Dunedin’s long-awaited Bus Hub is finally set for its official opening.
The Otago Regional Council, with support from the Dunedin City Council and the New Zealand Transport Agency, will see the new facility in action from March 20.
As well as long delays, the cost of the project has risen from the original estimate of around $4.4 million and has so far cost around $5.4 million.
However, Otago Regional Council (ORC) chairman Stephen Woodhead says the hub represents an important investment in modernising and simplifying the city’s public transport network.
“Bus patronage is on the rise in Dunedin and combined with earlier improvements to the network, the new hub will deliver a connected and efficient service to the growing number of people choosing to take the bus.
“It’s going to streamline services for passengers, improve traffic flow through town, and set a great foundation for our growing public transport needs,” Woodhead says.
The hub’s Great King Street location will centralise bus routes and make transferring simple. It will take buses off the busiest parts of George Street and improving service reliability in town. GoCard users will be able to make the most of 30-minute free transfers within the city.
The hub includes10 bus bays, shelters, seating, toilets and stops with audio buttons. A cafe kiosk is also planned while an additional bus bay in Moray Pl will serve regional buses.
