Christchurch: applying world's best practice in sustainable public transport in our backyard

Many Australasian cities are struggling to implement more sustainable transport systems in response to increasing congestion, while attempting to maintain their future liveability and commercial viability. Most of these cities are facing a range of difficulties, including implementation of components of their transport systems, quantifying the costs and benefits of sustainable transport systems, and getting and maintaining public and stakeholder support for sustainable transport improvements. Christchurch, New Zealand, a city of 350,000 people, is overcoming many of these difficulties and has successfully implemented some key components of a more sustainable transport system. Public transport improvements include a new bus interchange and integrated transit oriented development, new routes including cross suburban services, smart card ticketing, real time information, express bus services and city centre transit priority. This paper summarises the results of almost a decade of planning, implementation and monitoring of different elements of the public transport system. The paper also highlights the lessons that can be learned from Christchurch's experience and provides insights into how similar improvements could be achieved for a number of Australasian cities. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E214755.