$36m New Lynn Hub Opens

in Bus Trains by Jon C — September 19, 2010 at 11:22 am | 7 comments

The $36m New Lynn Transport Interchange opened its doors this morning and commuters have a nice new area in which to catch their bus.

Also from today:

• Commuter trains began running on the rejuvenated Onehunga line after 37 years
• New six-carriage trains will increase capacity on the Western Line from Swanson to the Auckland CBD
• New network-wide train timetable changes will accommodate more than 400 extra train trips a week across Auckland – a service increase of about 25%.

ARTA and Waitakere City Council developed the interchange as part of a wider $300m project to transform the town centre and improve its transport and roading infrastructure. KiwiRail recently completed double tracking the Western Line, enabling a more frequent service through the adjourning new New Lynn station.

The contrast between the dreadful old bus area and the new is startling.

Understantably there was much confusion as commuters had to locate their new stop in the adjourning new interchange but information officers helped people.

Some bus timetables have also come into effect in New Lynn today to make the buses coincide with trains.

Good to see some cycle racks - but there are never enough!

The inside of the bus depot looks remarkably similar to the artist’s impressions of it on this site last week!

Always good to see a ticket office at a station. It encourages people to commit to passes and regular travel and gives the service a human face. But it wasn’t open today.

There is plenty of seating outside:

ARTA Chairman Rabin Rabindran said: “New Lynn’s state-of-the-art station is the jewel in the crown on the Western Line, which has been considerably upgraded recently.

“The rail station forms part of a fully integrated transport hub, where concerted effort has been made to integrate bus and train connections to enable passengers to change between public transport modes in a smooth and convenient way.

Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey says the modern interchange is key to the multi million dollar regeneration of New Lynn and shows the huge benefits that can come from an integrated approach to urban renewal.

“The stunning new transport centre is the first step in New Lynn’s long-awaited transformation and the lynchpin in the largest urban regeneration project in New Zealand today. It will soon be complemented by the extension of Clark Street to Great North Road and the redevelopment of Totara Avenue and Todd Triangle as a more pedestrian-friendly retail area,” he says.

“With a projected 20,000 residents and 14,000 workers in New Lynn by 2030, creating an exciting, successful and accessible town centre has been a top priority for Waitakere and having other funders buy into that vision has been key to helping us achieve it.”

It will be next Friday before the official opening ceremony is held - attended by the Governor General Sir Anand Satyanand, transport minister Steven Joyce and Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey.

Yesterday’s opening of Onehunga‘s new station was one of the best ever because it was held on a Saturday and involved the whole community and business district instead of being a closed ceremony for officials to congratulate themselves!

It’s a pity New Lynn isn’t having a similar public event especially as part of the idea of the new interchange is to revitalise the local business community. (Correction- they are, see comments)

Tags: buses cycle racks New Lynn transport hub new New Lynn station