NZ In Tranzit

During the disruption to normal routes and services immediately  after the earthquake, I happened to end up at Sydenham Park at twilight, waiting to catch a bus northwards. I thought here is a good model of a potential bus transfer node point and had my camera so I took this photo . The first thing that strikes most readers looking at this will probably be nothing strikes them!  It is an extremely mundane view. Possibly the most boring sight in the Southern Hemisphere. Ok not quite that bad. This simple photo contains some KEY ELEMENTS of infrastructure for a successful integrated bus system.  In my thinking apart from about 6-9 major transfer stations such as The Palms and Westfield, Christchurch could one day have about 15-20 such "transfer nodes" type stops vaguely resembling the picture above. This stop, an instop, on the major multi-route corridor heading south from the Bus Exchange along Colombo Street Bus...

.... public transit is first and foremost about moving, mobility, flexibility, options to get places, options to avoid waiting. Foreword by the Zen Wabbit .... The best ideas are often the simplest. In engineering, as in artistic media, close relationship of form to function, symmetry and sense, harmony of all working parts, repetition of themes, all play a part in creating beauty, instinctive understanding, ease of use and appreciation. To create simple ideas, the most effective ideas, paradoxically can take great depth of understanding.  Rarely are simple concepts made real life and part of every day without great complexity of prior development. (Pssst - You may now clap politely with one hand if you so wish).  Main Article by David Welch (thanks dalai wabbit) I believe the greatest gift Metro could give Christchurch is to create an integrated bus route pattern and a co-ordinated departure time pattern, city wide, covering 90% of operating h...

People often say "What a great bus system we have in Christchurch" (which doesn't mean that person uses it). I say compared to what ? Are we talking about buses as we knew them thirty years ago or buses in many other small cities in the USA or Canada or Australia etc - well yes we are doing reasonably ok in most respects (though very poorly in attracting peak hour patronage). However I find the whole concept of how public transport is operated in Christchurch incredibly outdated, tramway era thinking, we have the reliable buses, the low floor access and vastly reduced dwell time of Metrocard loadings, the computerised systems and radio connections, we have buses galore duplicating each other's services but we don't have a 21st century bus system. I have added my concept NICERide to the "Pages section" (or see one of side boxes ). I invite you to come join me on the NICERide; real public transport for the future.

Whiteleigh Ave. near Tower Junction. In a local authority supported bus system where the two cars in the foreground are turning would become a permanent bus only/bus queue jumper lane (the traffic island reduced accordingly) with an inside cycle lane. The footpath would be moved three metres sideways and a new left turning lane for cars would be cut into the over generous grass berm. Bus passengers here are waiting - as hundreds of thousands on this route do each year - for a Council committed to bus services! But should the Metro seek to create a fully integrated system first and then look for the blockages Council so needs to address?  NZ in Tranzit gets right to the core of 21st century public transport ! I believe Metro and company are doing a revamp of city bus services. Actually from what I gather they are downsizing services due to reduced income [consequence of the earthquake] and to a Government committed to "cost efficiency" in public and school transport [...

In my long experience, members of the public making submissions to reviews (let alone random unsolicited suggestions) to large bureaucracies is about as effective as a mosquito trying to bite the bum of a hippopotamus! About a year ago I received a rather off-hand response from Metro to to a concept I developed called NICERide (running all evening and weekend services to the same integrated pattern, with the pattern itself designed to achieve optimum spread and even flow of services through each area and to and from the city). To prove it was possible, I spent several months, entangled in a huge sudoko, ratcheting current running times back and forward to arrive at the optimum, symmetrical and logical pattern. This took months, because each route interacts with about five others, and also I was trying to get arrival and departure times from weekend employment zones to work well. Although there were logistical problems in this concept, none of them seemed insurmountable....

Out bound buses loading at Northlands Mall, Christchurch July 2010. Immediately before the arrival of these buses several children on skate board,  an elderly lady, and a young family with a child in a pushchair and another three or four year old held by the hand all had to walk out onto the road itself , and along gutter area the the path of incoming buses, to get past the large group of children and other bus patrons blocking the footpath. NZ in Tranzit suggests part of car park needs be purchased to give adequate room and shelter for patrons and safe through passage for pedestrians at this prime suburban exchange spot   Photo; David Welch Hey you can't say the loud-mouthed self opinionated dwatted wabbit isn't one hotshot journalist, he's so close behind the latest hot news its still positively steaming!!  Catch this report he just chased to ground, the inside story -   "Furthermore in the city centre, and pos...

NZ in Tranzit blogger David Welch believes buses can become the most effective, sophisticated,  public transport system of the 21st century ! The concept of LIGHT BUS NETWORK takes what is already exists and is clearly evolving a further logical step. The concept of LIGHT BUS NETWORK recognises modern technologies have opened the door to operating urban bus systems in a manner similar to a railway network, yet with all the advantages of traditional bus. Not least this includes the ability to deeply access  all areas, to travel in multiple directions, require minimal policing and passenger hosting staff and to offer a greater degree of friendly personal service. In particular modern technologies allow bus movements to be tracked by GPS, and the speed of any particular service modified with-in safe parameters calling upon any of about a dozen immediate and long term strategies and devices. Where supported by uninterrupted lane priority this ensures a smooth and reliable fl...