On Tuesday, myself and Mike McCaw (Chairperson Board of Trustees) attended a meeting with the Otago Regional Council (ORC) around the Peninsula Bus Service. We were invited to this meeting along with representatives from Bayfield High School, Queen’s High School and Tahuna Normal Intermediate.

 The meeting was disappointing as it appeared the outcome had already been decided and no real consideration was given to the issues raised by the schools and the parents of the students from the peninsula. It is our view that the meeting was purely an opportunity for the ORC to reaffirm their position that they will not look at any of the alternative options that have been suggested for the students on the peninsula. That everything will stay as is until the central bus hub is in place and then it will almost certainly only be small tweaks to the timing of buses to allow for connections and nothing more. 

The position of the ORC is: Tahuna students can catch the bus from Portobello, get off at the 384 stop and then students are to cross at the controlled intersection to the other side of Andersons Bay Road and catch the No.3 bus.  https://www.orc.govt.nz/public-transport/journey-planner?start=Macandrew+Bay,+Dunedin,+New+Zealand&finish=Tahuna+Normal+Intermediate+School+Auld+Street,+Saint+Kilda,+Dunedin,+New+Zealand

We would like to know if your child will catch the Peninsula Bus next term so we can provide a bus monitor for the first couple of days if required, please email roddyscoles@tahuna.school.nz with your student name and travel details. 

We appreciate the united approach and commitment that has been taken by all involved and we will continue to support our students and community to reach a more desirable resolution. 

If you would like to sign the petition click here.