4 August 2023
David Palmer
By email: [FYI request #23460 email]
Dear David
Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (“LGOIMA”):
Request for Information
I refer to your email dated 10 July 2023 requesting information and consideration of
late-night Metro services during weekends.
Environment Canterbury regularly receives requests for additional services, both within
and beyond the times our service currently covers. These include requests from shift
workers (particularly hospital nurses and medical staff) whose jobs commence or end
just beyond the current hours of operation of our services.
We take these requests, along with the one you’ve presented, seriously. Our chal enge
lies in carefully weighing the demand for new services against what the community can
afford.
Subsidised scheduled bus services are provided within Christchurch to service the
basic needs of the public. They concentrate on travel to and from employment,
education, retail opportunities and access to critical services such as health care.
The current hours of operation are limited to between 6am and 11pm, when most
demand is highest. The current public transport network provides a hierarchy of
services from more frequent (10-15 minute) all day services to less frequent connector
and cross-town links.
Christchurch has previously had late-night Metro services, and these have had mixed
results due to the difficulties in providing and maintaining appropriate standards of
vehicle cleanliness, as well as safety and security for our staff and passengers. As a
result, these services have been discontinued.
There are currently several commercial solutions that cater for late evening/early
morning transport. These include taxi services, Uber, and bike/e-scooter hire schemes.
The Christchurch Public Transport Futures Business Case identifies future priorities to
significantly increase service levels and patronage. This will involve additional expense
to Greater Christchurch ratepayers to cover the service level upgrades. The business
case did propose considering on-demand transport to cover the period not serviced by
the current network. This proposal did not meet the investment criteria in the business
case and did not progress to the shortlist of proposals for future investment.
There will be an opportunity for the community to comment on the PT Futures
investment programme when the Regional Public Transport Plan is reviewed later this
year or early 2024. I would encourage you to participate in this process and submit
your suggestion at this time.
File Number: GOVE/INQU/OMBU/2586C – Palmer
You will be aware that if you are not satisfied with this response, you are able to refer
this matter to the Office of the Ombudsman under s27 (3) of the Local Government
Official Information and Meetings Act 1987.
Should you require any further information or clarification, please do not hesitate to
contact [ECAN request email] in the first instance.
Yours sincerely,
Giles Southwell
Director Corporate Services
File Number: GOVE/INQU/OMBU/2586C – Palmer
