Second major route poised to have bus every 10 minutes

Monday, 27 November 2023

One of Christchurch’s major bus routes, the number 7 from Halswell to Queenspark, will switch to a “turn up and go” frequency next year.

It is the third of five core routes in the city set to do so, behind the popular route 3 Airport to Sumner bus, and the Orbiter.

The move, which would require five additional electric buses, came up at Environment Canterbury’s meeting last week as “escalating operating costs” meant extra funding was needed.

ECan agreed to underwrite the cost of ordering the new electric buses and charging infrastructure - about $435,000 to $525,000 per annum, allowing the new timetable to be rolled out next August or September.

ECann could not specify how many years the per annum costs would need to be paid.

Cost increases since the start of the project mean the regional council has approved a further $1.34 million, which they anticipate Waka Kotahi will meet around half of.

Council staff noted Waka Kotahi were unlikely to confirm the funding until August 2024, and voted to approve meeting the full costin order to avoid further delays.

Turn up and go frequency means the bus will come every 10 minutes in peak times (7am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday), every 15 minutes during weekday interpeak (5.30am to 7am and 6.30pm to 11pm) and weekend peak (6am to 8pm), and every 30 minutes on weekends from 8pm to 11pm.

The first stage of the Greater Christchurch Public Transport Futures Bus Improvements programme, approved in 2020, would make all Christchurch’s core routes “turn up and go”.

The previous government chipped in a further $78m in March, which it said would nearly halve the 10-year programme timeframe originally anticipated.