Stokes Valley News Editorial
June 2002


At Least It's a Start

A little over a year ago the Residents Group from Robson Street and Mcmanaway Grove made a submission to the Wellington Regional Council Transport Committee, asking for a bus service.

This group soon found significant support from residents in the Manor Hill area and Holborn where the service was also inadequate or non-existent. The service offered by the WRC via City Line, in Stokes Valley is as bad as it gets anywhere in the Hutt Valley.

Holborn only has two commuter buses each day. The ridiculous thing is that they are both scheduled within 36 minutes of each other, and both in the late afternoon. Holborn also have a service for College Pupils, but only for Taita College.

Manor Drive area has no commuter bus service at all. However, there is a morning and afternoon bus taking primary school children to two of the four schools in Stokes Valley.

The group making the submission established that there were shortcomings in the service provided, and the WRC committed to spend $5000 on a survey of the area.

Well a year later, and an extra employee at WRC to cope with the added workload involved in a survey, it is finally underway.

It is now taking in a much larger area than the WRC first planned as it covers the entire Hutt Valley, and will cost considerably more than the $5000 put aside.

It is aimed at current bus users as there is no area on the form set aside for residents living in areas with no service. However, there is a general comment area.

The survey is simplistic, and lacking detail but at least it's a start in the right direction.

Please fill in your form and have it back to WRC by Friday 14th June so your voice can be heard.