April First Twenty Twenty Five
What's coming, What's going, What's changing, and What's that blue?
From April 2025, Public Transport in the Massey, Westgate, and the Upper Harbour communities of Auckland’s Northwest will change for the better. Here is a run down of everything that’s proposed and confirmed to be happening on or after the first of April.
What’s Coming?
For users of the Northwest bus network routes, Western Express 1 (WX1), Great North Road & Triangle Road (11T) and Great North Road & Waimumu Road (11W) will see immediate changes as Tranzurban by Tranzit Group will begin operating these routes with new fleets of 27 CRRC eT12 MAX (Single Decker Buses) and an unconfirmed amount of CRRC eD12 MAX (Double Decker Buses), with the bigger change between them being the increased capacity on the WX1 which will likely increase patronage not only between Westgate (Northwest Centre) and the City Centre, but smaller trips to and from the two motorway bus interchanges and Te Atatu and Lincoln Roads.
Users of the WX1 will be able to identify the new buses on their route as the buses are wrapped up in a cyan blue and yellow-gold trims which mimic the Northern Express wrap (navy and gold trims), which on first look from photos circulating enthusiast communities remind us of the old livery of NZ Bus units on the North Shore prior to the Auckland Transport unification, the livery if you haven’t guessed is the old North Star livery.
For those who use the Upper Harbour service 120 will be excited to hear that their service will recieve alot of new improvements, the biggest being the increase in frequency to every 15 minutes between 7am and 7pm everyday of the week. Among the changes will be brand new CRRC eD12 MAX’s operated also by Tranzurban by Tranzit Group, improvements to the local bus stops around Greenhithe near the Pony Club, and a new route 902. The service nicknamed ‘Upper Harbour’ currently runs between Henderson Train Station and Constellation Bus Station, with multiple short trips, with Westgate and Akoranga (during school time) run during AM and PM Peak.
The new service, 902; nicknamed Upper Harbour Drive'; will likely run an all day frequency of 20-30 minutes between Greenhithe (at the Kyle Road roundabout) and Constellation station along Greenhithe Road, Upper Harbour Drive, Albany Highway and Sunset Road then into Constellation Station.
What’s going?
From the first (27/04), the improved 120; 12; will no longer travel along Greenhithe Road, Upper Harbour Drive, Albany Highway and Sunset Road to Constellation Station, and will be now run along the Upper Harbour Motorway between Greenhithe Road ramps and Constellation Drive. This portion of the route as outlined above will be replaced by the new 902 route.
Later into April, on Thursday 24th, the removal the Te Atatu Peninsula peak service, the 132, will occur as the increased capacity on the WX1 and high frequency of the route 13, which runs the same clockwise loop as 132, will be the leading reasoning to ending the route. Currently 132 runs from Te Atatu Peninsula loop to Hobson Street in Downtown Auckland. It joins the motorway at Te Atatu Interchange, and Waterview Junction respectively, where it runs along Great North Road to Karangahape Road, down Queen Street, onto Mayoral Drive, Cook Street, Nelson Street, then into Fanshawe Street, up Hobson Street and terminate at Swanson Street (Outbound departures leave from Hobson Street near Gorst Lane).
What’s changing?
From the first of April this little big change will ensure the future of bus service in Aucklands Central and Western Suburbs. Following the announcement from Auckland Transport stating the awarding of contract units in the Western & Southern Suburbs, Ritchies Transport Holdings announced the purchase of family owned Bus & Coach operator, Pavlovich Coachlines Solutions. On the surface this looks like a small change, but this will open the doors for Ritchies Transport to built their fleet and operations while maintaining their quality service elsewhere in the region.
This change will mostly be visual changes, with units recieving their new operations identifications, or otherwise known as unit codes, you know, those stickers towards the front that say ‘Operated by Pavlovich Coachlines’ and ‘Bus Number: PC4001"‘. It is likely that allocation of units from Swanson depot will appear more often on higher frequency routes, as many high capacity buses used on the 120 will be displaced.
What’s that blue?
Well actually, that’s the new WX1 fleet colours! Please share you thoughts below on anything covered in this post or anything related to these upcoming changes!