To help manage traffic congestion as Tauranga continues to grow, the city council is looking at ways to make it easier for more people to travel by bus, biking or walking.
TCC Transport Committee has unanimously agreed to proceed with investigations and discussions with the community for a peak time bus clearway along Cameron Road, from the CBD to the hospital.
The clearway would be a lane reserved for buses to use in the morning and evening peak periods, and would give buses a clear run along Cameron Road during peak periods.
When it is not operating as a clearway, people would be able to use it for car parking.
'It's important we support the Bay of Plenty Regional Council's new bus service which launched today that sees an increase in the number and frequency of buses using Cameron Road,” says transport committee chair councillor Rick Curach.
'Public transport is an essential part of our city's transport solution. If we don't support public transport, the city's traffic congestion will only get worse. This type of infrastructure will help to make bus trips more reliable.”
From December this year, the Bay of Plenty Regional Council will increase the number and frequency of buses using Cameron Road.
- From the CBD to 11th Avenue there will be 20 buses per hour on Cameron Road at peak times.
- Between 11th Avenue and the hospital there will be 15 buses per hour at peak times.
- TCC are supporting these new bus services by looking for ways to give buses a clear run along Cameron Road wherever possible.
How can council make bus trips more reliable along Cameron Road?
As a first step, TCC are exploring potential options to create a peak time bus clearway from the city centre to Tauranga Hospital.
- The clearway would be a lane reserved for buses to use in the morning and evening peak periods.
- When it is not operating as a clearway, people can use it for car parking.
This option has some design challenges, particularly around safety for people who ride bikes along Cameron Road.
There is potential to put a cycleway on the existing footpath.
All of this requires more work.
The Transportation Committee considered some initial options on 10 December 2018, and there will be more investigation in 2019.
'We will make sure that businesses, schools and residents along Cameron Road are involved in these conversations,” says a statement on the council website.
More information on the report presented to the Transport Committee on 10 December 2018.
'In the long term we would hope to provide dedicated bus lanes and separated bike lanes right along Cameron Road; the challenge is how to make it a smooth transition.”
For more information see – www.tauranga.govt.nz/cameronroad
13 comments
17th Ave
Posted on 11-12-2018 10:17 | By First Responder
Widen 17th, and link it through to Takitimu Dr with a roundabout. This would relieve a lot of congestion on Cameron Rd, allow traffic to head out to the Lakes on a faster road, give the ambulance faster access to the Kaimais, and cost less than dedicated bus lanes I bet.
ME TINKS
Posted on 11-12-2018 10:23 | By old trucker
This is already done and dusted, how much has it cost so far,all these new buses running around empty, look at the big front page news 2 weeks back, approx $7 million dollars lost, my thoughts only on this is why such huge buses 2 minutes apart on Cameron road, and nobody on board, why not have 15 seat petrol vans running, all the pollution from these ugly yellow things,well im not in council so we do not get a say,and they are all faceless and wont answer the phone,when ringing in as you cannot get past the switch,which have been told to say they are not in or in a meeting,my thoughts only on this subject,NOBODY CARES IN TCC,10-4 out, phew.
Really?
Posted on 11-12-2018 10:41 | By Kaimai
Does Cameron road end at the hospital? Can some one in Council explain how they would have a dedicated bus lane at Greerton Cameron road given there is only one lane and huge roundabouts?
Joking
Posted on 11-12-2018 13:00 | By Told you
An impossible dream.
BUS LANES
Posted on 11-12-2018 14:23 | By jeancraven@kinect.co.nz
Great idea - you need to get Mark Wassenberg on board as he has great expertise.
Back to using the car
Posted on 11-12-2018 14:53 | By Kancho
Well in theory bus lanes make it easier for buses but businesses along Cameron road struggle with parking already. Greerton alterations were not a success in my book and just make going to the shops harder than ever. I now drive on to Gate Pa instead as getting into the supermarket in Greerton is too much if a manouver coming from the south. I used to go to the hospital in the bus to volunteer work but this is much harder now with changing buses in Greerton with only one an hour linking through. I now take the car as it's a lot less time lost. The first day of the new routes was a disaster with timetables on route one completely out of whack and a lot longer journey travel times to where I live so for this bus user it's back to the car.!
why?
Posted on 11-12-2018 18:22 | By Dismayed
Tauranga is the most car dependent city in the country, so why on earth are we dedicating so many valuable resources to public transport. It's purely a punitive measure to dissuade people from driving, I'm sure. Fix the congestion first, address the (empty) bus lanes second. So many disappointments for rate payers every year, and now this....and I guess those bus lanes aren't going anywhere near Greerton are they !?! TCC Transport Committee need to wake up!
The impossible
Posted on 11-12-2018 19:20 | By Told you
The cost and inconvenience to shop keepers, car parking,plus trying to give you pet cyclists a fair go makes this perposal impossible to implement.
Bus Lanes
Posted on 11-12-2018 23:28 | By surfsup
in light of all the recent changes to roading around the Tauranga area and the issues that have been created in would be a brave person who would think this plan will work.
Please don,t make improvement
Posted on 12-12-2018 08:15 | By Angels
Please do not allow city planner to improve !?!?!? Any more road works. The city keeps getting worse every time they try to “ improve “ the roads. The city planners are useless. How they keep their jobs is above any common sense. Please please don,t screw up traffic anymore than you alreaddy have. If you do , don,t allow city planners any say , pre schoolers have more sense even at that age.
Numpties
Posted on 15-12-2018 15:05 | By Slim Shady
The Transport Committee is the gift that keeps on giving. I've heard they use lego to make model roads and villages and do traffic simulation by moving toy cars with their hands while making a vroom vroom noise.
@ Slim Shady
Posted on 20-12-2018 23:31 | By Ian Stevenson
Me thinks you are degrading LEGO!
@ Slim Shady
Posted on 29-12-2018 14:10 | By Ian Stevenson
I am afraid making "vroom vroom noises" is a talent way beyond those "thinking" (Very dangerous for them and so us all) they would have to engage specialists consultants at super massive cost for huge amounts of time to create that kind of special effect. Meanwhile... I would think a three year old would manage it in about 3 seconds! Says a lot doesnt it!
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