PORT Macquarie-Hastings Council yesterday sought approval of the local traffic committee to commence a six-month trial of two new CBD bus stops to service the new bus route implemented by Busways last week.
The decision, made at an extraordinary council meeting on Thursday, will mean a trial bus zone is created in Short Street between William and Hayward Streets and another in William Street between Murray and Hay Streets.
The trial period will also involve significant community engagement, both on the location of bus stops and the impact of changes to the route.
According to mayor Peter Besseling, the meeting, held in front of about 30 people in the public gallery, was called to address the immediate need for new bus stop locations as a result of the new Busways routes.
“Since the start of the new bus routes this week, there has been confusion and anger from both residents and business owners alike about the lack of consultation that went into Busways’ decision to implement new bus routes,” Cr Besseling said.
“Essentially, the routes are now operational and council has an obligation to provide bus stops along those routes. We have agreed to trial bus stops that best meet access and safety issues in the CBD, along the routes provided.
“Council will seek the community’s opinion on the location of more than 170 new bus stops throughout the local government area.
“We will also forward any submissions relating to the new route changes through to Busways and Transport NSW in an effort to give our community the voice they have been denied.”
The local traffic committee met yesterday and will have regulatory authority to approve the proposed new CBD bus zones.
If approved, council said it would move quickly to ensure adequate signage and facilities were in place to make the stops operational.
The community engagement process throughout the trial will seek to gather community feedback on the new bus stops in business and residential areas as well as collect data on traffic movements, impacts on parking and aesthetics of the new bus stops.
“While much of the focus of the extraordinary meeting was on the issue of the CBD bus stops, the engagement process will also focus on making people in residential areas aware of the new route changes, the bus stops required and seek their input into feedback to be provided to Busways,” Mayor Besseling said.
