Have your say on public transport in Canterbury

Environment Canterbury are currently asking for feedback on the Regional Public Transport Plan (RPTP) for 2025-35. The RPTP lays out the goals ECan has in mind for public transport in Canterbury over the coming years. ECan provides public transport (buses and ferries) in Christchurch, so it is really important that Christchurch residents submit to the plan to let them know what you want to see going forward. For the most part, this is a “business as usual” plan with no big surprises, but even so we support the plan for the most part, and we think you should too.

Firstly, make sure you take a look at the submission guide ECan has put together on their website to get an idea of what we’re talking about: https://haveyoursay.ecan.govt.nz/regional-public-transport-plan

There you will also find a link to the submission survey, which should only take about 10 minutes. 

We've spoken with Environment Canterbury about the plan and in general we support it. It aligns with the PT Futures programme, and we think it's a step in the right direction for Christchurch.

We think you should say yes when asked if you support the plan, and yes when asked if you support their vision statement for public transport. We believe PT is a critical tool for allowing our city to grow sustainably. Therefore, we believe their vision statement for PT that it provides a safe, frequent, seamless, low emission transport option is correct.

Pets on Buses

We’re supportive of the proposal to allow pets on buses. We have been assured by ECan that they have done a good job of understanding and solving the challenges this could create. They have been consulting with allergy experts and animal experts, as well as other councils where similar initiatives have been picked up. Ultimately, it will make our buses a more equitable service for those of us with furry friends. If you have concerns, the survey gives you plenty of opportunity to raise them.

Accessibility

Our position is that on some routes, bus stops are too frequent. Having too many bus stops reduces the efficiency of the network, by causing buses to stop more frequently. This creates a negative customer experience by slowing down travel by bus relative to the private car, and this in turn reduces rider-ship. We would like to see a review of bus stops—and bus routes more generally—to make sure that the network is properly normalised. This is a conversation that needs to happen in concert with the Christchurch City Council, as they own and administer bus stops.

Other things to think about

• Do you want to see heavy passenger rail kept on the agenda? We do too. Currently, there is no mention of heavy passenger rail in the draft plan. So if you think we should be considering passenger rail as a transport solution for the Canterbury region, let the council know in your submission.
• The draft plan gives Environment Canterbury some wiggle room when it comes to acquiring zero-emission buses. We think they should commit to buying only zero-emission buses in the future. We'd like to see our entire bus network served by zero-emission buses by 2035. If you want to see the council draw a hard line in the sand and commit to no more fossil fuels, let them know in your submission.
• We like the re-focusing to high frequency major route corridors in the plan. We think this will improve the speed and reliability of the network, and that will get more people onto buses in the future. If you agree, please mention that in your submission.
• At the moment, bus services stop at around midnight. We're keen to see buses running overnight to support inner-city hospitality venues, as well as shift workers who might need to start at odd hours. If you'd like to see the council take a closer look at bus service times, let them know.
• The plan mentions creating more special services to support major events, such as cruise ship visits, or concerts that will be happening at the soon-to-open Te Kaha stadium in the central city. If you think this is a good idea, make sure to show some support in your submission.