Frustrations vented over peninsula bus service

Otago Peninsula school pupils who catch the bus are facing a two-hour total daily commute after the Otago Regional Council refused to make minor changes to bus routes and scheduling to suit school commuters.

Concerned parents and residents vented their frustrations last night at a meeting at Macandrew Bay School hosted by Otago Peninsula community board chairman Paul Pope.

The meeting featured a presentation by Broad Bay man Jason Graham, who had proposed two alternative bus routes to the Otago Regional Council (ORC) which would reduce the current 1.7km walk to school from the bus stop for Tahuna Normal Intermediate Pupils, but whose proposals had been voted against by the ORC last week.

Mr Graham showed a video featuring his son Tristan and two of his 11-year-old classmates undertaking the journey from Broad Bay to Tahuna using the current bus route.

The video showed the three pupils walking the nearly 2km from the bus stop on Andersons Bay Rd and crossing several busy intersections, some of which lacked lights. The boys were shown to be uncertain crossing the road, and members of the crowd made the point they were unused to busy intersections.

The trio eventually arrived at school two minutes late for its 8.50am start time.

Mr Graham said the issues would be compounded when large numbers of pupils used the bus route, especially given waiting times at bus stops.

Also at the meeting was Otago regional councillor Michael Deaker, who said he shared residents' concerns, saying: ''[the current route] is too long, too difficult and too dangerous.''

Residents started a petition to alter the routes in favour of one of Mr Graham's proposals. Parents will join pupils next week on the journey to protest the ORC's inaction.