Mt Eden villagers reject bus stop extensions

Mt Eden ratepayers are fuming about Auckland Transport’s proposal to extend their village bus stops, which they say will harm businesses.

Business owners are warning the longer bus stops will reduce access to carparks, provide no space for cyclists, and will damage economic activity.

Residents and business owners packed a public meeting on Monday night to protest against the changes.

Auckland Transport says the extensions will help traffic flow.

Chief stakeholder relationships officer Wally Thomas said it needed to be seen in perspective.

“This proposal involves a minor change with the possible removal of just six car parks,” he says.

He says extending the village bus stops would allow for two buses to arrive at a time, whereas currently only one can stop and this can block the traffic.

Eileen Loo, owner of K C Loo Fruit Centre, says it will also create a lot of difficulty for service deliveries because some businesses do not have a back entrance.

Fruit shop worker Glennis Loo says the bus stops should be moved to just before the village to stop people from coming in with no plans of shopping.

The Mt Eden Business Association is also concerned extending the bus stops may make it difficult for over-sized vehicles to pass through the village.

Albert-Eden Local Board member Lee Corrick says the bus stop extensions would diminish the Mt Eden Village experience.

“Can you imagine walking through the village, or sitting outside a café with four double decker buses in the bus stops? Then an oversized vehicle comes through with huge machinery and has to negotiate around buses and cars at the intersection.”

Oversized vehicles are not allowed through the Waterview tunnel and so many use Mt Eden Rd.

The Mt Eden Business Association has proposed moving the stops just north of Valley Rd.

However, Mr Thomas says the idea comes with a number of challenges, including that the location is less safe, particularly at night.

He says the steep gradient would make it more difficult for mobility-impaired users to get on and off the bus, and moving the bus stops there would mean the loss of 16 parking spaces, compared to six.

An analysis of public feedback will be completed in May.