Public transport in Christchurch

Metro
Locale New Zealand
Service area Christchurch
Service type Bus services
Fuel type Diesel, biodiesel
Operator Red Bus Ltd
Go Bus Christchurch
Black Cat Ltd[1]
Website metroinfo.org.nz
Metrocard issued by Environment Canterbury for use on Metro services
MetroSticki (mobile version) issued by Environment Canterbury for use on Metro services

Public transport in Christchurch, New Zealand consists of bus services operated by two bus companies (who win a renewable tender process) supported by a ferry, all jointly marketed as Metro.

Overview

Since deregulation of the urban bus market in 1991 the Canterbury Regional Council (now branded Environment Canterbury) has taken responsibility for the tendering, planning and administration of public transport in Christchurch. Over the course of that time improvements and changes have shaped the predominantly bus based public transport system including the introduction of services such as the Orbiter. Originally branded as CanRide this was replaced in 2003 with the introduction of the Metro brand and the eventual Metrocard.

Ticketing and fares are, with some exceptions, standard across the city's network. The electronic Metrocard provides a discount off regular fares. Students receive a discount, and senior citizens travel free on off-peak services (9:00am to 2:30pm and after 6:30pm weekdays, all day weekends).

'Real-time' bus arrival times are displayed on electronic displays at bus stops, online and mobile (cellphone) WAP.

The 2011 earthquake resulted in significant changes to the Metro bus network with the two key changes. The first change was the removal and or reorganization of many routes due to road damage along routes or reduced patronage. The second change occurred in December 2012 with the shift of the bus network from a radial network to a hub and spoke model network. This resulted in many services being localized to hubs with connecting core services into the Central City and Cross Town.

Operations

The local bus service is marketed as Metro and designed, specified, put out to tender and subsidised by Environment Canterbury. All bus operators are required to display the required external Metro branding to vehicles under contract to Ecan.

Christchurch City Council provides roading infrastructure and street furniture such as signs and seats and regulates parking at bus stops, and is also owner of Red Bus Ltd through its holding company Christchurch City Holdings. The city council previously funded the zero-fare The Shuttle service which ended after the 2011 earthquake.

The city council provided the previous central city Bus Exchange in November 2000 which was damaged and closed after the 2011 earthquake. The previous Bus Exchange in the city centre served as the chief bus interchange point and passenger hub for the Metro network. The Exchange had attracted interest from other worldwide city authorities investigating how to improve their bus services. Since the Bus Exchange opened in 2000, the number of people using the bus service has doubled.

After two separate temporary central city facilities on the outer fringes of the CBD bus services shifted to the new Central Station back on Lichfield street which serves as a longer term temporary city bus stop.

The Christchurch City Council also provides bus lanes which operational during peak commuting hours on some routes. The routes have been controversial with some business owners concerned at the loss of parking from outside their businesses during the lanes operational times, but the lanes have improved bus travel times, schedule adherence and have resulted in an increase in passenger numbers.

Vehicle safety standards are regulated by the New Zealand Transport Agency.

Bus services

The new Central Station replaced the two temporary bus exchanges which had replaced the city's damaged Bus Xchange. The new exchange is located between Lichfield Street and Tuam Street and will operate for up to two years.

On 8 December 2014, a new bus network was launched. There are now five colour-coded frequent bus routes (the Metro Lines), plus cross-city routes and suburban routes.

The following services are operated under the Metro brand.

Metro Lines

# Route Name Start Major destinations End Timetable Notes
Or Orbiter Eastgate Mall St Martins, Princess Margaret Hospital, Barrington Mall, Riccarton Mall, Canterbury University, Northlands Mall, The Palms Mall Eastgate Mall
B Blue Line Princess Margaret Hospital Sydenham Shops, Central Station, Bealey Ave, Northlands Mall, Belfast, Kaiapoi Rangiora
Every other service Belfast to Rangiora
P Purple Line Airport Avonhead Mall, Canterbury University, Riccarton Mall, Chch Hospital, Central Station, CPIT, Ferrymead Shops Sumner
Y Yellow Line Rolleston Templeton, Hornby Hub, Church Corner, Riccarton Mall, Chch Hospital, Central Station, Fitzgerald Ave, Eastgate Mall New Brighton
Every other service Rolleston to Hornby
O Orange Line Halswell Addington, Chch Hospital, Central Station, The Palms Mall, Burwood Hospital Queenspark

Cross-city services

# Route Name Start Major destinations End Timetable Notes
17 Bryndwr to Hunstbury Sheffield Crescent Sir William Pickering Dr, Rossall St/Leinster Road, Park Tce, Central Station, Moorhouse Ave, Waltham, St Martins Huntsbury
28 Papanui to Lyttelton & Rapaki Papanui Northlands Mall, Cranford Street, Edgeware, Central Station, Sydenham Shops, Opawa, Heathcote, Lyttelton Rapaki
Limited service Lyttelton to Rapaki
29 Airport to City via Fendalton Central Station Fendalton Airport
44 Shirley Dallington The Palms Mall, Shirley, Warrington St Shops Central Station
60 Hillmorton to Southshore Aidanfield Hillmorton, Barrington Mall, Chch Hospital, Central Station, The Palms Mall, Travis Rd, New Brighton Southshore
80 Lincoln to Parklands Lincoln University Lincoln Town, Prebbleton, Riccarton Mall, Chch Hospital, Central Station, Eastgate Mall Parklands
95 Waiuku and Pegasus Waiuku Beach Pegasus, Woodend, Kaiapoi, Belfast, Northlands, Bealey Ave, Central Station CPIT

