Bus station sparks parking fears for nearby businesses

Wednesday, 10 October 2018

Plans to build a North Shore bus station with no park-and-ride worry the director of a nearby company, who fears it will put staff off.

An Auckland business owner is concerned a new bus station being built nearby, with no park-and-ride, will seriously affect his ability to attract and retain staff.

The $70 million Rosedale Bus Station on the North Shore was expected to open in 2021 or 2022, but travel publisher Tony Dominey was already concerned about commuters treating streets near the station as an unofficial park and ride.

'The whole thing is ill-conceived. People are going to park to catch the bus, even though there's no park and ride.'

Dominey said he feared the impact on retaining and hiring new staff as they wouldn't be able to find free on-street parking, with Auckland Transport planning to introduce paid parking near the station.

**READ MORE:

The two-level station would go in at 9-17 Arrenway Drive but would not have a park and ride.

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* Consultation on Auckland's Rosedale bus station highlights community's concerns

Parking choices of desperate commuters are now notorious near the overcrowded Albany bus station park-and-ride.

* AA survey calls for action on park and rides, while new bus station won't have one**

Parking overflows at nearby Albany and Constellation bus stations were well-known, he added.

Business North Harbour general manager Janine Brinsdon said feeder services were necessary to make the station work effectively.

However, Auckland Council planning committee chairman Chris Darby said the '21st century transport infrastructure' was about alleviating the city's reliance on cars.

'I can't help but think that, over time, the businesses in this area are going to find this as a contributor to their business, not something that's going to take from [it].'

Business North Harbour general manager Janine Brinsdon said the business association shared concerns regarding an under-supply of commuter parking, but overall supported the new station.

More feeder routes were needed to stop people from driving their cars either to the station or to work, Brinsdon said.

'We want the investment, we want to provide our employees with alternatives to the car as a way of their daily commute. But those feeder services have to be there to make the bus station viable.'

Albany bus station's park-and-ride, near Rosedale, fills up early and commuters park wherever they can.

Resource consent for the station is due to be submitted in November. It would open around 2021/22.

An updated traffic assessment due in November will include the impact on nearby Tawa, Triton and Apollo Drive intersections.

The area's street parking is already under pressure.

A New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) and AT September project update stated the decision not to include a park-and-ride facility was due to the fact they did not want to attract more cars into the area.

'Instead, people will be encouraged to use the new local feeder buses to get to the station.'

A new North Auckland bus network, rolled out on September 30, would be reviewed before the station opened to consider how services could be improved.

AT was also looking at implementing paid parking in the area and would undertake community consultation six months before the station was opened, the update stated.

Construction of an 135 additional spaces at Albany Park and Ride was also due to start later this year.

A traffic assessment presented by New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) in March had only assessed the bus station's effect on Rosedale Rd.

However, NZTA senior manager project delivery Chris Hunt confirmed an updated traffic assessment, due in November as part of the station's resource consent, would take into account surrounding streets.

Hunt said the agency had undertaken wide-ranging public consultation, including with Business North Harbour, and incorporated all feedback.