Auckland Transport (AT) has approved the Eastern Busway design and route between Pakuranga and Botany Town Centres, with work preparing for construction to start in Pakuranga this year.
Affordable mass rapid transit for thousands of Aucklanders is now one step closer as the Eastern Busway programme reaches this milestone.
“This significant project is about more than just better and more reliable transport” says Mark Lambert, AT’s Interim Chief Executive.
“It will not only reduce public transport journey times between Botany and Pakuranga and then on to Panmure with connections to the city centre and other parts of the Auckland region, but will increase access to jobs and education, connect people to social and community opportunities, attract investment and growth and help reduce emissions and congestion.”
Options
The project includes great options for cycling, walking, or using the bus and it will be a vital part of the public transport network in Tāmaki Makaurau for decades to come.
The project team is preparing to start busway construction from Pakuranga Town Centre to Ti Rakau Drive Bridge later this year, with resource consent applications being lodged in July 2022.
The design from Pakuranga to Ti Rakau Drive Bridge was approved by AT in February 2022. Residents’ feedback on the proposed design from Ti Rakau Drive Bridge to Botany Town Centre was given further careful consideration before a decision on that part of the route was announced in early July.
Design
“We acknowledge that the approved design will impact the homes of some Burswood residents, and we have given extra consideration to their feedback over several months. The decision on the preferred option was made only after a large number of alternative alignment possibilities were considered both on and around Ti Rakau Drive” says Mr Lambert.
“We also recognise that this project is an important step in our work to keep east Auckland moving as it grows and to ensure that people have a range of transport and lifestyle options in the future.”
When completed, the busway will carry more than 30,000 passengers every day and give 24,000 people access to a bus station within 1km of home.
More information: easternbusway.nz, info@easternbusway.nz, 0800 BUSWAY (0800 287 929).
