Hamilton Transport Centre bus hub gets first revamp since opening in 2001

Work to revamp the Hamilton Transport Centre got under way today. Photo / Hamilton City Council

The Hamilton Transport Centre is undergoing its first revamp since the city’s bus hub was opened in 2001.

The Hamilton City Council said the work was “crucial” to extending the life of the centre and making it safer and easier for the community to use.

Starting today, the work will see new seating and shelters installed along the platform, including sheltered space for people using wheelchairs and prams.

A new, larger ‘round-the-clock accessible toilet block, e-bike charging, extra CCTV cameras, building glass replacement, new lights and paint, and driveway loop changes are also part of the work.

Work on-site will be done in stages until early October.

The budget for the upgrade is $7.5 million, funded through the council’s 2021-31 Long-Term Plan, with 51 per cent of the costs covered by New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi.

The Transport Centre will remain fully operational while the work is undertaken and it won’t impact the bus timetable or fares.

Hamilton City Council’s head of portfolio delivery Kelly Stokes said the refresh was first put on the cards in 2019 and began as a plan for a significant upgrade.

Since then, the designs had been revised and simplified.

“We have made savvy cost-effective choices to make it easier and safer to use, while still delivering on an enhanced environment for our users,” Stokes said.

“We want parents to feel safe to get their kids to use the bus, central city workers to feel like it’s a good option, and to make catching the bus to and from the central city a better experience.”

Waikato regional councillor and Future Proof Public Transport Subcommittee deputy chairwoman Angela Strange welcomed the improvements.

“The Transport Centre is a critical nexus in our network where people start and end journeys and transfer to different services. The facelift supports our efforts to ensure public transport is easier, more enjoyable and increasingly popular.”

The Transport Centre is located on the corner of Bryce and Anglesea Streets.