Christchurch City Council has approved a public transport committee to improve the region
Christchurch City Council has approved the Greater Christchurch Public Transport Committee to provide an improved collaboration in public transport decision making for the area.
Mayor Lianne Dalziel and councillors Phil Clearwater and Pauline Cotter have been appointed to the committee.
Council also resolved the members would raise the option of adding a Canterbury District Health Board and youth observer to the Committee.
In addition to the Christchurch Mayor and City Councillors appointed today the committee will include an independent chair, three representatives from Environment Canterbury (Rex Williams, David Caygill and Tom Lambie), and one each from the Selwyn District Council (Sarah Walters) and Waimakariri District Council (Kevin Felstead). The New Zealand Transport Agency will take up an observer role.
Infrastructure, Transport and Environment Committee chair Phil Clearwater says forming a joint committee is an important step towards a more integrated public transport system.
“The joint committee creates a great opportunity to deliver a coherent public transport system for Greater Christchurch. I’m looking forward to working with our colleagues at the other Councils to make this happen,” he says.
The Greater Christchurch Committee follows a recommendation in the McGredy Winder report, Review of Governance and Delivery Arrangements for Public Transport in Greater Christchurch, from November 2015.
Environment Canterbury Commissioner Rex Williams says there is no doubt having a joint committee responsible for Greater Christchurch’s public transport will improve the governance and delivery of bus and ferry services.
“As services and facilities improve under this new arrangement, more people will be encouraged to catch the bus,” he says.
The first meeting of the new committee is expected to be held in the next couple of months.