A man has been arrested after taking a bus from the Christchurch Interchange and driving it nearly 2 kilometres.

An Environment Canterbury spokesman told Chris Lynch the bus driver dashed to the toilet at the interchange, on the corner of Lichfield Street and Colombo Street, sometime between 7.30AM – 8AM.

During that time, another man jumped in the driver’s seat and took the bus for a “very short joyride.”

“There were no other passengers on the bus at the time. Police quickly apprehended the man a short time later.”

A person familiar with the situation, who didn’t want to be named, said the man drove the bus out of the interchange carefully, even following traffic signals.

“He followed the bus route too.”

A police spokeswoman said they were notified that a bus had been stolen and the man was apprehended on Brougham Street at 8am this morning.

“The bus was located undamaged a short time later and a man taken into custody.”

“Charging decisions have not been confirmed at this stage.”