MEDIA RELEASE

4 March 2004

City bustles for bus passengers

Auckland City Council’s Transport Committee yesterday agreed to progress a busway linking the CBD with Newmarket.

“This is another major commitment to passenger transport,” says Councillor Greg McKeown, Transport Committee chairperson. “This project complements other bus priority work on the Symonds, Albert and Fanshawe streets, which in combination will build a central city bus network and will reduce journey times and improve reliability for thousands of bus passengers daily.”

The central transit corridor route incorporates Anzac Avenue, Symonds Street, Grafton Bridge, Park Road and Khyber Pass. It will provide a high frequency bus service, serving the university, hospital and medical school.

“The central transit corridor plays an integral part in providing a complete passenger transport network. The route caters for the growing demand in bus patronage to the southern and eastern suburbs as well as between the CBD and Newmarket, while the Symonds Street component also benefits bus routes along New North and Mt Eden roads,” says Mr McKeown.

The Scheme Assessment Report (SAR) has been completed for the route and has found the project can be completed almost entirely within the road reserve and will not impact on planned landscaping along Park Road or at the hospital.

The project incorporates a high level of street amenity improvements and quality streetscaping, factors that have been proven to support walking communities.

The Transport Committee has also signalled the importance of improving emission standards from buses using the route, particularly across Grafton Bridge and along Park Road.

Grafton Bridge will be dedicated to buses, pedestrians, cyclists and all emergency vehicles between 7am and 7pm weekdays. Outside of these times all vehicles would be allowed to use the bridge as at present.

Funding for the estimated $25 million project will be sought from Infrastructure Auckland, Transfund and other beneficiaries.

The council will consult on the corridor’s design details before reporting back to the Transport Committee later this year.

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