Proposed Rosedale station questioned

Residents and a business association are questioning whether the new Northern Busway station will be fit for purpose.

The Rosedale bus station, which is part of the NZ Transport Agency’s Northern Corridor Improvements (NCI) project that will extend the busway, is projected to cost $30 million.

The station will have limited parking and no dedicated park and ride.

Albany resident Jonlys Mulcahy said it is a waste of money building a station with no parking.

‘‘Clearly nobody is going to walk a long distance to get there, especially in rain. What about the elderly, sick, disabled and parents with pre-schoolers?

‘‘A fit young family member has walked home from Constellation and Albany stations - both take 45 minutes.’’

The Rosedale station will be mid-way between the existing Albany and Constellation bus stations.

The station design supported by Auckland Transport (AT), is for platforms spanning across Rosedale Rd to allow for transfers from local bus stops.

Pat Lovell lives in the area that will be served by the new station and said the thought of an hour return walk to the bus station was ‘‘very offputting’’.

‘‘Currently, my particular area is extremely badly served by socalled feeder buses, and the new ‘improved’ service, as notified for next year, looks like being much

‘‘Clearly nobody is going to walk a long distance to get there,’’

Jonlys Mulcahy

worse,’’ Lovell wrote on Neighbourly.co.nz.

‘‘I can’t see a fleet of new feeder buses being provided for a new service at very regular intervals for the new station.’’

Business North Harbour general manager Janine Brinsdon said the organisation’s main concern with the new station was wanting to fully understand the potential positive and negative impacts on local roads, on-street parking and property owners.

Business North Harbour has asked AT for additional information on the proposal.

Already parking in the wider Albany area is under pressure.

AT consulted on a plan to charge $1 an hour for parking on certain Albany streets to help manage capacity, encourage other transport options and crack down on poor parking.

AT will report back the findings of the report in early September.

DENISE PIPER/STUFF Not all commuters can find a legal park at the existing Albany bus station.