New Cruise Ship Shuttle Stop Proposed

Dunedin (Wednesday, 10 September 2014) – Orange traffic cones may be a thing of the past when cruise ship shuttle buses park in the Octagon this season.

The Dunedin City Council is proposing a trial for this cruise season, which starts on 8 October, which will see shuttle buses dropping off and picking up passengers on the lower, eastern side of the Octagon carriageway, rather than on the upper side.

Dunedin City Council General Manager Infrastructure and Networks Tony Avery says this option has several advantages. The lower side of the Octagon carriageway has a full canopy for shelter and a larger flat area for passengers to wait.

Under the previous arrangement, orange cones were placed on the roadway to separate shuttle parking from traffic. Some people criticised this traffic management approach, saying it was visually unappealing.

Under the proposed arrangement, the centre line would be moved and a 50m long bus stop for cruise shuttle buses only would be introduced on the lower Octagon side. There would be some traffic signal phase changes and right-hand turn options at either end of the carriageway would be removed.

Mr Avery says key stakeholders such as the Police, the New Zealand Transport Agency, the Otago Regional Council, taxi companies, tourism operators and nearby businesses are being asked for feedback on the proposed change. Staff will review the feedback and make a decision in time for the arrival of the first cruise ship on 8 October.

If the proposed change is introduced, the trial would last for the cruise ship season and be reviewed in May next year. During the trial, the DCC would monitor and assess traffic volumes and public feedback.

Cruise ship visitor numbers have almost doubled in five years to about 200,000 visitors a season. Cruise ship passengers now make up 8% of the city’s visitors.

“This means cruise shuttle parking, as part of looking after our visitors, has become an important issue,” Mr Avery says.

ENDS

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