Buses
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on the bus! | The bigger picture
| Bus lanes | Bus priority measures
| Real time passenger information | Other ways we are helping
buses
| Catching a bus
| CBD bus lanes (west)
Bus lanes
Get on a bus and play your part to get Auckland moving!
Bus lanes play an essential role in reducing Auckland's traffic congestion by
helping buses get where they need to go faster and more efficiently. Ultimately
this will encourage more people on to buses, which means fewer cars on the road.
Bus lanes separate buses from other traffic, enabling them to bypass traffic
congestion, reducing conflict between buses, bikes and general traffic. Bus
lanes also mean buses have shorter journey times and can keep to their
timetables.
While there's no easy solution to the traffic challenges Auckland city faces,
bus lanes aim to minimise traffic delays for buses by giving them ways
to get through congestion or get a head start on other vehicles.
Bus travel therefore becomes smarter and faster, giving Aucklanders real
transport choices.
View bus lane information via a
clickable map
Find out more about using bus priority lanes, where they are located, and
their hours of operation:
Click here to find out about proposed bus priority
measures in Auckland city.
Using
bus lanes
Research
shows us that if bus lanes are for buses and bikes, and cars use regular traffic
lanes, all will get where they want to go faster.
Bus lanes in Auckland City are clearly marked with roadside signage. This
usually states: BUS LANE, and then outlines the hours the bus lane is operating.
There are also signs before the bus lane begins stating BUS LANE AHEAD.
Wherever you see a BUS LANE sign, make sure you
check the signage and ensure you know what times it operates.
When bus lanes are operating, motorists are not able to use these lanes, and
risk a $150 fine.
In most cases, a section at the beginning and end of each bus lane is
coloured green (and sometimes intermediate sections as well), to help motorists
recognise the bus lanes.
While bus lanes generally operate citybound during the morning traffic peak
and outbound during the afternoon traffic peak, operation times do differ within
the city, so it's important that you read the bus lane signage.
Key facts about using bus lanes:
- If you are making a left turn into a driveway or side street, you can use the lane for up to 50m to make your turn
- Bikes use bus lanes too! Buses, cycles and motorcycles are all
authorised users of bus lanes, so keep an eye out for them
- Driving, parking or stopping on the lanes is prohibited during the times
they operate. If you are parked or stopped on a lane at the wrong time, you
will be given a parking
ticket and towed away
- You can drive in bus lanes outside of their operational
times
- Auckland City bus lanes can be used by the following vehicles
only:
- buses. (A bus is defined in the Road User Rule as
a passenger service vehicle that has more than nine seating
positions, including the driver's seat)
- cycles
- motorcycles, motor scooters, mopeds
- traffic enforcement and emergency vehicles responding to/attending
emergencies
- Cycles, motor cycles and buses are entitled
to use bus lanes and therefore can take advantage of any bus pre-emption
signals or B phase signals.
- Bus lanes on motorways operate differently than local road bus lanes in
that motorcycles and cycles cannot use them.
- Taxis (cars or shuttles with nine seats or less) may not use the bus
priority lanes.
- If you receive a $150 fine for driving illegally in a bus lane, you can
pay your fine online.
Learn the rules and you'll get where you need to go faster! Bus lanes work
best when everyone keeps to the lanes they should be in.
Enforcing
bus lanes
Auckland City is committed to keeping cars out of bus lanes, to ensure bus
lanes operate as effectively as possible.
Auckland City enforcement officers can issue infringement notices to vehicles
incorrectly using bus lanes. The enforcement officers have received specialist
training and been certified by the Commissioner of Police.
On each bus lane, enforcement areas have been set up to monitor compliance. Each of these enforcement areas has been measured and is more than 50m in length. If a vehicle is driven through the entire enforcement area, an infringement notice may be issued.
The enforcement officers take video footage of each offence. This is secondary evidence only as the officer’s observation of the offence is the primary evidence.
