Mid Canterbury Connector service ‘needs more time’
From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
The Ashburton district's only public transport service “needs more time” to have a chance to become viable.
Safer Communities Ashburton District chairperson, current deputy mayor Liz McMillan, says the Mid Canterbury connector service isn’t worth scrapping just yet.
“I know it doesn’t look good now. Give us another year,” McMillan said.
“We are getting more and more people on it.
“It’s just that Covid, the people that would have used it are elderly people and they didn’t feel comfortable getting in a van and going somewhere.”
The connector is a volunteer-driven vehicle linking the likes of Methven and Rakaia to each other and Ashburton for a small fee, run by the Community Vehicle Trust network.
When it started it ran on certain days for certain locations but McMillan said after a review the feedback was for it to operate five days a week and to do so it sourced its own vehicle in February.
The connector is funded by Environment Canterbury and Waka Kotahi, about $10,000 annually, and is rated to every property outside the Ashburton township boundary at $1.17 per rating unit and is a total of $5000.
McMillan said it was a necessary service but had so far been affected by Covid.
“The main idea is to combat isolation so that those who can’t drive can get somewhere to visit friends or wander around the shops and see people rather than being stuck at home.
“We just need to encourage people to use it and get more people on board to make it viable.”
The service also relied on volunteer drivers and McMillan said they were always looking for more.
Most of the passengers are currently from Methven, using the service to travel into Ashburton for medical appointments or to visit the Bookbarn in Chertsey.
Councillor Leen Braam questioned if it was working or if an alternative should be looked at, and said the cost was “completely out of kilter”.
With no other public transport options available McMillan said the connector service just needed more time and now that Covid restrictions had been relaxed there would be a big push to grow patronage.
Those plans include a school holiday promotion encouraging rural-based people 14 and over to utilise the service to head into Ashburton, or between rural towns.
The Mid Canterbury Connector, is an on-demand service that people can book Monday to Friday, between 9am and 4.30pm for transport between rural locations and to and from Ashburton.
* Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
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Hero
“I was born and raised in war. To be honest, those are not good memories.
I really like Iran, and I really miss it, but I couldn’t be myself there. Even though my family didn’t like my decision, I left Iran. I promised myself that I would do whatever I can for all communities, especially for the kids, so they do not have the same experience I had.
I studied software engineering in Iran and left in 2006. I went to Malaysia and stayed in Kuala Lumpur for seven years. I was admitted to Lincoln University to do my PhD here, but unfortunately, I couldn’t afford the expenses. I requested a scholarship, but they told me I had to be there for six months first. So, I stayed in Malaysia and did my PhD in network security. In December 2013, I came to New Zealand with a work visa.
It took me a while to connect with the Iranian community here. I volunteered with the Multicultural Council, SPCA, and community patrol, and I established the Christchurch Iranian Society in 2017. Before that, I started working on Radio Toranj, the only Farsi-language radio show in New Zealand.
One of the reasons I started organizing cultural events was to showcase Iranian culture. I wanted to show people that we have delicious food, colorful dresses, traditional customs, and our own instruments. My hope was to show people that we are not what you see in the media.
I am working to involve all the communities that celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the Nowruz festival in March 2025. We want to share this celebration not only with our community but with the public as well. It’s better when it’s shared.
I remember the first time someone from Dunedin called me and asked, Hero, can you help? Something happened, and they keep declining Iranian visa applications. When I heard that, I felt insulted. We are still human, so how can they do that?
Through this journey, I’ve learned a lot. Every single day, people with different cases call me, and I try to share my knowledge and guide them as much as I can.
I have received several awards, including the Christchurch Civic Award and an Award of Recognition for my contributions to the community during the pandemic. In 2021, I established Canterbury Kia Ora Academy, a charitable trust. Through this charity, I can help other communities as well, not just the Iranian community.”
- Hero
View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
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