Lincoln Road peak hour bus lanes

We’re planning to install peak hour bus lanes along Lincoln Road, between Whiteleigh Avenue and Curletts Road. Let us know your thoughts.

Project status: Decision made
Open for feedback: 16 November 2021 to 12 December 2021

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Consultation is now closed

Update 7 July 2022

Council approved the staff recommendations for Lincoln Road peak hour bus lanes on Thursday 7 June 2022.

You can view the meeting minutes, which include the formal resolutions, online at christchurch.infocouncil.biz. (external link)

You can also view the recording of the decision being made(external link).

Additional changes approved

  • The footpath on the north and south side of Lincoln Road between Curletts Road and Annex Road be marked as a shared path
  • Additional u-turn bay outside 49 Lincoln Road
  • Lincoln Road stage one bus lane operation westbound (towards Halswell) to change to 3pm to 6pm weekdays

What happens next?

Construction will start in 2024


Update March 2022

The hearings panel heard from eight individuals and groups. You can read the minutes(external link) and attachments(external link) online.

The panel's recommendations will be presented to Council on 7 July 2022 for a final decision. The council agenda(external link) can be read online.


Update January 2022

Consultation has now closed. People were able to provide feedback from 16 November to 12 December 2021.

During this time we heard from 162 individuals and groups. You can read their feedback below. 

Submitters speaking to the hearings panel [PDF, 2.9 MB]

Submitters not speaking to the hearings panel [PDF, 3.2 MB]

Consultation analysis [PDF, 210 KB]

The date for the hearing is now confirmed for Monday 28 February 2022, 9.30am. The agenda(external link) for this meeting is now available.

Next steps

The Hearings Panel will deliberate and make its final recommendations on Monday 7 March, 11am.

Following deliberations the Panel’s recommendations will be presented to the Urban Development and Transport Committee for a final decision.


Why we’re installing peak hour bus lanes  

The southwest of Christchurch is growing fast, with 35,000 people expected to move into the area over the next 30 years. This growth puts pressure on our travel network, so we need to prepare and plan for a better way for people to travel to and from the central city.

We know there’s traffic congestion along Lincoln Road at peak times, causing delays for all motorists. Buses help to reduce traffic congestion and carbon emissions by carrying more people per trip. This is better for the environment and helps everyone get to where they want to go on time.

What we’re doing

We’re planning to install peak hour bus lanes along Lincoln Road, between Whiteleigh Avenue and Curletts Road.

This is the second stage of our project, and will connect to peak hour bus lanes soon to be installed in Addington as part of stage one. Construction on stage one – Lincoln Road, from Moorhouse Avenue to Whiteleigh Avenue – starts early next year.

With stage two of the project, we’re planning to install peak hour bus lanes, between Whiteleigh Avenue and Curletts Road, on:

  • Weekdays 7am to 9am towards the city.
  • Weekdays 3pm to 6pm towards Halswell.
  • Saturdays 10am to 2pm on both sides of the road.

We’re also proposing to change the peak hour times of the outbound bus lane in the Addington stage one section to be operational from 3pm to 6pm. Currently the peak outbound hours are from 4pm to 6pm, so it would extend this time an hour.

Plans

We’re working closely with Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency who is also planning to install bus lanes along Halswell Road, between Dunbars and Curletts roads.

You can learn more about this project on their website(external link).

Drop-in sessions

Our drop-in session is going ahead as normal under the Orange traffic light alert level, but anyone aged 12 and older will require a vaccine pass to attend in person. Please sign/scan in and wear a mask.

If you are unable to attend you can also phone or email any time to speak with us directly about the project.

These sessions may need to be postponed or cancelled if COVID-19 alert levels change.

Come and talk to the team about the proposed peak hour bus lanes.

  • Tuesday 23 November, anytime between 4.30pm and 7pm at Spreydon Tennis Club, 71 Domain Terrace
  • Thursday 2 December, anytime between 4.30pm and 7pm at Southern Health School, 2 Halswell Road
  • Wednesday 8 December, anytime between 11am and 1pm at Spreydon Tennis Club, 71 Domain Terrace

Can't make these drop in sessions?

If there is a community meeting you would like us to attend, please let us know. You can also phone any time to speak with us directly about the project.

Sam Sharland, 03 941 8793, Samantha.sharland@ccc.govt.nz

As part of our bus lane work we’ll be making other changes to improve safety for all road users. This includes things like installing more pedestrian crossing points, widening footpaths, changing parking and relocating bus stops.

Road layout

There will be some changes to the road layout along the route to improve safety for everyone.

We’re planning to extend the centre raised median from Whiteleigh Avenue to Curletts Road to improve safety of all road users. Centre medians separate traffic lanes and prevent the potential for right-turning crashes. It also provides an opportunity to improve the street with trees and landscaping.

A U-turn bay will be installed outside 20 Lincoln Road to provide a turning opportunity for vehicles coming from Annex Road and wanting to drive towards Halswell.

