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Karanga-a-Hape Station neighbourhood and bus improvements project Karanga-a-Hape Station neighbourhood and bus improvements project

Consultation on the project has closed.

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An artist's illustration of Karangahape road

Project background

In 2023, we proposed improvements to the transport network and streets around the new City Rail Link (CRL) Karanga-a-Hape Station. We proposed fours areas of change:

  1. Walking and cycling

We proposed changes to walking and cycling improvements throughout the neighbourhood, including:

  • Pedestrian and cycle crossings
  • Footpath widening
  • Cycleways

Download proposed neighbourhood improvement map (PNG 283KB).

  1. Parking and loading

With limited road space available, we had to evaluate the number and location of loading zones and on-street parking spaces, including mobility, taxi, and rideshare. Changes were proposed throughout the neighbourhood.

Download the parking, loading and servicing layout (PNG 234KB).

  1. Access

We proposed to permanently restrict motor vehicle access on Mercury Lane from Karangahape Road to north of the existing vehicle crossing at 2 Mercury Lane, to become a pedestrian mall. South of the proposed pedestrian mall a shared space was proposed from the vehicle crossings to south of the intersection with Cross Street.

Download the proposed traffic circulation plan (PDF 743KB).

  1. Bus improvements

We proposed bus priority measures to support the opening of the CRL in 2026 and an increased number of buses arriving from the northwest from late 2023. The proposed changes included new bus lanes, the extension of bus lane hours, bus priority lights, and a new bus stop.

Why did we propose changes?

When the CRL opens, we expect to up to 40,000 people accessing Karanga-a-Hape Station every day via entrances on Beresford Square and Mercury Lane. The CRL will make it easier for people to get to and from the Karangahape neighbourhood from south, east and west Auckland.

Karangahape is also an important and busy transport hub with buses bringing in an estimated 15,000-20,000 people per day into the neighbourhood from the North Shore and Auckland’s inner suburbs, such as Point Chevalier, Grey Lynn, Westmere, Ponsonby, Parnell, Newmarket, and Grafton.

The proposed changes would:

  1. Make connections between the new Karanga-a-Hape Station and the surrounding neighbourhood, easy, safe, and intuitive.
  2. Make travelling by bus easier, quicker, and more reliable. Create better connections between buses and trains.
  3. Make it easier for people to walk and cycle around the area safely.

Engagement overview

Public consultation ran from 17 April to 26 May 2023. To publicise the consultation, we:

  • Delivered brochures to properties to the Karangahape neighbourhood and surrounding suburbs. This included 13,683 mailbox drops and 726 sent via posted mail.
  • Launched targeted social media advertising.
  • Set up a project webpage and an interactive Social Pinpoint map giving people the option to give location-based feedback.
  • Utilised outdoor advertising through posters and digital billboards.
  • Held three drop-in public information sessions and attended Karangahape Business Association’s ‘First Thursdays’ market.

Over a thousand items of feedback were received on the proposed changes to redesign the Karanga-a-Hape Station neighbourhood. Download the Engagement Feedback and Recommended Decisions Report (PDF 1.27MB) to see the summary of the submissions and the recommended decisions.

Following public engagement, we conducted three community workshops. We invited locals with a diverse range of perspectives to join the conversation, all with the aim of creating spaces that are vibrant, unique, safe, and fun for the community.

Project update: changes to bus lanes

In November 2023, we made the following changes to parking and bus lanes on Karangahape Road:

  • Created a new section of bus lane on the northern side of Karangahape Road between Pitt Street and Queen Street that operates 7am to 10am and 3pm to 7pm. This provides better reliability for bus journeys along Karangahape Road.
  • Extended bus lane hours on the northern side of Karangahape Road between Newton Road and Pitt Street to 7am 10am and 3pm to 7pm, seven days a week.
  • Extended bus lane hours on the southern side of Karangahape Road between Pitt Street and Newton Road to 7am to 10am and 3pm to 7pm, seven days a week.

These changes are designed to provide better reliability for bus journeys along Karangahape Road.

The changes are currently being monitored for effectiveness and will be reviewed in May 2024.