Council eyes new bus lanes for inner city

Auckland City is likely to get new bus lanes to meet growing public transport demands and relieve congestion.

The city council's transport committee has approved consultation with businesses and a detailed investigation of the costs involved in the scheme.

It would introduce a mix of short bus lanes, bypasses, clearways and cycle-lanes for Symonds St, which is one of the main transport corridors to and from the city centre.

About 400 buses use the area at peak times, and Auckland Regional Council figures show a 22 per cent rise in passenger numbers over the past two years.

The city council's senior transport planner, Stuart Knarston, said Symonds St, from Mt Eden Rd to Waterloo Quadrant, had a high volume of traffic of all modes.

"We want to make the route more reliable in terms of the buses, less congested and a quicker way for all vehicles.

"The next step is to carry out detailed design and consult with local businesses."

Plans for new city-centre bus lanes at Dominion Rd, Queen St and Ian McKinnon Drive were put on hold by the transport committee pending further investigation by planning officers.