Cutting Transport Costs
Many of us are noticing the steadily rising prices at the petrol pumps and the effect that is having on our weekly expenses. Add to that the cost of parking and other car running costs and it is quite a burden. It seems like a good time to think about the many other ways we can get around the city.
1) Take a bus. The government has made public transport half price for the next few weeks. If you have a Metrocard, those fares get even cheaper. Halswell is served by four different bus services, including an excellent service to the central City and one to the airport (which can save you bucketloads of money in parking costs)
You can find out more about what buses go where and when by dropping into the bus station in town, or one of our local libraries to pick up bus timetables and maps of where they go. Alternatively, go online and check out www.metroinfo.co.nz where you can try out the Journey Planner to find out how best to get where you want to go. There is also a useful app that you can put on your phone that can give you real time information such as when the bus is coming for any stop in the city.
2) Get on a bike. A growing number of cycleways around Christchurch are turning biking round the city into a pleasant, safe experience that is good for both body and soul.
Bikes are easy to park and can be a surprisingly quick convenient way to get around town. They also give you very good exercise. A 10km trip takes around half an hour – the minimum amount of daily physical activity. Bicycles can also be put on buses for use at each end of your trip.
With cycling, it is best to avoid busy roads where you take your car. Halswell is served by two major cycleways – the Quarrymans Trail which starts at Te Hāpua and takes you into the city, and the Little River Rail Link which you can get onto from the Wigram side of the overbridges on Aidanfield Drive and Dunbars Road. To find good cycle routes, talk to someone who already cycles and ask them about the good routes. You can also pick up a free cycle map from local libraries which shows you where cycle facilities are around the city, or go to www.CCC.govt.nz, search for Christchurch Cycle Map and you can download it, free.
3) Buy an electric bike. E-bikes are relatively expensive bicycles, but
they can save heaps of money in car expenses and may even mean you can manage
without that extra car. They can pay
themselves off very quickly; the cost of the power for running them works out at about 0.1 to 0.2 cents per kilometre. E-bikes
leave you drier in the rain, cooler in the heat, faster in a head wind and they
significantly extend the distance you can bike. They are also excellent for
mental wellbeing and often get you where you want to go faster even than a car, particularly if you are travelling at rush hour.
4) Walk. For shorter trips, walking is a wonderful way to go. It is also a good way to check out the local area and to get some exercise as well as getting somewhere. Halswell is blessed by some great walking with lots of greenspaces. Most of us can easily walk 2-3 km in half an hour. Walking to the bus stop and then walking on to work can be a good option for those who need to go further afield.
