Share Keeping Mt Wellington Moving on FacebookShare Keeping Mt Wellington Moving on TwitterShare Keeping Mt Wellington Moving on LinkedinEmail Keeping Mt Wellington Moving link
Mount Wellington Highway and Sylvia Park Road are some of the busiest roads in Tāmaki Makaurau, connecting SH1, Sylvia Park, industrial hubs, and local communities. More than 17,000 vehicles use these roads each day, including high volumes of freight and buses.
Evening congestion is already an issue, with speeds dropping to 18–25 km/h at busy times. This is expected to worsen with further growth and the opening of IKEA in December 2025, which will add hundreds of extra vehicles each hour.
To help keep people and goods moving, Auckland Transport is planning a package of improvements. These changes are part of our wider Network Optimisationprogramme, which makes cost-effective adjustments to improve journey times and reliability without major road works.
The Proposal
These proposals reallocate existing road space, mainly by repurposing parking lanes, to prioritise buses, freight and carpooling while still keeping a general traffic lane.
What you told us
We received 247 responses through our survey, drop-in sessions, written submissions, and targeted engagement.
Concerns about congestion: Many respondents worried the T2/heavy vehicle lanes would reduce capacity for general traffic. Some were concerned about merging behaviour and safety.
Support for freight and buses: Freight operators and public transport users highlighted benefits for reliability and future-proofing.
Other themes: Suggestions included stronger enforcement, clearer signage, better road markings, and improved pedestrian safety. IKEA’s opening and SH1 on-ramp were also common concerns, though these are being managed by other parties.
Limited feedback: Only small numbers commented on the Panama Road clearway, Clemow roundabout, bus stop upgrades, and parking changes.
We used several methods to engage the community and raise awareness of the proposals. Our efforts reached:
Flyers & ads: 1,419
Website visitors: 1,500
Social media reach: 449,581
Drop-in and conversations: ~15
Stakeholder orgs: 8+ engaged people
We thank those who submittedfeedback;it provided valuable insights into local concerns and priorities.
What we’re doing
After considering your feedback and technical analysis, we are:
Proceeding with the T2/heavy vehicle lanes on Mt Wellington Highway and Sylvia Park Road in the evening only, to support reliable journeys for freight, buses and carpooling.
Adding enforcement cameras to ensure the lanes are used correctly.
Implementing a clearway on Panama Road and changes at Clemow Drive roundabout to support smoother traffic flow. The changes at the Clemow Drive roundabout will look different to what was consulted on, due to alignment with the changes made as part of IKEA’s transport plans.
Upgrading bus stops to improve safety, accessibility, and shelter.
Converting parking outside Mt Richmond Superette to P30 based on business feedback.
Exploring further improvements, such as yellow hatching at intersections to prevent drivers blocking the intersections and new bus stops with a safe pedestrian crossing on Sylvia Park Road.
These proposals are still being finalised and there may be amendments or additions.
August 2025 – Engagement summary shared with Local Board
Late 2025 – Final design completed
Early 2026 – Construction scheduled to begin
Mount Wellington Highway and Sylvia Park Road are some of the busiest roads in Tāmaki Makaurau, connecting SH1, Sylvia Park, industrial hubs, and local communities. More than 17,000 vehicles use these roads each day, including high volumes of freight and buses.
Evening congestion is already an issue, with speeds dropping to 18–25 km/h at busy times. This is expected to worsen with further growth and the opening of IKEA in December 2025, which will add hundreds of extra vehicles each hour.
To help keep people and goods moving, Auckland Transport is planning a package of improvements. These changes are part of our wider Network Optimisationprogramme, which makes cost-effective adjustments to improve journey times and reliability without major road works.
The Proposal
These proposals reallocate existing road space, mainly by repurposing parking lanes, to prioritise buses, freight and carpooling while still keeping a general traffic lane.
What you told us
We received 247 responses through our survey, drop-in sessions, written submissions, and targeted engagement.
Concerns about congestion: Many respondents worried the T2/heavy vehicle lanes would reduce capacity for general traffic. Some were concerned about merging behaviour and safety.
Support for freight and buses: Freight operators and public transport users highlighted benefits for reliability and future-proofing.
Other themes: Suggestions included stronger enforcement, clearer signage, better road markings, and improved pedestrian safety. IKEA’s opening and SH1 on-ramp were also common concerns, though these are being managed by other parties.
Limited feedback: Only small numbers commented on the Panama Road clearway, Clemow roundabout, bus stop upgrades, and parking changes.
We used several methods to engage the community and raise awareness of the proposals. Our efforts reached:
Flyers & ads: 1,419
Website visitors: 1,500
Social media reach: 449,581
Drop-in and conversations: ~15
Stakeholder orgs: 8+ engaged people
We thank those who submittedfeedback;it provided valuable insights into local concerns and priorities.
What we’re doing
After considering your feedback and technical analysis, we are:
Proceeding with the T2/heavy vehicle lanes on Mt Wellington Highway and Sylvia Park Road in the evening only, to support reliable journeys for freight, buses and carpooling.
Adding enforcement cameras to ensure the lanes are used correctly.
Implementing a clearway on Panama Road and changes at Clemow Drive roundabout to support smoother traffic flow. The changes at the Clemow Drive roundabout will look different to what was consulted on, due to alignment with the changes made as part of IKEA’s transport plans.
Upgrading bus stops to improve safety, accessibility, and shelter.
Converting parking outside Mt Richmond Superette to P30 based on business feedback.
Exploring further improvements, such as yellow hatching at intersections to prevent drivers blocking the intersections and new bus stops with a safe pedestrian crossing on Sylvia Park Road.
These proposals are still being finalised and there may be amendments or additions.
