Another quick transport consultation! Most of you will know that over 1,000 residents signed the petition last year to get a bus service to connect with Meadowbank Train Station.
The petition noted that up to 22 car park spaces may have to make way for the bus stop and turn around. But also that just one bus per hour could deliver many more people, resulting in a net saving of car parks. The wider context of course is that on weekdays 100s of cars are parked along every street all the way to Bonnie Brae and Harapaki Street. More people are using the train each year, and whole lot more are likely to in five years’ time when the CRL opens, bringing Midtown, K Rd and Grafton closer to Meadowbank by train that they are by bus from the Meadowbank Town Centre.
Hence our support for the bus service. And for that matter, our support for better cycling / walking links to the station, not least from Gowing Drive! Besides parking hassles, one of the reasons we think the bus service will be popular for locals is because using the bus to the train station will be free from Meadowbank and St Johns if you also use the train.
Below is AT’s detailed design proposal for the bus stop and turn around. As you can see, the plan is for a bus stop and shelter right at the train station entrance, which we think is great. This makes for the shortest, flattest connection between the bus and train which is important for less able bodies, and allows the bus driver to see the trains on the platform. So buses shouldn’t inadvertently leave the stop just as a train pulls in!
The plans remove 21 car parks. They provide a number of time-restricted spaces for drop-offs and pick-ups, which is not always easy today without using nearby residents’ driveways (hardly ideal). The three car parks on the left hand side of Manapau Road have to go to allow the bus to swing around to the stop. These have been replaced with three new time restricted car parks opposite, at the island with the trees. Thanks to Orakei Local Board rep Carmel Claridge for that particular improvement
But are there any other improvements that you could suggest? Can we squeeze another car park or two back in? Is there the right amount of parks in the pick up zone? Are you concerned about the possible loss of the trees, due to the new footpaths on the island? We think if the tree has to go, then it should be replaced with a new one. Or maybe the whole island could be replanted, saving on mowing costs?
*Closing date is this Monday 21 May 2018*
We haven’t been advised of a specific web page for this consultation, so please use the AT online feedback form: https://at.govt.nz/about-us/contact-us/feedback-form/ Select > “Making a suggestion” About > “Something else” and put “Meadowbank train station bus stop, Purewa Road” at the top of your comments. Or simply add comments on our and we’ll work with the OLB make sure these get to AT.
