Motorists warned of $150 fines as new cycleway and bus lanes open

As part of the Newtown-to-City bus and bike improvements, the new two-way bike lane on Cambridge and Kent Terrace is now open. Photo / Wellington City Council

Wellington motorists have been warned they could be fined $150 for driving in bus lanes as new ones open in the city, along with more cycleways.

A two-way cycleway opened on Kent and Cambridge Tces this week and fulltime bus lanes on Riddiford St and Adelaide Rd will be enforced from Monday.

Wellington City Council city design manager Vida Christeller said staff will be on-site filming activity in the bus lanes at various times of the day.

“While people get used to the changes, we will also have electronic message boards installed on the various approaches to the new lanes.

“For anyone using the bus lanes incorrectly, warnings will be issued for the first two weeks before live tickets are issued.”

The fine for travelling in a bus lane unlawfully is $150.

Buses, bicycles, motorcycles or scooters, emergency vehicles and in-service taxis are allowed to use the bus lanes. All other vehicles can use these lanes briefly for up to 50 metres to change lanes or turn into another street.

The council currently rotates three cameras around bus lanes in the city for monitoring, with a fourth camera to be added shortly.

Separately, the council is looking to install permanent cameras on all major bus lanes for fulltime monitoring.

Christeller said the new cycleways and bus lanes from Newtown into the city will make things safer and easier for everyone using the busy commuter route.

“Once the changes are complete, we’ll be monitoring and evaluating community feedback, local economic data, travel times for buses and traffic and use of short-term parking and loading zones.”

Other changes to the road layout include new bike lights at some intersections, light phasing and a diagonal bike crossing at the Courtenay Place intersection between Kent and Cambridge Tces.

Cycle Wellington co-chairman Alex Dyer said it was great to have a connected route all the way into the city although, as expected, the Basin Reserve was still tricky to navigate.

He said some cyclists had jokingly wondered if it was the widest cycleway in New Zealand because parts of it were so spacious.

A Wellington Free Ambulance spokesperson said they did not believe the cycleways or bus lanes impeded their access to the city.

“Ambulances and all emergency vehicles still have priority access to roads when travelling under lights and sirens in an emergency.”

Metlink group manager Samantha Gain said dedicated bus lanes benefited all road users.

“Bus lanes provide more reliability for bus passengers by removing traffic and obstacles. Having buses in dedicated bus lanes also frees up more road space for private motor vehicles and cyclists in other lanes.”

The Newtown-to-City route was the subject of court action last year led by a group of Wellington business owners.

The High Court granted an interim injunction over the cycleway, halting construction until a full judicial review hearing was heard.

Myles Gazley, of Gazley Motors, said they supported cycleways but were deeply concerned about the lack of consultation on such a significant project and labelled it “an attempt at change by stealth”.

The case ended up being settled outside court.

Georgina Campbell is a Wellington-based reporter who has a particular interest in local government, transport, and seismic issues. She joined the Herald in 2019 after working as a broadcast journalist.