What to do about Cranford St?

Tuesday, 22 October 2024

The Christchurch City Council will make a decision this year whether to continue operating a peak-hour bus lane on a short section of Cranford St.

Christchurch residents are closely divided on whether to keep or axe a rush-hour bus lane on a busy city road.

Hundreds of people have weighed in on the future of an 820m section of Cranford St, between Innes Rd and Berwick St.

The bus lane has been trialled for three years.

A peak hour bus lane has been trialled on the stretch of road since 2021 and now the Christchurch City Council is deciding whether to make it permanent or allow cars to use the lane as well.

The public were asked to rank three options in July.

Submission information recently released by the council, shows 632 people commented on the issue.

About 300 submitters (48%) preferred a clearway, which opens the lane to all vehicles during peak times while 265 people (42%) preferred the bus lane to remain.

About 10% supported a T2 lane, which allows vehicles with more than two people in them to use the lane.

All the options are only to be operated during peak hours - southbound from 7am to 9am and northbound from 4pm to 6pm. Outside of peak hours the lane would revert back to on-street parking.

The work is being done to mitigate the downstream effects of the Northern Corridor motorway, which the council legally has to do following a direction from Environment Court.

Just 24% of submissions came from those living in St Albans and of those 52% ranked the clearway as their first preference. Of the 60% of submissions that came from the rest of the city, 45% ranked the clearway first, compared to 46% who preferred the bus lane.

A bus lane was supported by the National Public Health Service, Environment Canterbury (ECan), St Albans Residents’ Association, St Albans School, Spokes Canterbury and Greater Ōtautahi.

The residents’ association said a bus lane was the safest option and future-proofed the road for moving more people. ECan said it helped ensure buses were able to compete with private vehicles.

Groups in support of a clearway included freight industry group Transporting NZ, the Peebles Group and plumbing and electrical company Clyne and Bennie.

The council was directed by the Environment Court to mitigate the flow-on impacts of the Northern Corridor motorway.

They said a clearway would increase efficiency and reduce congestion as the traffic would be spread across two lanes.

The Waimakariri District Council and the Automobile Association wanted to see the lane become a T2.

The district council said a T2 lane would provide competitive travel times for commuters who chose to rideshare.

The Disabled Persons Assembly favoured either a clearway or T2 and wanted more bus stops added.

The issue will go to the Waipapa Papanui Innes Central Community Board on November 14.

If the board decides to go with a clearway then it does not need council approval. However, if decides on a bus or T2 lane, the decision must be approved by the full council, which is likely to happen in December.

Any changes would be implemented early next year.

Community board chairperson Emma Norrish said she had yet to read all the 632 submissions, so had not yet formed an opinion on the options.

“I’m going into it completely open-minded. I’m keen to hear what people have to say.”

Innes ward councillor Pauline Cotter was also not willing to say which option she preferred, but said she would be paying particular attention to submissions from organisations like ECan.

She said she did not know why the T2 lane was included in consultation because the council did not have the ability to enforce the lane.