Riding on the bus is a particular pleasure for Don Shaw, of North Dunedin.
The 81-year-old enjoys chatting to passengers and bus drivers.
But his enjoyment has been curtailed as a shifting bus stop has caused travel woes.
The saga began in January 2018, when four business operators complained about a bus stop at 17 North Rd.
The managers of Bloomin Gorgeous florist, Gorgeous Beauty, SPCA Op Shop and Tipplers Bar told The Star when a bus was parked at the stop it blocked access to a driveway used both by staff and customers.
A few months later in March 2018 the business operators spoke to The Star, frustrated the Otago Regional Council had not responded, despite more than 200 people signing a petition wanting the stop moved.
Instead the regional council said there were no plans to shift it.
Fast forward to August 2021, the bus stop was moved from 17 North Rd to 5-7 North Rd.
This might have appeased businesses who first raised concerns, but moving the bus stop in front of pizza restaurant Filadelfio's threw up other challenges.
A wide veranda on the restaurant had bus drivers concerned.
Mr Shaw was one of those passengers, describing how one time the only way he got on board was because two fellow passengers "picked me up bodily and placed me on the step of the bus".
At first, the regional council said it was considering options to make it easier to access the stop.
But in December last year the regional council issued a notice that it would be temporarily out of service and the nearest stop would be at 30 Bank St, by Garden’s Health Centre.
This seems to be where the tale of the bus stop grinds to a halt.
Mr Shaw has continued to follow progress, or the lack of, since then.
He often took the bus to travel into town, and on the return home he said bus drivers even asked him where the bus was supposed to stop.
"They don’t know because the people they are working for don’t know," Mr Shaw said.
This may not be the last move the bus stop makes. Mr Shaw said bus stop markings had been painted near the Pet Doctors veterinary clinic closer to North Rd .
Even this seemed to cause confusion, as Mr Shaw observed workers removing bus stop markings, only to retrace their steps.
"They unpainted that, and then the next day they came back and repainted it."
"So someone is not communicating in the council."
Otago Regional Council transport manager Doug Rodgers said the stop outside Filadelfio’s was disestablished as a temporary measure, both to address possible safety issues for passengers and pedestrians and to prevent damage to the overhanging structures.
While this stop was out of service, Otago Regional Council and the Dunedin City Council were working together to assess options to improve the safety and accessibility of this stop, and review the location.
Due to the physical limitations of the surrounding road environment and frontage there were constraints on the available options, which was why passengers were directed to the stop at 30 Bank St for the duration of the closure.
"We are currently in the process of reviewing a location for a new stop, and hope to be able to provide further comment on this in the coming weeks.
"We know the wider community in North East Valley is looking for a resolution to this and we thank people for bearing with us," he said.
