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Buses

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.

Some people complain buses are held up in the same congestion as other traffic, "so what's the point of using them?"

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.

There's no easy solution to the traffic challenges Auckland city faces, however 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.

Find out more about using bus priority lanes, where they are located, and their hours of operation:

Using bus lanes
Enforcing bus lanes
Bus lane routes and times

Click here to find out about proposed bus priority measures in Auckland city.

Using bus lanes

Bus lane. 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.

New national road transport user rules mean bus lanes do not necessarily have to be signposted as clearways. 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 being towed and a $150 fine.

Auckland City will be applying the regional standards for bus lane colouring. This generally means a section at the beginning and end of each bus lane will be 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:

Bikes use bus lanes too! Buses, cycles and motorcycles are all authorised users of bus lanes, so keep an eye out for them.
If you are turning, merging or accessing a driveway when a bus lane is operating, you can use the bus lane for up to 50 metres.
Auckland City enforces the correct use of bus lanes. If you drive in a bus lane when it's operating, for any reason other then needing to turn within 50 metres, you risk a $150 fine.
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.
You can drive in bus priority lanes outside of their operational times
Auckland City bus priority 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 seating position)
- cycles
- motorcycles, motor scooters, mopeds
- traffic enforcement and emergency vehicles.
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 training from the Police and been certified by the Commissioner of Police.

Enforcement is simple. Any driver travelling more than 50 metres down the lanes during operational times will be observed by enforcement officers stationed on the side of the road, backed up by video cameras. A letter is sent to the registered owner of the vehicle requesting the driver's details, and an infringement notice will then be issued to the driver.

Click here for more information about parking 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:

Dominion Road and Mt Eden Road
Donovan Street
Ellerslie-Panmure Highway
Fanshawe Street
Great North Road
Great South Road
Ponsonby Road
Sandringham Road
Symonds Street
Tamaki Drive
Quay Street
Karangahape Road
New North Road
Albert, Sturdee and Vincent streets, and Mayoral Drive
Khyber Pass and Broadway

Dominion Road and Mt Eden Road

The bus lane has been coloured green and operates:

Location	Time
City bound	7.00am to 9.00am
Outbound - Dominion Rd	4.00pm to 6.00pm
Outbound - Mt Eden Rd	4.30pm to 5.30pm

The bus priority schemes on Dominion Rd and Mt Eden Rd were the first comprehensive bus priority schemes launched in New Zealand, in March 1998 in a joint initiative by the Auckland City Council, Auckland Regional Council, and bus operators. The schemes were designed with community input and were endorsed by the public.

The schemes offer:

peak time lanes for the exclusive use of buses and cyclists
new generation low floor buses
upgraded on road information and shelters for bus passengers
signal pre-emption at major intersections
real time information signs at the major bus stops
new limited stops services linked to a small park and ride facility.

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

The implemented priority measures also include:

a bus bypass (westbound) at the Ellerslie-Panmure Highway / Mt Wellington Highway intersection
a bus bypass (westbound) at the Lagoon Dr/Church Cres intersection
provision of bus borders on Main Highway and Queens Rd
realignment of kerb at the bus stop on the south side of Ellerslie-Panmure Highway, near Burt Rd
greening of the road surface along the bus lane, bus bypasses and several bus stops on the route to encourage compliance.

Fanshawe Street

The bus lane operates:

Location	Time	Streets
City bound	7.00am - 9.00am, Monday to Friday	Fanshawe St, from Daldy St to just east of Halsey St
Outbound	3.00pm - 7.00pm	Fanshawe St, between Nelson St and Halsey St (buses and left turners into Halsey St only)
Outbound	At all times	Fanshawe St, between Halsey Street and Beaumont St

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 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

In addition, bus priority measures include

a bus advance and 'B' phase at the intersection of Ponsonby Rd and Hopetoun St when travelling towards Karangahape Rd
five parking spaces on Ponsonby Rd permanently removed to allow for the safe merging of buses with the general traffic at the Ponsonby Rd/Hopetoun St intersection
all bus stops along Ponsonby Rd coloured with a green surfacing to indicate that it is illegal for cars to park in these areas
a right turn from the middle lane of Jervois Rd into Ponsonby Rd for city bound buses.

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

Peak time bus lanes were introduced on Sandringham Road in May 1999. The lanes were designed to get buses and cyclists past the most congested spots - the approach to New North Rd in the mornings and the approach to Balmoral Rd in the afternoons. Extensions to the citybound and outbound bus lanes were implemented in December 2003.

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	7.00am to 9.00am, Monday to Friday	between The Strand and Tapora St central lane between Lower Albert St and Queen Elizabeth Square (at all times)

Quay Street bus lane extensions

Bus lanes are being extended along Quay Street to improve journey times for passengers travelling along this key route into the CBD. The new citybound bus lanes, from Tangihua to Commerce streets, will be operational from late July, between 6am and 10am, each weekday.

Work started on Monday, 25 June, making minor adjustments to three kerbs along Quay Street - on the corner of Commerce, Gore and Tangihua streets - to ensure buses move easily along the new route.

More than 60 buses travel along along Quay Street each weekday morning. The extension will mean quicker, more reliable journey times into the heart of the CBD and make bus travel more attractive to other potential bus commuters.

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

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.

The project is part of the council's "bus first" policy, which means buses have priority over cars wherever possible.

Karangahape Road

Location	Time	Streets
Citybound	7.00am to 9.00am, Monday to Friday	Between Day St and Pitt St

New North Road

This bus lane was introduced on 14 July 2004.

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

From Monday, 24 September, the buslane operates:

Location	Time	Streets
Citybound	7.00am to 9.00am, Monday to Friday	Between Kelly Tarlton's and Ngapipi road

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.

This is to make it easier for people travelling by bus in both directions to and through the growing commercial hub. It will also allow for more bus services when the central transit corridor between Newmarket and the CBD is completed.

Updated October 2007