We will be retaining left and right-hand turns on and off Lincoln Road onto the majority of side streets throughout this section. The exception to this is for:

  • Domain Terrace – we’re proposing to remove the right turn in and out to make it safer for all road users and increase driver visibility.  If the right hand turn into Domain Terrace is removed, we’re proposing to install a right hand turning arrow from Lincoln Road onto Lyttelton Street to help with traffic flow.
  • Torrens Road – we’re proposing to remove the right hand turn out, but retain the right turn in. We are keeping the right turn into Torrens Road to help with access for local businesses.

Pedestrian crossing points and footpaths

We’re keeping the four pedestrian crossing points on the centre median between Curletts and Wrights roads at their existing locations.

To further improve pedestrian safety, we’re also planning to install three more crossing points on:

  • the east side of Domain Terrace, outside 44 Lincoln Road.
  • both sides of Sylvan Street outside 78 and 64 Lincoln Road.

We’re also widening the footpath along Lincoln Road between Curletts and Wrights roads to 2.3 metres. It currently varies from 1.3 metres to 1.7 metres wide.

Bus stops and shelters

To help make things easier for people using buses, we’re planning some relocations and installations of bus stops and shelters:

  • A new out-bound bus stop, with a seat, is planned for outside St Martin’s Anglican Church on Lincoln Road.
  • A new city-bound bus shelter is also planned for outside McDonald’s Hillmorton.
  • The existing city-bound bus stop outside the Black Horse Hotel will be relocated south opposite 28 Lincoln Road, to pair with the existing out-bound bus stop at 26 Lincoln Road. Both stops will have new seats.
  • The existing city-bound bus shelter at 57 Lincoln Road will be moved north to 61 Lincoln Road.
  • We’ll replace the seat at the existing south-bound bus stop at 94 Lincoln Road.

Parking options

We know parking is important to residents and businesses, so we’ve tried to retain as much on-street parking as possible.
However, in order to create space for the bus lanes, we need to install parking restrictions along Lincoln Road.

During bus lane operating hours there will be no on-street parking available between Wrights Road and Curletts Road. Outside of these hours, on-street car parks will be available for use. We’re adding approximately 20 extra car parks on this section of the route which will be available to use outside peak hour bus times.

We’re also proposing to install time restricted parking outside some local businesses to help with parking availability.

P30min outside:

  • Hillmorton Pharmacy
  • McGregor Shoe Service

P120min outside:

  • Bills Bar and Bistro
  • Village Health Medical Centre
  • The Black Horse Hotel

The existing parking bays on Lincoln Road between Lindores Street to Twigger Street will be retained on both sides.

We’re proposing to install no stopping restrictions at 196 Lincoln Road to give vehicles more room when turning onto Lincoln Road from Twigger Street.

We’re also planning to remove the taxi stand on Sylvan Street. This will make room for vehicles turning left onto Lincoln Road.

Power cables and street lighting

Power cables

While we’re working in the area we’ll be undergrounding the power cables. This helps future proof them by preventing any potential storm or weather damage and it also improves the aesthetics of the area.

Street lighting

We will be upgrading the street lighting along Lincoln Road where applicable. Locations to be confirmed, following a lighting assessment.

Heathcote River improvements

We’re proposing to install a boardwalk over the Heathcote River on the south side of Lincoln Road.  We’ll also trim trees and vegetation and install an open railing balustrade, providing views of the river while ensuring safety for users. 

Tree removal and replacement

We’ll need to remove 32 mature trees along the berms and centre median to make room for the bus lanes. For each tree removed, two new ones will be planted in the nearest suitable location.

Tree species will be selected depending on their height, canopy and growth, with appropriate species selected for different areas.

Native trees will be used where possible along berms, with hornbeams (Carpinus betulus ‘Fastigate’) and upright flowering cherry trees (Prunus amanogawa) proposed for the centre median.

This is due to their high canopy and column shape, allowing good visibility for buses, drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.

 

What the changes mean for…

Mode Changes

Bus users

Peak hour bus lanes in each direction along Lincoln Road from Whiteleigh Avenue to Curletts Road.
Relocated and new bus stops, shelters and seats.

Cyclists

Wide 4.2 metre bus lanes on Lincoln Road between Wrights Road and Curletts Road, providing more room for cyclists.
The raised centre median will also improve the safety for cyclists using the Nor’West Arc Cycleway.

Pedestrians

Three extra pedestrian crossing points in the centre median to make it safer and easier to cross the road.
Widening the footpath along Lincoln Road between Curletts and Wrights roads to 2.3 metres. It currently varies from 1.3 metres to 1.7 metres wide.

All road users

Domain Terrace – remove the right turn in and out.
Torrens Road – remove the right turn out on to Lincoln Road, but retain the right turn in.
Removal of on-street parking when the bus lanes are operational between Curletts Road and Wrights Road. On-street parking will be usable outside of bus peak hour times.
Existing parking bays on Lincoln Road between Lindores Street to Twigger Street will be retained on both sides.

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Who to contact

Sam Sharland,
Engagement Advisor

How the decision is made

  • Decision made

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