Motorists to move aside for buses in Albert St

Auckland motorists had a daunting time weaving around new road markings in Albert St yesterday, but face an even tougher challenge next week when it becomes a main bus route.

Auckland City transport officials were relieved traffic flowed relatively smoothly on the first day of their radical reallocation of limited road space in favour of buses.

But that was partly because many motorists blithely ignored signs indicating new bus lanes, mainly on the southbound side of Albert St, which are supposed to be off-limits to general traffic for eight hours a day - from 6am to 10am and from 3pm to 7pm.

They may be in for a shock next week, when at least 500 more North Shore bus services start arriving in Auckland or leaving the city along Albert St each week day.

The city council is giving motorists this week to get used to the new road markings, as well as new traffic signals and prohibitions against right hand turns into Wyndham and Swanson Sts.

Parking officers are handing out leaflets to explain the changes and intend videoing unauthorised users of the bus lanes, which are reserved for buses, bicycles and motorbikes.

But although offenders will be sent notices, city council parking services manager Chris Geerlings said these would be informational only for now.

Motorists would escape $150 fines for at least the next two weeks, to give them a fair chance to adapt to the changes.

New bus lanes were also introduced yesterday in Sturdee St en route to the central city and then in a line from Albert St to Mayoral Drive and up the Vincent St hill.

Council transport committee chairman Richard Simpson was unapologetic about giving buses the upper hand, particularly in Albert St, and suggested motorists use Hobson St instead.

"If people have to bring a car to the CBD, they need to plan their journey - Hobson St has been prioritised for cars," he said.

"For the first time in the CBD we are saying 40 people on a bus should have priority over one person in a car."