The short-term temporary bus stop on the Andersons Bay causeway was created following a recent public meeting with Otago Regional Council representatives, at which parents and school staff said the previous bus stops by the boat sheds were in a dangerous location.
They said pupils had to cross the road on a blind corner to walk on the footpath along Portobello Rd, and then cross again near the busy Shore St intersection, to get to Bayfield High School.
Bayfield principal Judith Forbes said two senior pupils had nearly been hit by vehicles at the bus stops in separate instances already this year.
The DCC worked with the ORC to create a new and safer temporary stop on the causeway, which began operating last week.
However, many residents using Portobello Rd complained the new temporary stop blocked traffic flows on the road.
DCC transport group manager Richard Saunders said a new medium-term bus stop would be established on the corner of Marne St and Portobello Rd within the next three weeks.
Mrs Forbes was pleased with the location of the new bus stop because it would replace the temporary bus stop on the Andersons Bay causeway, and it would make it safer for pupils to cross Marne St and walk along the causeway to Shore St.
"That will have the morning situation sorted as far as a bus stop goes, which isn't going to hold up the traffic too much.''
However, she was unhappy about the DCC's suggestion pupils could catch the after-school bus outside the Vauxhall Yacht Club.
"I'm very, very concerned about that, because of where they would have to cross Portobello Rd.''
She said she would prefer the stop to be nearer the corner of Portobello Rd and Portsmouth Dr, because it had better visibility for pupils crossing the road.
She believed a better long-term solution would be to redesign the intersection of Shore St, Portobello Rd and Portsmouth Dr, possibly with traffic lights, which could include a bus stop and make crossing the road safer.
Mr Saunders said there were no plans, as yet, for the intersection of Shore St, Portobello Rd and Portsmouth Dr, but the DCC recognised the area would need safety improvements in the future.
"That will give us the opportunity to look at [long-term] bus stop locations, to ensure people can access them safely.''
Representatives of Macandrew Bay School, Tahuna Intermediate, Bayfield High School, King's High School and Queen's High School met earlier this month to discuss "tweaks'' that could be made to the present bus routes, the schedules and the location of bus stops, so they better met the needs of pupils.
"It's got to be timely, it's got to be close enough that they don't have a huge distance to walk. It's got to be a sensible transport solution,'' Mrs Forbes said.
Their "wish list'' had been presented to the ORC, but the council had not yet responded.
"It's still relatively early days though.''
