Public transport woes for Canterbury's big growth areas

Otago Daily Times

21-05-2025

Environment Canterbury is working to increase the bus frequency of its core routes. Photo: David Hill / North Canterbury News
It is back to the drawing board for proposed bus services in the Selwyn district as Environment Canterbury struggles with growing demand and limited funds, chairperson Craig Pauling says.
Residents have expressed the need for more public transport in housing growth areas, including Selwyn in Canterbury, but submissions to ECan's 2025/26 annual plan indicated Selwyn residents did not want to pay the proposed targeted rate for it.
Meanwhile, nearly $1 billion of Government transport funds has been allocated to a single project, the Woodend Bypass, while just $220m was allocated to public transport.
The council also has been under pressure from NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi to increase bus fares, amid a growing demand and a reduction in public transport funding in the 2024/27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP).
ECan confirmed last month it will increase the standard adult fare from $2 to $3 in the Greater Christchurch area from July 1.
Child and youth fares, and charges for community service and total mobility card holders will also increase.
In the annual plan, ECan proposed moving to a two-zone or three-zone fare structure from February next year.
Under the proposal, Waimakariri bus users would pay $3 to travel within the Waimakariri district and $4 to travel into Christchurch.
Deon Swiggs (left) and Craig Pauling. Photo: David Hill / North Canterbury News
The third zone, if adopted, would apply in the Selwyn district to support population growth.
Environment Canterbury is proposing an average rates rise of 9.9%.
The regional council is due to resume its annual plan deliberations on Tuesday, May 27, after receiving more than 740 submissions.
The Selwyn District Council received a large number of submissions in last year's Long Term Plan calling for more bus services.
But Pauling said without Government funding, it is difficult for the council to fund an extension of bus services to Darfield, Kirwee and West Melton.
With Selwyn residents not keen on paying increased targeted rates to establish a third zone, the council will need to look at other option.
There is also interest in extending services to Ashburton and Amberley.
Before NZTA Waka Kotahi funding could be approved, ECan needed to provide a business case, which could include a trial, and this took time and money.
The 2024/27 NLTP allocated $1.8 billion to the Canterbury region, around 5% of the nationwide budget, even though Canterbury is around 13% of the population.
The inclusion of proposed housing developments in Waimakariri and Selwyn in the Government's Fast-track Approvals Act could pose a headache for ECan, if these are approved, deputy chairperson Deon Swiggs said.
Several proposed developments, such as Ohoka, near Kaiapoi, were outside the designated urban areas in the Greater Christchurch Spatial Plan, which was adopted last year.
''When you get out of sync development, we don't have the planning in place to respond,'' Swiggs said.
Bus patronage has returned to pre-earthquake levels, but ECan is struggling to rebuild its bus fleet.
Electric buses have been added to the core routes, including the Orbiter, number 3 (Airport to Sumner) and number 7 (Queenspark to Halswell) bus routes to increase bus frequency.
ECan is proposing to invest in the number 1 (Rangiora to Cashmere) and number 5 (Rolleston to New Brighton) bus routes, if it gets support from NZTA.
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.