Onehunga bus route 68 changes

Please see the full consultation and decision report attached to the right as a PDF document.

Consultation outcome:

In response to the feedback received, the design and location of the new bus stop on Princes Street has been reviewed. 

The pedestrian crossing outside the train station entrance (near Waller Street) will not be moved east to 65 Princes Street. It will remain where it is. Because of the location of the existing pedestrian crossing, the bus parking will be shifted east. Five fewer parking spaces will be removed on Princes Street because of these changes.

A “No Idling” sign will be put up at the bus stop to ensure that bus drivers switch off their engines if they are stopped at the new bus stop on Princes Street. 

What happens next:

Construction works are expected to start in late November to prepare for the changes to bus route 68. 

Community feedback:

The main themes of feedback from the community were: that removing parking will be detrimental to residents; concern over disturbance from buses (noise and increased congestion); and concern over the location of relocated pedestrian crossing. Please see PDF document alongside for the full Consultation and Decision Report, which lists the feedback in full.

About the project: 

We’re making changes to the 68 bus route, which currently runs from New Lynn to Onehunga, stopping at the Onehunga bus interchange at Upper Municipal Place.

The changes will improve this service by extending the 68 bus route to Onehunga Train Station, and take pressure off the current bus parking on Upper Municipal Place.

To enable these changes, we need: to:

• build a new bus stop on Princes Street next to Onehunga Train Station
• make changes to pedestrian crossings on Princes Street

and we want your feedback on the placement and design of the new bus stop.

We expect to make these changes in November 2024.

What we are proposing:

The new route path for Route 68 is shown below. The bus would travel further down Church Street, turning right at Galway Street and right again onto Princes Street and past Onehunga Station. The new proposed bus stop on Princes Street will provide better connection to the Onehunga Station and improve the overall service experience in Onehunga.

To support this route change we need to:

• Add a new bus stop with bus stop line markings on Princes Street
• Replace nine on-street vehicle parking spaces with space to park two buses on Princes Street
• Relocate the existing accessible crossing on Princes Street to allow for the bus parking
• Upgrade the existing accessible crossing on the eastern side of the Princes Street and Onehunga Mall roundabout

The image below (and attached alongside) shows the proposed changes required for the new bus stop on Princes Street.

Why we are proposing it

The proposed changes on Princes Street provide a better service for the community by connecting the bus network to Onehunga train station and removing some of the bus congestion currently seen around Upper Municipal Place.

This project has been brought forward as part of Auckland Council’s climate response and is funded by Auckland’s Climate Action Transport Targeted Rates.

Aucklanders tell us they want a better public transport system that is convenient, well-connected, accessible and reliable. Buses can move more people while using less space and improved bus services are being introduced in Onehunga later this year. Improvements to bus route 68 are part of improvements to central crosstown buses to deliver more reliable and more frequent bus services. These bus services will be able to move more people more often throughout the day, seven days a week to make Onehunga easier to get to and more accessible. This will work towards reducing the number of vehicles on the road and providing more parking for those who need it.

The changes will also help enable more of the exciting changes coming to the Onehunga town centre as part of the Eke Panuku development of the Waiapu Precinct.

Benefits & Impacts

• Bus stop to get people to and from Onehunga Station
• Majority of bus parking is not directly in front of residential houses
• Improved crossing facilities on the affected section of Princes Street
• On-street parking space for nine vehicles will be removed to create the bus parking

What we want your feedback on:

The placement and design of the new bus stop on Princes Street. You can have a say in shaping the way these changes take place.

Feedback is open until 29 September 2024.

How you can have your say:

Take the survey below to give us your feedback.

Email: busreview@at.govt.nz (include the reference Princes Street, Onehunga)

Post: 20 Viaduct Harbour Avenue, Auckland 1010