Young people causing trouble at Riccarton bus lounge may face anti-loitering bylaw

Young people loitering in central Riccarton are giving police and business owners a headache.

A new bylaw targeting loitering could be brought into central Riccarton to address youth crime.

The police are considering asking the Christchurch City Council for new bylaw to stop loitering around the Riccarton bus lounge.

The idea was suggested by Constable Aaron Thorn at the Halswell-Hornby-Riccarton Community Board meeting last Tuesday, and was supported by Senior Constable Ken Carter.

Police say youth gathering in the Riccarton bus lounge on the corner of Riccarton Rd and Division St have been causing problems.

"It is something I would like to see go through because then it gives us powers to move them on," Thorn said.

Since opening in 2015, the Riccarton bus lounge has been a hotspot for trouble-causing youth, which is affecting surrounding businesses.

Harcourts Riccarton business manager Chantall Sumner told Western News youth issues had improved from last year, but business still had to deal with "anti-social aggressive behaviour".

"It is not good for us as a business. It is embarrassing, especially if we are sitting here with a client and they are loitering around there using bad language," she said.

She supported the loitering bylaw. But the city council's head of community support, governance and partnerships, Lester Wolfreys, said the bylaw is a reactive rather than a preventative response.

"It may reduce the problem activity around the bus lounge. However, it may also displace the activity to other locations," he said.

Thorn said the idea would have to be discussed with Canterbury police chiefs before a submission was made.

The city council's head of strategic policy Helen Beaumont said a new bylaw would need an amendment of the Public Places Bylaw 2008, which can take months of reports and public consultation and hearings.
Thorn said he would like Division St looked at specifically for the bylaw.
Nearby property owner Arthur McKee said the bylaw was "common sense" and something he and other tenants had been advocating for.
- Western News