YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER |MARCH 2022 | No.235
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The 126 bus approaching Goldflats Lane where the Westgate-bound bus stop will be located
Coatesville's Big Ticket Bus Stops
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y the end of March, residents wanting to catch the 126 bus will finally have a second set of bus stops where they can hop-on and off Coatesville's only public transport service. The new bus stops are located on the stretch of CoatesvilleRiverhead Highway between Goldflats Lane and Lewis Lane where Auckland Transport's contractor, Downer, has been working for over a month. Rodney Local Board member Louise Johnston says the project got the go ahead after both AT and the local board received numerous requests from locals wanting additional bus stops along the 126 bus route. "Unfortunately, the geometry of the Coatesville-Riverhead Highway meant that many options for bus stops suggested by local residents weren't acceptable by AT from a safety perspective," says Louise. Although the local board received requests for more bus stops two years ago, without the speed limit reduction, new bus tops wouldn't be possible. "The lower speed limit means it is now possible to have bus stops between Riverhead and the Coatesville village. It might be polarising, but 60km/h makes the road safer for all road users," says Louise. Another factor that helped justify the investment was that uptake of the 126 service has grown to the point that AT will take over funding it from May this year. Until now, the service has been funded by the Rodney Local Board via the Transport Targeted Rate. Louise says this move will free-up funding for other projects − potentially more bus stops. However, an obstacle preventing more stops being added in the short term is that AT is yet to finalise its rural roading guidelines. Currently, bus stops are built to its urban guidelines and AT puts the total cost for Coatesville's project at $420,000 ($300K from the Rodney Local Board and $120K from AT Metro).
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"These bus stops are not cheap and are very much of an urban design," says Louise. "Hopefully, when AT adopt the rural roading guidelines this year, the design can be more fitting to our rural roads and cheaper." The Albany-bound bus shelter will be on the Coatesvilleside of Lewis Lane and the Westgate-bound shelter on the Riverhead-side of Goldflats Lane. But the project also includes street lighting, pedestrian crossing points and a refuge, along with connecting footpaths, intersection safety improvements and stormwater upgrades. Louise says residents initially provided feedback to AT about the potential safety hazards regarding the line of sight at the location chosen by AT's engineers. However, AT has the final say and has mitigated these risks within the design. "The bus stops have been designed to MARCH CONTENTS discourage cars from March news 3 passing the bus while it has stopped," explains Riders Enjoy Louise. "So, motorists Showjumping Event 4 following the bus in Lollipops Celebrates 5 either direction will Prestigious Award need to stop behind it when it picks-up or 6 for Local Scholar drops-off passengers." Local Board Report 7 At this stage, the 126 Get Boosted! 8 remains an hourly Ailsa's Latest service, but in future this could change 10 Listings to half-hourly if 11 Classifieds demand for the service FOMO Alive & Well 12 continues to grow. VJ
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