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The Dunedin City Council is considering making changes to the kerb near a bus stop on North Rd.

The bus stop was relocated from in front of the SPCA op shop on North Rd to in front of Filadelfio’s Pizza.

Don Shaw, of North Dunedin, said since the bus stop was relocated it had been more difficult for elderly passengers such as him to alight.

He had observed bus drivers worried about hitting the veranda of the pizza restaurant would not park close to the kerb.

‘‘This driver obviously didn’t want to risk it — it is pretty close.’’

‘‘They won’t come in close to pick up passengers.’’

Instead they would park nearer the middle of the road and passengers have to walk to the bus door.

‘‘Passengers have to get off the footpath and try to get on the bus.’’

Mr Shaw was 80 and, while he was not disabled, he was ‘‘ pretty crippled up with arthritis’’.

‘‘Because the buses can’t ‘kneel’ when they are right out in the middle of the road, I cannot get on the bus — there is no way.’’

‘‘The buses are the big Volvos. They are pretty high.’’

One time when he attempted to get on a bus the only way he was able to board was because two fellow passengers ‘‘picked me up bodily and placed me on the step of the bus’’, he said.

The driver told him there was no way he could come round the corner and straight into the footpath, and people like Mr Shaw would just have to find alternative means of transport.

‘‘What they have got to do is put the bus stop back to where it was,’’ Mr Shaw said.

Dunedin City Council group manager transport Jeanine Benson said the bus stop was moved in response to earlier safety concerns raised by businesses operating in the area.

The council was aware of the access problems and had discussed the issue with Go Bus representatives.

The council was considering options for the kerb to make it easier for buses to access the stop, and would have more information in a couple of weeks, she said.

Otago Regional Council manager transport Garry Maloney said in partnership with Dunedin City Council, Otago Regional Council identified a need to improve a bus stop on North Rd, particularly as a response to accessibility concerns.

The council consulted residents and retailers in the area on the bus stop change and, following this process, worked with the DCC and the bus operators on a solution, culminating in the current location of the stop.

‘‘The buses currently operating on this route are the smaller-sized vehicles, and they are able to fit underneath the veranda.

‘‘However, we understand the close proximity may cause concern for drivers and have already started investigating potential solutions to this,” he said.