Bid to move Whangārei's bus terminal to the next road over fails

The bus terminal on Whangārei's Rose St will not be moved to neighbouring Vine St. Photo / John Stone

A recommendation to move Whangārei's Rose St bus terminal across the road to Vine St has been stopped in its tracks.

An item on the Whangārei District Council's Infrastructure Committee meeting agenda on Thursday sought to move the hub to Vine St in the coming financial year.

The documents indicated it would be a short- to medium-term solution, with work on a long-term solution to continue.

A report produced by the WDC and Northland Regional Council public transport working party in February stated that for "several years" passengers and operators had considered the Rose St terminal to not be fit for purpose.

The reasons given were that it did not meet operational requirements and had insufficient space for buses at peak times, poor pedestrian access and was isolated and prone to anti-social and disorderly behaviour to the extent that passengers feel unsafe and security guards are required.

Vine St was determined as the best from four locations which were investigated.

Councillor Tricia Cutforth instead moved an alternative motion to refurbish and keep the Rose St bus hub where it is in the short term, while the need for and future location of a transport hub be considered as part of the CBD redevelopment.

"The issue we've got at the moment is the use of our bus service. I don't believe the Rose St bus hub as it is currently is the biggest problem."

She said the issue of the bus service is much bigger than the end point that is the terminal.

"My concern with Vine St, I think it will have a major impact on some of the shops there."

Mayor Sheryl Mai wanted to stick with the original recommendation.

She said the move from Rose St would signal a long-term change - it would show the council is committed to moving away.

She said Vine St had "changed dramatically" from a "night hub" to a "church hub" and it provided connections with the Strand Arcade and Quality St.

Councillors debated the pros and cons of the two sites.

Cr Greg Martin, who is chair of the committee, offered up the adage "nothing is more permanent than a temporary fix".

Mai's amendment was lost, with councillors voting in favour of Cr Cutforth's motion.