A lack of shelter, pedestrian safety issues and narrow footpaths were some of the concerns raised against current designs of the proposed central-city bus hub.
Hearings began yesterday for the Otago Regional Council's plan to designate the area on Great King St between Moray Pl and St Andrew St as a bus hub, meaning it would not require resource consent for landscaping and structures built for that purpose.
The regional council will need further permission from the Dunedin City Council and other landowners as it does not own any of the land.
The proposal includes 10 bus bays, electronic timetables, public toilets, bike stands and new plantings.
The regional council showed two preliminary designs, one with 11 separate bus shelters, and one with extended canopies built on either side of the road at the Moray Pl end.
Regional Council support services manager Gerard Collings said the latter option would require further New Zealand Transport Authority funding as it added $500,000 to $600,000 to the overall cost. The hub is a key part of a $3 million transport project.
Independent commissioner Gavin Lister questioned whether there was enough thought given to widening the footpath in the design.
''Three metres [minimum] is quite a narrow footpath, isn't it?''
Regional council traffic engineer Andy Lightowler said they were designed that way to ensure the manoeuvrability of buses.
''While bus users need adequate space, buses also need adequate space. I think we've achieved the best we can.''
The designs showed an ''unofficial'' paved street crossing in the middle of the area which was consistent with the ''relatively low-speed'' area, he said.
Dunedin Bus Users Support Group co-president Peter Dowden said it was concerned about pedestrian safety, including walkers likely to be cutting across the road and not following the diagonal crossing at the Moray Pl end of the street.
''What I want you to consider is: does the current design provide for the safety of people?
''I'm quite concerned about this and I want you to know this is a deeply held and heartfelt concern,'' Mr Dowden emphasised.
Canopies should be increased to emulate the amount of shelter provided at the Octagon, he said.
District council urban design team leader Crystal Filep said she did not think the option with separate structures provided enough shelter and recommended investigating extending the canopies in the other design.
The proposal will result in the loss of 38 car parks in that section of the street.
However, district council traffic engineer Andy Carr said there would be other bus stops removed in the city leading to a ''net gain'' of kerb space.
The district council could use those areas to create more car parks, if it wished, he said.
District council consultant transport engineer Ian Clark said he would be surprised if the council would look to create an increase in on-street parking, as its strategy involved decreasing the number of commuters using cars.
The hearing will continue today with more submissions.
