CBD landlord Murray Read-Smith is unimpressed he was not informed of plans to relocation the Willow St bus interchange to Durham St, right outside his property. Photo / Andrew Warner
CBD landlord Murray Read-Smith is unimpressed he was not informed of plans to relocation the Willow St bus interchange to Durham St, right outside his property. Photo / Andrew Warner
A landlord says Tauranga council is "walking roughshod" over Durham St businesses after it decided to move the city's troubled CBD bus interchange there - without consultation.
The Willow St bus terminal will be temporarily relocated to Durham St, between Wharf and Spring Sts, from next month.
The move willallow for the demolition of Tauranga City Council buildings on Willow St as part of a wider civic precinct work, due to start next month.
The temporary interchange is expected to last for 18 months while a permanent new bus interchange site is decided.
The council said it had limited site options and a tight timeframe to come up with a solution. The temporary relocation decision was made without consultation but it is now talking to business owners in Durham St.
The relocation comes as city authorities try to address an increase in anti-social behaviour at the Willow St interchange involving young people.
There will be seven bus stops on Durham St and one on Wharf St. The inter-city bus stop will move from Wharf St to Willow St outside Tauranga Art Gallery.
Buses line up outside Tauranga City Council's old administration building on Willow St. Photo / George Novak
Murray Read-Smith owns a commercial property on Durham St and said the first he heard about the move was a leaflet recently delivered to his tenants saying the relocation had already been decided.
Read-Smith said his property and tenants would be directly affected, especially as customer parking outside would be removed, but any efforts to talk about the matter with Tauranga City Council had been blocked.
"I would have thought ... we would have been contacted as owners of a property and building that's going to be directly affected. Instead, I find out about it second-hand.
"I'm quite annoyed, really."
Read-Smith said there should have been a discussion and tried to raise this point with the council but said he was told it did not have to consult for bus stops.
"I thought 'C'mon, this is downtown Tauranga. It's suffering at the moment thanks to Covid-19 and they are just walking roughshod over us."
In 2020, the council said it was four years behind on bus shelter builds around the city as a result of its then-practice of consulting people living near proposed bus shelter locations. Opposition to the shelter would prompt a hearing.
Works are underway to upgrade the footpaths on Durham St to make way for the city's new bus interchange. Photo / Andrew Warner
The city council is responsible for public transport infrastructure such as roading and shelters.
Read-Smith said in his opinion the council had "made up their minds before they even left the leaflet note".
Read-Smith said he was not against change or development and was 100 per cent behind the plans to revamp the CBD area.
But he said he'd prefer the council use the Tauranga waterfront parking area for the temporary interchange.
The council said 17 car parks would be removed from Durham St and a few from Spring and Wharf Sts. None would be created on Willow St due to the building works.
The leaflet stated people would be able to park in the Elizabeth St and Spring St car park buildings instead.
Tauranga City Council director of transport Brendan Bisley. Photo / George Novak
Tauranga City Council director of transport Brendan Bisley said sites at McLean St, Harrington St, Hamilton St, Spring St, Grey St, Devonport Rd and alternative sites on Willow, Durham and Wharf Sts were considered.
Durham St was chosen due to its close proximity to the existing site and CBD, lots of open space and minimised impact on the existing bus network and passengers, Bisley said.
CCTV systems and security will be set up at the new site.
Bisley confirmed that property owners were not consulted before the relocation decision.
"We had limited sites that were suitable for the temporary interchange and a tight timeframe to come up with a solution".
However, consultation about bus shelters on Durham St with nearby property owners or businesses began in February, he said.
"A letter was delivered to each business adjacent to the temporary bus interchange at their physical premises in March. Some then contacted us to find out more information. We have continued to communicate with several of the businesses affected by email or phone, including three e-newsletters."
Bisley said the council took into account the fact that most businesses in the area provided professional services "rather than street-facing retail businesses with a high amount of foot traffic".
"Having lots of open space was one of the reasons this site was chosen. CCTV cameras will be installed at the interchange, and security guards will enhance safety for all users."
The bus interchange will relocate in June but an exact date has not yet been confirmed. Meanwhile, Durham St's footpaths were being upgraded.
The Bay of Plenty Regional Council, which runs the bus services, declined to comment, with a spokeswoman saying it was still working through some of the matters and implications of the relocation.
