New 'Blue Link' bus route for central suburbs

File photo of public transport at Britomart and downtown Auckland bus terminal. Photo / File

The central suburbs are getting a new Blue Link bus but the majority of services in East Auckland will soon end in Panmure so commuters can transfer to a train.

Auckland Transport this afternoon announced the changes for the new bus network in the central and eastern areas of the region set to be rolled out late next year.

Some of the key changes for the areas will be:

• Terminating the majority of bus services from East Auckland at Panmure Station because the transport body says it is "far quicker" to get to the city by train.

• An all service starting at Botany to Ellerslie, Newmarket, Auckland City Hospital and city universities on the way.

• Reducing the number of buses into the city to avoid duplication with train services.

• Improved weekend services to match that of weekday services.

• A new Blue Link service which will run every 15 minutes along the full length of Tamaki Drive to St Heliers as well as an all-day route from West Tamaki Rd, Kohimarama Rd and Kepa Rd to the city

• A modified version of the Outer Link

• A new route from St Lukes via Kingsland and Ponsonby to the Wynyard Quarter

• Main arterial routes such as Manukau Rd and Remuera Rd will have improved all-day frequencies, especially in the evenings.

The agency's public transport network manager, Anthony Cross, said they were satisfied that they'd struck a balance between the needs and concerns of people and the core principles of greater frequency and better connections.

Across the two areas, almost 5,000 submissions were received before the board this week agreed to 28 route changes, 13 services were cut and 14 new routes were introduced.

Mr Cross said it had taken almost four years to reach this point and the new network provided a "coherent platform" which is future-proofed for expansion and new developments in the region.

"We are well aware that not everyone will be happy with the final network in their area or realise the benefits that it brings. For example, transfers between journeys may be a necessary trade off to give people access to multiple destinations through high frequency services."

Mr Cross said a new zone-based fare system will make multi-modal public transport much cheaper overall.

South Auckland will be the first of the major areas that will be implemented, at the end of October, west Auckland will go live in the middle of next year, east Auckland and the central suburbs in late 2017 and the North Shore in early 2018.