Auckland Transport (AT) has announced a raft of changes today including new bus services, bus lanes and parking that it says will increase the efficiency and reliability of public transport into the City Centre via Karangahape Rd.
A new bus route, the WX1 Western Express, will run every 10 minutes via the Northwestern Motorway and connect Westgate to new bus interchanges at Lincoln and Te Atatū, starting this Sunday.
There will also be a range of new local routes that will connect with motorway services at Westgate and the aforementioned new bus interchanges.
"Currently, bus lane operating hours do not always give reliable journey times through the area," said AT service network development manager Pete Moth.
"It is important that road space is relocated to the people who need it most, to boost patronage on public transport and to make buses a viable alternative to travelling by car."
From Sunday, bus lane times will change on Karangahape Rd and there will be no general parking at any time, seven days a week. Loading will be available outside of bus lane hours, and parking is available on side streets.
AT said this will allow for more consistent journey times for bus customers, benefitting customers from Northwest Auckland, Ponsonby, Newmarket and the North Shore.
“AT has seen the positive impact that more bus customers in an area can have on businesses. The more people arriving to an area on bus, the better this is for business,” said AT’s programme director for the city centre Graeme Gunthorp.
“There will be more people walking the streets, spending money and enjoying the ambience of café culture on K’ Rd.”
A new bus lane is being added to Newton Rd, and bus shoulder lanes on the Northwestern Motorway are being extended, both to increase priority for buses.
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