Transport options  |  12 May 2021

Improvements are coming for the 1400 passengers a day who board buses near the Eastgate Shopping Centre in Linwood.

Contractors are about to start work on creating an improved public transport hub on Buckleys Road.

“The Buckleys Road public transport hub is one of the busiest in Christchurch, with about 470 buses using the bus stops daily,’’ says Christchurch City Council Transport Planning and Delivery Manager Lynette Ellis.

“As part of our ongoing commitment to improving public transport facilities around the city, we are going to make changes to the road layout so that it is easier and safer for people to access these bus stops.

“We’re going to group all the bus stops together and we’re going to install a new, signalised pedestrian crossing so that it is easier and safer for people to get across Buckleys Road, which is a very busy road.

“We will also be installing new improved bus shelters and creating a more pleasant space for people waiting for buses,’’ Ms Ellis says.

To enable all these changes to happen, Norwich Street will be turned into a cul-de-sac. This will be one of the first changes to happen.

“We’ve had issues in the past with buses blocking people’s driveways, but the changes we are making should reduce the likelihood of that happening,’’ Ms Ellis says.

The transport hub improvements are likely to take about four months to complete. The contractors will be carrying out some of the work at night when there is less traffic around.

“Buses will be running to their normal timetables during the construction period but the location of some of the bus stops may change so if you are catching a bus at Eastgate, please allow a little extra time for your journey,’’ Ms Ellis says.