GWRC in a meeting in June or July. CPCA and residents strongly believe it is time to introduce two services into Churton Park so as to maximise coverage, including the rapidly developing area to the north in Stebbings Valley. Routes chosen must be able to be modified or extended to allow for changing residential patterns and to avoid dead running if developments are slower than forecast. It is acknowledged that adoption of a two-route service may have minor budgetary implications but now is the time to make the necessary investment in Churton Park as part of the stated desire for development of the “northern corridor”.
There is some demand locally for this, and, whilst not large at the moment, it is likely to grow with the development of sections and facilities. We believe access to the Johnsonville shopping area is more important to the majority because of the large range of services available in Johnsonville which is the closest large centre outside the Wellington CBD.
This will vary according to the individual – for example, an averagely fit person may take five minutes to reach their nearest stop, whereas a senior citizen may take twice as long. The overriding principle should be that no-one will be worse off than they are currently, whether for off- or on-peak services.
A regular service is important. Frequency no less than present should be the aim. This is a rather unclear question as the two factors of route and frequency are quite separate issues. A viewpoint will be very much driven by an individual’s location so an all-encompassing response is somewhat impractical. This matter is allied to route selection and CPCA would like this aspect to be included in the discussions per (2) above.
Travel time is an issue for many peak time users. There needs to be greater clarity around what constitutes “peak time”. Traffic and bus volumes through the Golden Mile at peak hours should be extended to include Thorndon Quay. The introduction of evening express services, perhaps departing from Brandon Street, could be a suitable solution to the issue of passengers not being able to board at north Lambton Quay and the Station due to full bus issues. Morning peak express services could bypass the Johnsonville hub and save anything up to ten minutes on the travel time. 7, 8, 9 To/from, frequency of use, Street you live on. These do not apply at Association level. 10. Contact name and e-mail address. Churton Park Community Association c/- Richard Taylor (President) rh_mjtaylor@xtra.co.nz |