Manukau is a step closer to getting a bus and train transport hub which will make it easier for people to connect between high-frequency trains and buses.
Work has started on the construction of the new Manukau Bus Station which, when completed, will be at the heart of a new public transport network for south Auckland. The new connected network is due for implementation in late 2016.
Auckland Transport also released new design images of the station.
Transport Minister Simon Bridges, Mayor Len Brown and Otara-Papatoetoe Chair Fa'anānā Efeso Collins marked the start of construction works with the turning of the first sods.
The Auckland Transport project, which will cost $26 million to construct, is funded by the Government through the NZ Transport Agency and Auckland Council. Construction of the bus station building is expected to be completed in the second half of 2017.
Long-awaited hub for Manukau
Auckland Mayor Len Brown says he had long championed the need for a bus station from the time he was mayor of Manukau.
“In the first five years of a new united Auckland, the change in the city has been nothing short of remarkable," he says.
"The new public transport network, supported by bus and train transport hubs, will transform the way we get Aucklanders moving.” - Mayor Len Brown
Otara-Papatoetoe Local Board Chair Fa'anānā Efeso Collins says, “This is exactly what the community requires – a bus interchange that works in tandem with the train station for people who live in Manukau and those to come here to work.”
Easily accessible location
Auckland Transport Metro General Manager Mark Lambert says the new bus station will be located right next to the Manukau train station. In addition, the Manukau civic offices car park on Putney Way (between Davies Avenue and Osterley Way) will be transformed into a bus station. The train and bus stations will be linked by a covered walkway.
“The 23-bay bus station will be constructed right next to the existing Manukau Train Station with all the amenities of a modern station – a ticket office, customer service area, a large passenger waiting area, convenience kiosks, a drop and ride area, and 24-hour security and toilets. It will be pedestrian friendly and be accessible for everyone.
“The public transport hub at Manukau will provide better connections to the places Aucklanders want to go. It will help to reduce reliance on private transport and ease congestion on local and arterial roads.”
More travel choice for Aucklanders
The NZ Transport Agency’s Auckland Regional Director, Ernst Zöllner, says the Manukau Station upgrade will give people better access to jobs, education and housing, as well as more choice about how to get around Auckland.
“Manukau and south Auckland will play a vital role in Auckland’s economic growth, and the government, through the NZ Transport Agency is committed to providing transport solutions that support growth and productivity.”
Better bus and rail connections are the key to unlocking Auckland’s land use and ensuring the maximum number of households can benefit from urban development as well as giving employers better access to strong and growing labour markets.
The latest design for the station building incorporates feedback from public consultation in November last year.
