Elderly favour route extension

Press, 2 November 1984, Page 4

Elderly favour route extension

A dangerous precedent will be set if a petition from a number of Avonhead residents to stop a proposed bus route extension is needed by the Christchurch Transport Board, according to the assistant secretary-manager of the Canterbury Aged People’s Welfare Council, Mr Norman Webb.

“Residents from everywhere would start petitioning/’ said Mr Webb. The Transport Board proposes to extend the Avonhead bus route into Woodbury Street and Ansonbury Street, and because of the importance of public transport to the elderly, it is

Welfare Council policy to approve any route extensions.

Those against the extension took a survey in the two streets and said that only 15 per cent of residents favoured it

However, mr Webb said that he knew of one elderly resident who was not asked about the issue and that the area’s elderly thought their needs were being forgotten. The residents’ campaign to stop the extension has gained support from the member of Parliament for Yaldhurst, Mrs Margaret Austin. She has written to the board, asking members

to reconsider the extension recommended by its operations committee two weeks ago, and questioning whether the board had fully heard the case.

The board’s general manager, Mr Max Taylor, rejected the suggestion. “The committee had a significant discussion of the pros' and cons before it recommended that no change be made to the plans,” he said. Mr Webb said he would be very disappointed if the board reconsidered the committee’s recommendation.

“The arguments of the residents are trite and al-

most ludicrous,” he said. Some of the claims made were that buses would loosen the foundation of houses and that buses travelling past all the time would lower house values. Residents also said that 75 per cent of the people in the streets concerned did not want a change to the route. “Everyone likes having a bus stop near but few like buses passing right by their front door,” said Mr Webb. “But for the elderly it is very important because they are probably the most in need of the service. “It means so much for

them to get out and involve themselves in the community but it is difficult for some who have to walk more than 600 metres to a bus stop.” A compromise was suggested — extending the route only to the end of Cutts Road — but the committee sided with the original proposal. The Transport Board will meet on Tuesday, and although it is not bound to follow the committee’s recommendation it usually does. The board will face four petitions objecting to other proposed route changes.