Christchurch's 'Britomart'... The Bus Exchange Replacement

Once again, time is getting away from me and its been a while since my last post. Nevertheless, I've been keeping pretty busy working on a few things of interest in the absence of any real developments of late, including a look at proposals for rail. Hopefully that should be up soon.

One thing I am really hanging out for though is more details on the replacement of the Bus Exchange. Now, you may be aware that the Bus Exchange hasn't actually been around too long and it may seem a waste of money to close it and build a new one in the space of just a decade. However, I firmly believe that it is the right choice, the current bus terminal offers little scope to expand and provide a world class public transport hub for the city. The current terminal is limited, in my opinion, in its ability to provide a service that will result in significant increases in public transport usage also. Why should we limit ourselves? It isn't just about fitting the buses in and increasing capacity (which, arguably, could be achieved with the current location) its about allowing the opportunity for a greater more sustainable transport system. To illustrate this point, it has been announced that provisions will be made for light-rail. What this means exactly is any ones guess as the media and politicians often get light-rail and heavy-rail confused. It could mean one or the other or even both are to be catered for. Nevertheless, it shows that what is being planned is not just a bus shed, its a transit centre and it will be the hub from which a world class sustainable transport network can grow (well that's what I hope).

Other details which have been confirmed include the site (Lichfield Street where Katmandu is located south of Ballentynes) and the fact that the buses will be located underground. Further details I would like to see are;

• Flow from the entrance to the buses (i.e no narrow corridors)
• A large open concourse with shops, information and ticket counter
• Payment before you get on the bus (ticket gates?)
• Potential for increase in bus platforms
• Optimum set-up for bus frequency and capacity
• Future light-rail and heavy-rail space established
• Inspirational architecture

It would be good for people to walk in the entrance and for the place to immediately open up into a large space, with everything they need under the one roof such as shops, eating places, tickets, information toilets etc. From there they would walk through to escalators taking them down to the bus waiting areas, touching in at gates with their metrocard's as they do so which would reduce bus dwell times.

All bus routes must be capable of being catered for and this new terminal should not reach capacity for many years. Platforms should be planned in such a way as to allow the most capacity and greatest frequency and space for additional platforms in the future should be allowed for as well. I won't say much about the light-rail provisions as the possibilities are endless with so few details but I will say that it would be fantastic, and not too costly, to leave space, perhaps below everything else, for a multi-platform central city rail terminal. Yes, it's dubious if rail will play a significant role in Christchurch transport, as it hasn't for well over thirty years now, but it wouldn't add much additional cost and we will probably never get such an opportunity again. It would just be a space if a tunnel to the main line was ever to be built. Finally, it should be an inspirational building, we should out-do Auckland's Britomart transport centre. Imagine my concourse covered with an arched glass roof or something. It should say everything about Christchurch, what it is, where it has been and where it is going.

Anyway, that's just my thoughts. I think public transport deserves a quality hub and this will help us develop a sustainable world class transport system. Lets do it now, and do it properly. Rest assured once the first details are released Ill let you know.