The officer will request in writing that the owner of the vehicle provide the details of the person driving the vehicle at the time of the offence, before an infringement notice is issued.
Click here
for more information about how to pay parking and bus lane tickets.
Bus
lane routes
and times
Auckland City aims to
make improvements for buses and their passengers on all major arterial
roads over the next three years.
Bus priority measures
currently operate on:
Remuera Rd
The bus lanes operate as follows:
| Location |
Time |
Streets |
| City bound |
7.00am - 9.00am, Monday to Friday |
Between Gerard Way and Broadway |
| Outbound |
4.00pm - 6.00pm, Monday to Friday |
Between Broadway and Meadowbank Rd |
Following the introduction of the Remuera Road bus lanes, route optimisation work is being undertaken to:
- fine-tune traffic signal phasing
- Investigate opportunities to improve access to Remuera Road from side roads
- potentially relocate the Green Lane East bus stop to reduce congestion
- change the section of bus lane on Remuera Road near Portland Road from bus lane to Clearway to improve traffic flow and safety.
Dominion
Road
The bus lane has been coloured green and operates:
|
Location
|
Time
|
|
City bound
|
7.00am to 9.00am
|
|
Outbound
|
4.00pm to 6.00pm
|
Mt Eden Road
The bus lane operates:
|
Location |
Time |
|
City bound |
7.00am to 9.00am |
|
Outbound
|
4.00pm to 6.00pm, except Mt Eden Rd between Batger and Oaklands (4.30pm – 5.30pm). |
Donovan
Street
The bus lane operates:
|
Location
|
Time
|
Streets
|
|
City bound
|
7.00am - 9.00am, Monday to Friday
|
Bus lane on the northern side of Donovan Street in
Blockhouse Bay runs form the bus stop west of Rathlin Street to the bus
stop west of Boundary Road. |
In addition:
- New right turn bays installed on Donovan Street at these intersections:
- Lewis Street
- McFadzean Drive
- Shipton Place.
Ellerslie-Panmure
Highway
The bus lane operates:
|
Location
|
Time
|
Streets
|
|
City bound
|
7.00am - 9.00am, Monday to Friday
|
Main Highway, 170m bus lane on the approach to the
intersection of Great South Rd, Main Highway, Campbell Rd and
Wairakei Rd |
Fanshawe
Street
The bus lane operates:
|
Location
|
Time
|
Streets
|
|
City bound
|
24hrs
|
Fanshawe St, from Daldy St to just east of Halsey St |
| Outbound |
24hrs |
Fanshawe St, between Nelson St and Halsey St (buses and
left turners into Halsey St only) |
| 24hrs |
Fanshawe St, between Halsey Street and Beaumont St |
Grafton Bridge
Grafton Bridge started operating as a bus lane in the beginning of October
2009.
The bus lane operates Monday to Friday between the hours of 7am to
7pm. All other times the bridge is open to all traffic.
Signage
On the approach from Karangahape Rd to Grafton Bridge the following signage catering for notification of a bus lane has been installed.
- On the corner of Karanghape Rd and Liverpool Street, on the left hand side of road, there is a 3m x 3m direction sign, advising all motorists of lane direction consisting of:
- Right lane - Turn right to Symonds Street
- Centre lane - Veer right to Motorway
- Left lane - Grafton Bridge, Bus lane Only 7am to 7pm
- Approximately 8m past the Liverpool side street, on the left hand side of the road, is an advisory sign; 800mm x 600mm displaying ‘Bus lane Ahead’.
- At the entrance to Grafton bridge on the left hand side of the road there are the following signs:
- A 800mm x 600mm sign displaying Bus Lane 7am to 7pm
- On the road aligning to the bus lane sign, a segment of greening, approximately 2.5m long and covering the full width of the lane is marked in white with the words Bus Lane.
- On the right hand side of the road on an angle visible to both Symonds Street and Karangahape Road is a VMS (Variable Message Sign) that measures approx 1.8m x 1.2 m, that flashes the message “Bus Lane Only”.
