Buses

Hop on the bus! | The bigger picture | Bus lanes | Bus priority measures | Real time passenger information | Other ways we are helping buses | Catching a bus | CBD bus lanes (west)

Other ways we're helping buses

• Quality service partnership agreement
• Street solutions
• Bus stop policy and guidelines 

Quality service partnership agreement

Auckland City and Stagecoach Auckland have entered into an agreement to work together to accelerate improvements to Auckland public transport services in three areas:

• The quality, affordability and attractiveness of public transport, as experienced by passengers
• The safety of operation
• The efficiency of service delivery

The quality service partnership agreement is a first for New Zealand, although similar quality partnerships between local authorities and private sector bus companies are increasingly used overseas to bring significant improvements to bus routes.

The Auckland partnership is based on the premise that there is little point in bus operators investing in new buses, staff training and more frequent services if those buses are going to be stuck in the same worsening congestion as all other traffic. Similarly, there is little point in Auckland City investing heavily in upgrading bus terminals and shelters and introducing bus priority measures if the bus operators run outdated and run down buses.

Street solutions

Auckland City will get world class street furniture including new bus shelters, bench seats, rubbish bins and bike racks, under a contract with Adshel New Zealand Limited. The contract was agreed in December 1999, and is worth more than $70 million over the next two decades to ratepayers.

Auckland City will get street furniture of the standard seen on the streets of London, Paris, Geneva, San Francisco and Sydney. Those cities have similar arrangements whereby their street furniture is designed, built, installed, maintained and cleaned in return for the right to sell advertising space on selected items.

Bus stop policy and guidelines

Passenger safety and comfort are given priority in Auckland City’s bus stop policy and guidelines adopted in 1995.

The policy says Auckland City will upgrade and maintain its bus stops and associated facilities to be:

• Consistent with Auckland City's passenger transport strategies
• Situated within easy walking distances for passengers
• Supported by safe and sheltered access routes to and from the stop
• Safe and quick for getting on and off buses
• Safe and quick for buses to get into and out of the stop

Bus stops will have:

• Safe, comfortable and visible waiting areas
• Appropriate timetable information for passengers

Under the bus stop policy, Auckland City gives a commitment to consulting with Auckland Regional Council, affected bus operators and residents over any proposal to move a bus stop.