Christchurch bus patronage is experiencing a resurgence, with year-to-date usage up 6.2% compared to the same period last year.
But even loyal bus users are frustrated with Metro’s notorious unreliability and slowness, with one regular saying “you need a picnic lunch if you’re gonna bus in Christchurch.”
Stats NZ 2023 Census data shows around 70% of workers in Greater Christchurch drive a company or private vehicle to work, compared to around 2% using the bus across the central city, Waimakariri and Selwyn districts.
As Christchurch’s urban areas grow, Environment Canterbury (ECan) is planning for better, more consistent and extensive public transport, and they are upping bus fares to do it.
