tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-211616357616951025.post4684439918871154923..comments2024-03-05T08:45:33.095+13:00Comments on NZ In Tranzit: Christchurch - Making Frequent Services Work for Our Money !David Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11986414622432134057noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-211616357616951025.post-72033025896323328332012-07-20T21:38:19.436+12:002012-07-20T21:38:19.436+12:00Yep you certainly have some good points, as does L...Yep you certainly have some good points, as does LX with the suggestion for the Orbiter. If these cross suburban routes get planned right they may cover some of the suburban areas. Maybe the Orb can can via Wairakei/Blighs and the Commie go past Bishopdale mall and down Condell/Matsons (although maybe even taking it north toward Belfast and then across to service some of the possible new earthquake replacement developments may work)? This could give them service frequency to Papanui where they can then hit the new 'high frequency' services going into town. This might be better than running these routes 'as is' and cheaper than adding the new feeder lines that metro are showing on their new proposed 'hub' map. The possibilities are there but as you point out Dave we don't get to see the costs of our suggestions... maybe we should just encourage more bus users to get out and bike. The paper tells me we are a lazy nation so spending some money on cycling (and cycle facilities associated with bus routes - stands next to bus shelters as a start) rather than on any more roads that only get car commuters to work faster for a month might be a good future!Biani Vivacenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-211616357616951025.post-20506985360016212252012-07-19T10:51:02.793+12:002012-07-19T10:51:02.793+12:00David, very interesting ideas you put forward. You...David, very interesting ideas you put forward. You make some good points. I wonder though if you havn't given enough thought to the costs of all those extensions to the Orbiter and Comet. <br /><br />That extension of the Orbiter out to Bishopdale alone would probably add something in the order of $350,000-$500,000 a year to the cost of operating Orbiter (annual cost of extra km, hours and two extra buses). <br /><br />Costs mount up quickly on high frequency bus routes so there really have to be a lot of passengers generated by the extension to make it worthwhile. Would Bishopdale really add $350k of revenue to make up the extra cost? Would the extra distance and time put others off using the Orbiter negating any patronage/revenue growth from Bishopdale?<br /><br />You're right about Harewood Road and I always wonderred if the Orbiter should have taken a more direct route from the Uni to Papanui to avoid that double up. The cost saving could then pay for a better bus route on Harewood Road that does serve Bishopdale.LX...https://www.blogger.com/profile/04050758042077373906noreply@blogger.com