Rotokauri Transport Hub and Proposed Changes to Tasman Rd

Overview

Consultation has been extended until Sunday 21 July 2019.

Hamilton is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country and we are embracing this growth and the opportunities it brings. We’re investing $2B in the city’s biggest-ever 10-year capital programme to set the platform for planned, sustainable growth and to look after Hamilton’s future transport, infrastructure and community facilities. This investment means we are planning well for the changes coming our way and means we can look after the things that make our great river city what it is today. We are all about enhancing the quality of life for our residents making Hamilton a great place to live, work, play and visit.

Why are we doing this?

Part of what makes Hamilton great is how we move around our city and get to other places. As we develop our transportation network to manage growth, we need to clearly understand and plan for the things that will make the most difference to our people and the city.

There is a need to improve transport connections between Hamilton and Auckland, especially given the increasing number of commuters along this corridor. One of the key infrastructure projects supporting this is the Rotokauri Transport Hub, ‘the Hub’, which will enable the operation of a Hamilton to Auckland passenger rail service.

As a Council, we are responsible for building and maintaining the Hub. The Waikato Regional Council will oversee the service, with the NZ Transport Agency being the primary funder. The development of passenger rail aligns with the Government’s new Policy Statement on Transport which is committed to creating an efficient, modern and resilient transport system across all transport modes.

What is the Rotokauri Transport Hub?

The Hub is a park and ride, rail station, bus interchange and includes a potential pedestrian connection to The Base. It includes improvements that are essential to the city’s public transport network and will improve the intercity connections between Hamilton and Auckland. Through our 10-Year Plan we have set aside $12M to establish the Hub, with construction starting later this year and planned to be complete by mid-2020. The project includes:

• A new rail platform to initially provide for two return train services a day to the Papakura train station in Auckland, where connections could be made to the wider rail network.
• A bus interchange including bus bays and a platform.
• A park and ride facility which will provide car parking for rail and bus passengers, including mobility parking, electric vehicle parks, designated drop-off/pick-up zones and a taxi stand.
• A potential over-rail pedestrian bridge to safely connect the Hub and The Base – creating a safe way to get to the station across the rail.
• New and improved walking and cycling connections along most of Tasman Rd and along a new road (not yet named).
• Changes to how people can drive, walk and cycle along Tasman Rd.

For more information scroll down to:
Related - view design concepts for the Hub and diagrams explaining the changes to Tasman Rd and frequently asked questions. 
Events - come and meet the team. 
 

Please note:
Please be aware when providing a submission/giving feedback/responding to a survey that all responses are part of the consultation process. This means that your name but not contact details may be reproduced and included in the Council's public documents such as the Council agendas and minutes. These documents are available on the Council's website at www.hamilton.govt.nz

Why your views matter

Changes to Tasman Rd under the Traffic Bylaw 2015 and Hamilton City Speed Limits Bylaw 2018

We are committed to ensuring the Hub operates effectively and safely. To do this we are proposing several safety changes to Tasman Rd under two Bylaws to support this outcome. These include:

Hamilton Traffic Bylaw 2015

• Making a section of Tasman Rd bus-only access and closed to private vehicles (from Chalmers Rd to the intersection of the yet unnamed road to the south).
• No on-street parking along sections of Tasman Rd.
• Biking infrastructure improvements along Tasman Rd and the future road. This includes implementing a cycle path(operating as a shared path) along portions of Tasman Rd as well as the future road.

Hamilton City Speed Limits Bylaw 2018

• Tasman Rd speed reduction to 50km/h.
• Tasman Rd speed reduction to 30km/h for the bus only section.

All these changes support the urbanising of the area, taking it from looking like a country road to one with curbs and footpaths and looking like it fits within an urban setting.

We are now seeking your feedback on the above five points. As a Council, we recognise it is critical we understand your views and we are committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure the proposed changes will suit majority of people’s needs.

Next Steps

Staff will collect and analyse all feedback at the close of the submission period.

The analysis of this feedback will be presented to the Regulatory and Hearings Committee in early August. At this meeting, submitters who want to speak to their written submission will be able to do so.

The Council will then consider all the views and make a decision on the changes later this year.