AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL MEDIA RELEASE

22 June 2007

Quay Street bus lanes stretch ahead

Work starts on Monday, 25 June to prepare Quay Street for extended bus lanes that will provide quicker, more reliable bus travel from the east of the city into the CBD.

The new citybound bus lanes, from Tangihua to Commerce streets, will operate from late July, between 6am and 10am each weekday.

Councillor Richard Simpson, Transport and Urban Linkages Committee chairperson, says it will be good news for people travelling from the eastern bays and Parnell on the 64 buses that run along Quay Street each weekday morning.

"Buses often get held up in traffic where bus lanes stop at Tangihua Street. The extension will mean quicker travel into the heart of the CBD, making bus travel more attractive to existing as well as potential bus commuters," says Mr Simpson.

"Minor adjustments are being made to three kerbs along Quay Street - at its intersections with Commerce, Gore and Tangihua streets - to ensure buses can move easily along this extended route."

Quay Street is a major passenger transport corridor linking with Britomart and the ferry terminal. The new bus lane joins an existing citybound bus lane on Quay Street that runs west of The Strand. In the future, the Quay Street bus lane will connect with bus lanes planned for Tamaki Drive.

"This bus lane extension is another critical step in the city's transport network as we continue to roll out bus lanes across the city. It is part of our 'buses first' policy, which means buses have priority over cars wherever possible. One bus is 50 fewer cars on Auckland roads," says Mr Simpson.

ENDS

Note to editor:

The existing citybound bus lane on Quay Street, west of the The Strand to Tangihua Street, is changing from a permanent 24-hour bus lane to between 6am and 10am weekdays.

Ref: AS

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