I THINK it’s about time we moved our buses!
The bus stop facility in Koroit Street from Liebig Street to the Target complex is no longer acceptable for a CBD location.
Currently, diesel fuels from the idling engines and cigarette smoke drift into the shops, there is increasing congestion both on the road and the footpath and people are lingering around making the locations a ‘hang-out spot’.
Our bus patrons deserve better and our traders and their customers deserve uninhibited access to their shops.
It is not the responsibility of the traders to provide a bus shelter for our travellers and our bus travellers should be entitled to a proper bus terminal with seats and shelter.
Let’s make a proper central CBD bus terminal for patrons to access the city centre.
* One with shelter.
* One that does not congest traffic.
* One that does not block pedestrians.
* One that does not impede the businesses at the current location.
Three other locations are all very viable suggestions. Gillies Street is less utilised now with the post office relocation and Liebig Street right in front of the council and the Civic Green are also other options.
These locations are close to TAFE, council offices, the library, the art gallery and only one block from the central shopping area. The third suggestion is that Ozone car park could be better utilised with buses entering and exiting via Timor Street and dropping off at a shelter.
This would provide access to people of all ages taking the bus service to the post office, give easy access to Koroit Street via the mall, as well as access to Liebig, Kepler and Timor Streets via laneways. TAFE, council offices, the library and the art gallery still remain within close proximity.
By moving the bus stop we also gain extra parking spaces in front of these busy shops in Koroit Street.
This may not have been an issue when the bus stops were first located there, however, now they are very much needed.
As a candidate in the upcoming council elections I think council should work with Vic Roads to find the best solution for all as our city grows.
Let’s do everything we can to animate our CBD and make it a pleasant place to visit and shop.
Kylie Gaston, Henna Street, Warrnambool