Those were findings of a now three-year-old, joint-funded Otago Regional Council-Dunedin City Council feasibility study when the idea was pushed by former mayor Aaron Hawkins and city councillor David Benson-Pope several years ago.
The Dunedin city-centre loop bus proposal the study was exploring seems to have stalled between the two councils, but interest once again appears to be on the rise.
Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich this month said he was pursuing an inner city bus loop under a working title of "Dunedin Tramways", with 18-seater electric buses made to look like the Dunedin cable cars of yesteryear.
Subsequently, Cr Benson-Pope said the previous city council decision, from 2019, to support a 12-month trial of a free, low-carbon central city bus loop stood until it was reversed.
Cr Benson-Pope said he had seen the 2020 feasibility study but "for whatever reason it never attracted a great deal of attention".
Recent trials of electric, driverless public transport in Queenstown and elsewhere, though, showed promise, he said.
He asked for an update on the loop bus to be included in annual plan briefings as a precursor to inclusion in the city’s budgets this year.
"If no-one else does I’ll certainly be asking for support for an initiative of this kind to be funded in this year’s annual plan — and ongoing," Cr Benson-Pope said.
"I think a 22nd-century solution to this would be quite good."
The 2020 feasibility study by consulting firm Aecom said a range of destinations, including retail and visitor hot spots, major car parking areas, the tertiary precinct and the existing hospital, were identified.
Four route options were then developed in a workshop with city and regional council staff.
Costs ranged from $1.6 million a year to run to as low as $400,000 a year for a small loop that required only two buses.
Nevertheless, discussions with a Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency representative found the initiative was unlikely to get government funding, because the service would not reduce private vehicle trips or reduce traffic congestion, the study said.
Case studies of loop buses in Christchurch, Hamilton and Invercargill found each one improved access for seniors and people with disabilities, and were popular with students.
But they faced financial issues "leading to the phasing out of the service in Invercargill, the likely future phasing out in Hamilton and difficulties reinstating the service in Christchurch", the study said.
Mr Radich said he met the regional council about the matter recently, but he was reluctant to "muddy the waters" by discussing the issue in the media.
"I’m really pleased that Cr Benson-Pope is supporting this initiative.
"I think it could make a real difference to the liveability and accessibility of our city."
The regional council’s transport spokesman Doug Rodgers said the study found a loop bus could have merit, but "it wasn’t clear, on balance, that the service would be viable and meeting a clear need, with current services in place providing sufficient coverage".
It was not included in the regional council’s annual plans.
A city council spokesman said "it seems it sits with the ORC".
