Free shuttle proposed for central Christchurch - ‘like calling an Uber to cross the street’

Friday, 23 May 2025

A plan to resurrect a free inner city shuttle in Christchurch could be stopped by the regional council, which is questioning how 1800 bus movements in the central city every weekday is not enough.

A law change in 2023 meant Environment Canterbury - which operated the region’s public transport - got the final say, city council staff told councillors at council budget workshop on Thursday.

If ECan decided the shuttle competed too much with existing bus routes, it was possible $200,000 earmarked for background work would lead nowhere.

The shuttle study was one of several special items the council recently got public feedback on as part of its annual plan process, and 58% of submitters were in favour.

Inspired by the pre-earthquake yellow bus - which, unlike other forms of public transport, was operated by the city council and free for users - the shuttle would drive people around the central business district. The exact route and number of stops would be figured out later.

While more than half of submitters supported it, some like the Central City Business Association called it a “nostalgic trip” and “like calling an Uber to cross the street” when speaking to councillors in April, arguing the CBD was compact and walkable.

Cr Yani Johanson was also sceptical about the study in the Thursday workshop, saying the old shuttle operated before there were “hundreds and hundreds” of buses travelling through the city centre

Cr Andrei Moore asked if the shuttle would set a precedent, suggesting the council should consider shuttles in Aranui and Halswell, or suburbs which had no bus services.

Mayor Phil Mauger had done his own research, telling colleagues the council could buy a second hand bus for $185,000 plus GST, which he would rather spend the budget on.

Councillors agreed in principle to progress the idea and discuss it further next week.

In a verbal submission to the plan in April, regional councillor Joe Davies said his council wanted to understand what problem the council was trying to solve with the shuttle - the city had changed since the earthquakes and there were now 1800 buses moving through it every weekday.

ECan would need to decide if it would pose too much competition to existing services, he said. However, if city councillors continued to push for it, regional councillors could look at it too, rather than letting a council officer alone make the decision, he said.

Davies told The Press on Thursday this was still his opinion.

When approached for comment, ECan referred The Press to its written submission in March, which questioned if the shuttle was required.

“Given funding constraints for our mutual ratepayers and the country, it’s important we stick to delivering what we’ve already committed to through PT [public transport] Futures.”

Councillors also agreed to progress work on the $5 million grant to the Air Force Museum of New Zealand on Thursday.

The idea was popular among submitters, but Cr Sara Templeton said the Government had since announced $12 billion in funding for the New Zealand Defence Force.

Cr Mark Peters - who also sits on the Air Force Museum trust board - said the board hoped to not need ratepayer funds, but having $5m available could attract other sources of funding.

He told his colleagues “it wouldn’t be the end of the world” if councillors decided to defer the grant until the next annual plan, but pointed out how much value the museum offered the city.