Northwest busway project map copyright NZTA AMJ Jasmax

Te Ara Hauāuru – Northwest Busway

Fast, frequent and reliable public transport for Auckland’s fast-growing northwest

Westgate Bus Station visualisation copyright NZTA AMJ Jasmax

Westgate Station

Supporting smart urban development

Te Ara Hauāuru – Northwest Busway aims to deliver faster, more frequent and reliable public transport to one of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s fastest-growing areas. The project is being led by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) working closely with iwi partners Te Kawerau ā Maki, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and Te Ākitai Waiohua, and Auckland Transport – the operator of the city’s public transport network.

Currently home to 90,000 residents – 60% of whom commute out of the area – the northwest is expected to grow by an additional 100,000 people by 2051, along with 40,000 new homes. This growth is already placing increasing pressure on the transport network, with more people travelling to work by car than in any other area of Auckland, contributing to significant motorway congestion. A robust and efficient transport network is essential – one that connects people to jobs, education and services quickly and safely, while promoting economic and urban development.

Jasmax is supporting NZTA to plan stations for the new busway alongside State Highway 16, stretching from Brigham Creek to the city centre. The project includes seven new stations at Brigham Creek, Westgate, Royal Road, Lincoln Road, Te Atatū, Point Chevalier, and Western Springs. Brigham Creek station will include a park-and-ride facility and allow for potential future extension of the busway. Capable of carrying up to 9,000 passengers per hour in each direction – the equivalent of four motorway lanes – the busway will support new urban areas around Brigham Creek and Westgate, as well as growth in established communities. It will integrate with both existing and future bus networks and build on the success of major public transport investments, like the Northern and Eastern Busways, and City Rail Link, delivering long-term benefits for all Aucklanders.

A value-for-money rapid transit solution

In April 2025, the NZTA Board endorsed the Te Ara Hauāuru – Northwest Busway Investment Case. The staged construction programme in the investment case prioritises benefits to West Aucklanders sooner and focuses on more people benefitting from faster and more reliable journeys, as quickly as possible, while building on the hugely popular WX1 service.

Work is already underway on a new station at Westgate, funded separately by the Government’s Infrastructure Reference Group, with the first stage to serve local bus services expected to open in mid-2026. Jasmax is the architectural lead as part of a joint venture with Aecom, Mott MacDonald and Jacobs, tasked with designing the station which will accommodate the higher anticipated volume of buses, improve passenger experience, increase safety, and futureproof the station site for dedicated busway platforms to streamline interchange between networks.

Depending on the availability of further funding, the next stages of construction could begin from 2027. Stage one proposes new stations at Brigham Creek and Lincoln Road. Stage two will include the separated and bi-directional busway from Brigham Creek to Te Atatū, along with the stations at Royal Road and Te Atatū, the second stage of Westgate station, and the city centre connection at Newton. The Point Chevalier and Western Springs stations are to be delivered as a third stage.

NZTA will be engaging with stakeholders and landowners to discuss what the Northwest Busway means for them and next steps. Further design and investigation work will be carried out ahead of lodging Notices of Requirement. The project will seek to obtain statutory approvals for the project, likely via the Fast Track Approvals Act.