Suburban routes

# Route Name Start Major destinations End Timetable Notes
100 Wigram to The Palms Halswell Wigram, Church Corner, Canterbury University, Riccarton Mall, Merivale Mall The Palms Mall
107 Styx Mill to Northlands Northwood Supa Centa Northwood, Willowbank Wildlife Reserve, Styx Mill, Veitches Road Northlands Mall
108 Casebrook to Northlands Mall Northwood Regents Park, Casebrook, Sawyers Arms Road Northlands Mall
120 Burnside to Spreydon Sheffield Crescent Burnside, Canterbury University, Riccarton Mall, Addington, Spreydon Barrington Mall
125 Redwood to Westlake Redwood Northlands Mall, Bishpdale Mall, Airport, Avonhead Mall, Hornby Hub, Westlake Halswell
130 Hei Hei to Avonhead Hornby Hub Heihei, Church Corner, Riccarton Mall, Canterbury University, Avonhead Mall Burnside High School
135 Burwood Hospital to New Brighton Marshland Burwood Hospital, Beach Rd/Bower Ave New Brighton
140 Russley to Mt Pleasant Hornby Hub Russley, Church Corner, Westfield Riccarton, Moorhouse Ave, Eastgate Mall, Ferrymead Shops Mt Pleasant
145 Westmorland to Eastgate Westmorland Barrington Mall, St Martin Shops Eastgate Mall
150 The Palms to Spencerville The Palms Mall Marshland Spencerville
535 Lyttelton Eastgate Link Lyttelton Ferrymead Shops Eastgate Mall
820 Burnham to Lincoln Burnham Izone Business Park, Rolleston, Springston, Lincoln University Lincoln
951 Kaiapoi to Pegasus Pegasus Woodend, Kaiapoi Central Kaiapoi High School
952 Kaiapoi to Waiuku Waikuku Beach Woodend, Kaiapoi Central Kaiapoi High School

Key


Metro Bus Network Map (Oversimplified)
Metro Route Operators Map
Metro Route Bikes On Buses Map

Bikes on buses

Sportworks double bicycle carrier mounted on a Redbus

Christchurch was the first place in New Zealand where bikes were carried on suburban buses. The trial started in November 2007 on the 35 route to Heathcote.[2] Bike racks on buses are provided on many routes now. Other towns have now followed the example, including Hawkes Bay,[3] Taupo[4] and Nelson.[5]

Other transport services

Taxis

There are a variety of taxi operators active in Christchurch. Operations are regulated by the New Zealand Transport Agency.

Airport transport

Christchurch International Airport is served by buses and shuttle vans.

Diamond Harbour ferry

A ferry connects the suburb of Lyttelton to Diamond Harbour, a settlement on the opposite side of Lyttelton Harbour. Ferries first began crossing Lyttelton Harbour in 1888. The ferry is operated by Black Cat Ltd.

Christchurch Tramway

Christchurch Brill Tram No 178 on the heritage tramway

Christchurch Tramway Ltd operates a one-way tram circuit of the central city. This is mainly marketed as a tourist attraction, but is available to local commuters with an annual season ticket. Trams were originally introduced to Christchurch in 1905, ceased operating in 1954,[6] and returned to the newly built inner city loop in 1995, mainly as a tourist attraction.

Preliminary investigation into light rail options for Christchurch have begun. Investigating options and protecting possible routes is an action point in the City Council's "A City for People Action Plan" (approved in 2010). The new Transport Interchange is being designed to accommodate a future light rail network.

Heavy rail

Commuter rail service was discontinued in the 1970s, while long distance rail travel (by KiwiRail Scenic) has been scaled back to just the Coastal Pacific and TranzAlpine services, which depart from an architecturally controversial station in Riccarton.

Cultural references

Christchurch's public transport system served as backdrop for Tim Veling's 2006 book "Red Bus Diary", in which the author toured the city on public buses and compiled the stories of the people he met.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.metroinfo.org.nz/about_us.html Transport operators
  2. ↑ "Bike-carrying racks on more bus routes from November". Christchurch: Environment Canterbury. 2009-01-29. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  3. ↑ Hawkes Bay Today Sep 11, 2012
  4. ↑ Taupo bus timetable.
  5. ↑ Nelson Mail 8/03/2012
  6. ↑ A Wheel on Each Corner, The History of the IPENZ Transportation Group 1956-2006 - Douglass, Malcolm; IPENZ Transportation Group, 2006, Page 12

External links