Bus hub safety warning

Pedestrians are being warned to stop using the new Millers Acre bus hub as a thoroughfare.And drivers are also causing issues, with some trying to park in the bus bays at the busy interchange.

Since the new bus hub opened on December 18, Nelson City Council has observed pedestrians – including children and elderly people with walking frames – using the forecourt as a short-cut between River Kitchen and Halifax St, manager delivery operations Eddie Powick said.

“This behaviour presents a serious safety risk as people are walking directly behind buses operating within the hub.

“Although buses are fitted with reversing cameras and drivers operate with care, the bus hub is not a pedestrian thoroughfare.”

There were more than 250 bus movements through the interchange every day, with a bus arriving or departing every two to four minutes, he said.

“This is a high-frequency operational environment and is not designed for general public access.”

There had also been “repeated incidents” of vehicles driving into the bus hub and parking in the active bus bays, he said.

“The bus hub is exclusively for the use of eBuses and Nelson Coachlines, and council will be monitoring this.”

The council’s approach had been to issue warnings in the first instance to encourage a change in behaviour, he said.

“A formal safety audit is currently underway, and changes will be implemented if required.”

The council’s message was simple.

“Unauthorised pedestrian and vehicle access to the bus hub must stop and users are asked to only enter the bus hub via the pedestrian walkways.”

There was pedestrian access to the Maitai walkway and River Kitchen via the footpath past the Nelson Dental Centre, or the footpath past the bus hub waiting room.

The bus hub relocated to Millers Acre from Bridge St in December.

Council’s executive director corporate services Nikki Harrison said the Bridge St site would be used as a construction yard for the Bridge to Better project over the next year, to help minimise disruption to businesses.

Long-term, the council had sought development proposals for the site to “support our revitalisation plans for the inner-city”, and they were excited by the response, she said.

“We hope to be able to announce the site’s long-term future with a private developer later this year.”

By Warren Gamble, Nelson Mail