- Approximately 5 m past the regulatory sign on the left hand side of the road is a further advisory sign measuring 800mm x 600mm displaying Bus Lane 7am to 7pm.
Great
North Road
The bus lane operates:
|
Location |
Time |
Streets |
|
City bound |
7.00am - 9.00am |
- from the Pt Chevalier Shops to St Lukes Rd
- from the Western Springs interchange to Bond St (excluding
Grey Lynn shops)
- from Bond St to the Ponsonby Rd intersection
|
|
Outbound |
4.00pm - 6.00pm |
- Burns St to Bond St
- Northland St to Crummer Rd
- Surrey Cres to the Bullock Track
- Turangi Rd to St Lukes Rd
- St Lukes Rd to Parr Rd North
|
Great
South Road
The bus lane operates:
|
Location
|
Time
|
Streets
|
|
City bound
|
7.00am - 9.00am
|
Great South Rd, between Greenlane Rd West and Ngaire Ave |
Ponsonby
Road
The bus lane operates:
|
Location
|
Time
|
Streets
|
|
Citybound towards Karangahape Rd
|
7.00am - 9.00am, Monday to Friday
|
Ponsonby Rd, eastern side between Hopetoun St and
Karangahape Rd |
Sandringham
Road
|
Location
|
Time
|
Streets
|
|
Citybound
|
7.00am to 9.00am, Monday to Friday
|
- between Watson Ave and Leslie Ave
- between Ethel St and opposite Onslow Ave
|
|
Outbound
|
4.00pm to 6.00pm, Monday to Friday
|
- between Burnley Terrace and Lancing Rd
- between Patterson St and Tranmere Rd
- between Harwood St and Parry St
|
Symonds
Street
A bus lane is located on Symonds St, between the Symonds St motorway
off-ramp and the intersection with Khyber Pass Rd. The lane has been coloured
green and operates outbound from the city, at all times.
Guide lines for cyclists have also been marked out on the Symonds St approach
to the Khyber Pass Rd intersection to make Symonds St safer for cyclists.
Quay
Street
|
Location
|
Time
|
Streets
|
|
Citybound |
6.00am - 10.00am Monday to Friday |
- Between The Strand and Commerce Street.
- Central Lane between Lower Albert Street and Queen Elizabeth Square
(at all times).
|
Karangahape
Road
|
Location
|
Time
|
Streets
|
|
Citybound
|
7.00am to 9.00am, Monday to Friday
|
Between Day St and Pitt St
|
New
North Road
|
Location
|
Time
|
Streets
|
|
Citybound
|
7.00am to 9.00am, Monday to Friday
|
Between Bond St and Mostyn St
|
|
Outbound
|
4.00pm - 6.00pm, Monday to Friday
|
Between Ace Pl and opposite New Bond St
|
Tamaki
Drive
|
Location |
Time |
Streets |
|
Citybound |
7.00am to 9.00am, Monday to Friday |
Between Kelly Tarlton's and Ngapipi road |
Tamaki Drive is a T2 transit lane. To use this lane, there must be at least 2 occupants in the vehicle. If only the driver is present in the vehicle, an infringement notice may be issued.
Khyber Pass and Broadway
| Location |
Time |
| Khyber Pass - outbound and citybound |
7am to 9am and 4pm to 6pm
Monday to Friday |
| Broadway - outbound and citybound |
7am to 9am and 4pm
to 6pm
Monday to Friday |
The Newmarket bus lanes are the first in Auckland city to operate on outbound
and citybound routes at both morning and evening peak times.
Queen Street
| Location |
Time |
Streets |
| Outbound |
3pm to 7pm
Monday to Friday |
City Road to Karangahape Road |
Anzac Avenue
| Location |
Time |
Streets |
| Outbound and citybound |
24 hours |
Beach Road to Waterloo Quadrant/Alten Avenue |
Updated January 2010
