The Mayor has announced the next big step in the path towards the completion of the $1.5 billion Auckland Manukau Eastern Transport Initiative (AMETI). Plans have been released for a major upgrade of Panmure Station, which will become the main transfer point between a new busway and trains.

Len Brown released the design plans and poured concrete for the $17.5 million upgrade, which includes a new station building and shelter along the majority of the platforms. The walking distance between buses and trains will be less than a minute.

The new station is part of the $100 million first phase of AMETI, Auckland’s biggest transport project after the Waterview Connection. It includes a new north-south road linking Mt Wellington Highway and Morrin Rd, a 220m tunnel for the road, cycle paths, new footpaths and three new bridges.

The upgraded station will be the entry point to the new South Eastern Busway. The busway from Panmure Station to Pakuranga town centre and Botany will cut public transport journeys by up to half and attract an estimated 5.2 million passengers per year.

Construction of the first stage of the busway from Panmure to Pakuranga is scheduled to start in 2015/16, subject to funding and consents, as part of AMETI Phase Two.

“The Panmure Station upgrade is just the latest example of the work we are doing to unclog Auckland’s roads and unleash the potential of all of Auckland,” says the Mayor.
“With 5.2 million passengers a year, the AMETI South Eastern Busway is a key part of driving major increases in public transport use.
“People will be able to quickly get from Pakuranga to all parts of the CBD by using the uncongested busway then easily transferring to a new electric train to any of four stations in the CBD when the City Rail Link opens.
“Auckland’s electric trains, integrated ticketing and projects like the City Rail Link will further boost patronage and create a transport network Auckland can be proud of.” 

Auckland Transport Major Projects Manager Rick Walden says construction of AMETI is progressing well with a new road tunnel excavated and the walls almost completed.
“A new bridge next to Ellerslie-Panmure Highway is also taking shape, with beams being lifted into place. Traffic will be moved onto it at the end of the year while the existing highway bridge is demolished and replaced.”

The new higher and longer Mountain Rd bridge opened in late July and a new re-aligned section of the road opened recently.

AMETI Phase Two Panmure to Pakuranga, currently scheduled to start in 2015/16, includes:

  Replacing the Panmure roundabout with a new intersection that will remove the traffic bottleneck and reduce crossing distances for pedestrians from up to 500m to less than 50m
  A busway with lanes separate to general traffic from Panmure Station to Pakuranga town centre along the north (cliff side) of Lagoon Drive and Pakuranga Rd
  A new Panmure Bridge next to the existing one for the busway, cyclists and pedestrians
  Completing about 7km of new cycling paths and 6km of wide new footpaths, including new paths linking Panmure and Pakuranga
  The Reeves Rd flyover, a direct link from Pakuranga Rd to Waipuna Bridge over Ti Rakau Drive and above part of Reeves Rd, avoiding congestion around Pakuranga town centre