South Auckland to get New Bus Routes with Existing Routes to be Reinforced. Industrial Complexes not forgotten about – for once by Auckland Transport. BUT MORE BUS LANES NEEDED!

Written by Ben Ross - Talking Auckland

Network to be expanded under Climate Change Targeted Rate

In all the fuss about Mayor Phil Goff’s Annual Plan 2022-2023 Proposal including the (not needed Targeted Rate as it should be in General Rates anyway) the major component that got missed where all the new bus routes coming as a result of the Plan.

I will post the document and the map of all the new routes as PDFs at the bottom of the post. But in short (or TL:DR) Southern Auckland (including) Howick gets the lion’s share of new, and reinforced existing bus routes. We even have a case of Auckland Transport putting in frequent bus routes AHEAD of three urban developments (Drury, Auranga and Paerata), and several new Routes servicing two of the four heavy industrial complexes here in the South (Wiri, East Tamaki and Highbrook).

Praise be where praise be towards Auckland Transport on these new routes and especially these new routes coming ahead of urban development in the rapidly growing South. Those who follow me here over the decade and on the platforms know I am a major proponent of the Infrastructure Surplus model rather than Auckland’s current Infrastructure Deficit model. The Surplus Model being infrastructure goes ahead of the urban development which does result in an initial surplus of said infrastructure. But this surplus would absorb the growth while existing areas containing deficits got their infrastructure upgraded in preparation for urban renewal and intensification. Also getting in the routes ahead of time means the culture can be installed into the new residents and businesses although constant marketing is needed. Something Auckland Transport failed to do with the 371 in Takaanini, now replaced by the awful AT Local ride share van. So well done Auckland Transport after 10 years of me banging on about getting the bus routes in ahead of time.

The new 37, and 39 also service our industrial complexes which did lose their original services from teh 2016 New Bus Network. Hopefully with marketing, wayfinding and better walking connections in Wiri and East Tamaki we can get these two new routes really running to full power in those industrial complexes. It also seems the new routes through Clendon and Weymouth follow this pattern I drew a few years ago:

Weymouth Line, and the Unitary Plan zones close up
Close up of the Weymouth RTN Loop. A2B Station = Yellow Diamond, Manurewa and Te Mahia Stations the black dots
Southern RTN: Manukau, Wiri, Homai, Weymouth, Papakura, Takanini, Karaka and Manurewa
Weymouth Line, and the Unitary Plan zones
2018 bus routes and Rapid Transit proposed lines I drew up for Southern Auckland

Let’s take a look at what is proposed for the South

South Auckland’s new, and reinforced bus routes
South Auckland ctd and Franklin’s new, and reinforced routes
Howick’s new, and reinforced bus routes
Bus routes both new, and reinforced in the Manukau, Manurewa/Papakura, and Howick Wards
New, and reinforced bus routes with Papakura and Franklin areas

As we can see the routes are extensive and covering areas either not covered (Industrial complexes, Paerata or Drury), new routes in existing areas (37 and 39), or reinforcing existing areas like the 33, 365 and 31.

What concerns me is the lack of bus lanes and priority measures from Auckland Transport to back these routes up. No point reinforcing the 31, 33 and 35 if the buses get stuck around Manukau City Centre, Otara Town Centre, or the Great South Road for its entire length in the case of the 33 if they are going to get stuck in general traffic. So roll on the 6am to 7pm, 7 day a week bus lanes AS A MATTER OF URGENCY!

More of these are needed

Thoughts on the new, and reinforced bus routes?

annual-budget-2022-2023-mayoral-proposal-december-2021-finalDownload
Auckland-Council-Budget-CATR-network-mapDownload