Route 7 frequency increase causing increase in patronage too
It’s not just the frequency that’s increased on Metro’s Route 7 Halswell to Queenspark service, but also now the patronage.
In April the route switched to running every 10 minutes from 5.30am to 6.30pm on weekdays and every 15 minutes outside of those hours, and on weekends.
Since making the switch, for the period May to October 2025 (the period immediately following the change) there’s been patronage growth of 7% when compared to the same period in 2024.
Passenger trips on the up
Canterbury Regional Council (Environment Canterbury) Deputy Chair Iaean Cranwell said almost 120,000 passenger trips were recorded on the route in October 2025.
“We want to thank our customers who have embraced this service improvement. We appreciate your ongoing support for our Metro network. We are also thankful for central government’s investment in this upgrade,” he said.
The improvement was funded by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) and through our 2024-34 Long-Term Plan.
Route 7's increasing popularity
Route 7 has become particularly popular in recent years, with increases in patronage causing capacity issues on board at peak times. Its popularity comes down to the route servicing several areas of high growth, such as Halswell and the central city, people returning to their regular commuting routines post-lockdowns, and the flat-fare trial.
“We are so pleased to provide the extra capacity this route needed. This is another great example of the important role regional councils play in delivering public transport services for our communities,” Deputy Chair Cranwell said.
Five new electric buses were added to our fleet to service the frequency increase; these also have real-time information available on board, providing a better experience for our customers.
Route frequency upgrade is part of a bigger project
The change to Route 7 is part of a larger collaborative project to improve public transport that includes additional infrastructure delivered by our partners, Christchurch City Council and NZTA.
Canterbury Regional Council Public Transport Core Service Lead Cr Joe Davies said this includes bus stop upgrades, a new bus parking space and continuous bus priority lanes on Halswell Road between Dunbars Road and Moorhouse Avenue.
“Thank you to our customers for their patience as our partners work to deliver these infrastructure upgrades. We’re looking forward to completing these improvements and reviewing the rest of our network in the coming year. We hope you’re enjoying the other upgrades we recently introduced, including allowing small pets on board and contactless payment options,” Public Transport Core Service Lead Councillor Joe Davies said.
Plan your next trip on Route 7: Check real-time departures and map out your journey. Visit Metroinfo →