Bus lanes are generally fantastic in that they can allow buses carrying large numbers of people to move along a road without getting caught in congestion. The bus lanes added to Fanshawe St are a great example moving over 70% of all people on that road regardless of only accounting for 1/3 or less of the road space. I’m pretty supportive of bus lanes and want to see a lot more but this one surely has to be the stupidest in the city due to it being not wide enough for a car let alone a bus to use. As a result buses end up using the general traffic lane.

Mini Bus Lane

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21 comments

  1. A whole heap of weird and wonderful markings went in when Auckland City got a bee in their bonnet with bus lanes. I have looked at this one before and decided it was proof that no one knew what they were doing! I know I am getting old but FFS road markings are not the hardest concept to master. The issue is applying standards with consistency. When I worked there all marking plans went through one guy who knew his stuff and all were signed off by a team leader then a manager, both of whom knew what they were doing. It was the Councils outside of Auckland City that did this sort of thing or the cycle lane into parking like Mission Bay.

  2. Please note too the absence of any pedestrian crossing facility across Market Place (left) at this signalised intersection. Presumably AT expect pedestrians to walk 20m into Market Place, so as not to break the law, and then dodge any passing traffic; or maybe AT expects pedestrians to fly? I nominate this to be the worst designed signalised intersection in Auckland: to whom and where do I deliver the wooden spoon?

    1. When there’s no signalised pedestrian crossing at traffic lights, legally you are subject to the same signal as cars travelling in the same direction. So if the light for cars is green, you are permitted to cross (and even have right-of-way over turning vehicles).

      Good luck doing that without dying, though.

      1. What is it illegal to cross the road where theres signal crossings? Thats absurd. Never heard of that before.

        1. You’re supposed to wait for the green walk signal, supposedly, I never wait and just cross, I’m not going to waste half my life standing at intersections in Auckland. The day I’ll start waiting is the day that AT doesn’t require pedestrians to spend 2-3 minutes waiting to maintain their SOV level of service on every road.

        2. > What is it illegal to cross the road where theres signal crossings?

          It’s illegal to cross the roadway within 20 metres of a zebra crossing, underpass or overpass if you could have used that crossing instead, and it’s illegal to cross within 20 metres of a signalised intersection unless you cross at the intersection itself.

          When you do cross at a signalised intersection, it’s illegal to cross unless A. you’ve got the green man, or B. there’s no red man displayed (or installed), and you’ve got a round green light (i.e. the one for vehicles) displayed.

          Well, it’s “illegal”. The maximum penalty is a $10 fine, and it’s never really enforced. The point of the law is to officially put the blame on pedestrians for getting hit, not to actually hand out punishments.

  3. Yes this silly piece totally wrecks the citybound Fanshawe St buslane. Need to spend a few $ to cut kerb back, then will get buslane all the way from the motorway to Hobson St flyover.

    1. Or leave pedestrian area as it is and review need for parking in right hand lane so cars, buses and pedestrians can all coexist in the same space.

        1. Did you not know – just as there needs to be a toll-free alternative to a toll-road, there must always be on-street parking to complement private or public off-street parking. The relevant levels are set by Council in Bylaw.

          Okay, not true (at least not as a formal bylaw), but wouldn’t you have believed me when I said it was true?

    2. Remove parking on the RHS, there’s no need for that parking, don’t cut back the curb on what is already a pretty tine footpath. Or simply take away a car lane and turn that bus lane into a cycle lane.

      That funny slip lane in between what I presume are former toilets should also be removed and turned into a pedestrian plaza.

      1. Yes, of course remove the RHS parking and make certain there is adequate footpath on whichever side is the most logical once the parking is taken out…and put in a cycle lane, definitely.

        The key question is though: IS ANYTHING GOING TO BE DONE AT ALL BY AUCKLAND TRANSPORT IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE TO CORRECT THIS ABSOLUTE JOKE OF A BUS LANE??

        1. Unlikely, that street parking is essential I’m sure for all the businesses on that street to function, such as the blank wall or the multiple parking garages that spew out cars.

  4. this lane is a result of the planning/delivery separation at Auckland City Council at the time, I can assure it wasn’t PLANNED that way

  5. I’ve seen that entire bus lane used as a bus stop in the morning peak. When a couple of people on several different buses all want to get off at Bradnor Lane, it causes quite a stopping queue.

  6. I contacted AT a few months ago about this. I was pointing out that the “buses may proceed from the left turn lane” sign on the Fanshawe St side of this junction was forcing buses to move into general traffic before the junction (well, all except Ritchies who seem to ignore most traffic laws) and slowing everybody down. I suggested reinstating the sign. They responded that the sign had been deliberately withdrawn due to the tightness of the bus lane on the other side. They are going to fix it but it requires the markings here to be completed rubbed out and remarked, something not on their plans for the next 3 years. In the light of their speed at getting the bus lane on the other side of Fanshawe up and running, I’ve emailed them again beseeching them to speed up this side (as they are clearly capable of doing). No reply as yet.

    1. This is a clear indication of messed up priorities, rather than fixing up the messed up bus lanes which they themselves tout as carrying 3/4 of the people on Fanshawe Street, they simply remove signage such that they can ignore it. Their priorities are completely wrong.

      1. There are in effect 3 1/2 lanes plus a lane of parking, yet AT wants cars to remain having access to all of them (except the pointless 1/2 lane) despite buses carrying the majority of people. Only in NZ.

  7. It’s not actually a bus lane. It’s a cyclist and motorcyclist lane happily unencumbered by wide vehicles. I think it’s just labelled a bus lane so as to not aggravate motorists 🙂

  8. Pedestrians be damned! What we need is offroad buses so we can just drive over the kerb! Problem solved! NEXT!

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