KEY POINTS:
New high-occupancy lanes will be introduced along two main roads in North Shore City today in a build-up to next year's opening of the Northern Busway.
The two "transit" lanes - westbound along Shakespeare Rd during morning peak hours and eastbound on Constellation Drive for homebound commuters - are aimed at giving bus passengers and car-poolers faster trips.
The North Shore had New Zealand's first transit lane for vehicles with three or more occupants, in Onewa Rd, more than 20 years ago.
Last year it added a westbound lane along Constellation Drive, towards one of the busway's first two stations.
More lanes are expected to be added before the $290 million busway opens.
Although the new lanes will from today be officially off-limits to cars with fewer than three occupants, the North Shore City Council will spend this week simply notifying offenders of their status before starting to impose $150 fines.
Next week tow-trucks will remove vehicles illegally parked during the lanes' operating hours.
