New Park & Ride connects southern travellers
13 December 2019
Access to Auckland Airport for travellers coming from the south is set to improve with work beginning on a second Park & Ride facility that will boost options for access to the terminals and reduce the number of vehicles on the precinct’s busy road network.
Set for completion in late-2020, Park & Ride South will deliver 3,200 new car parks, adding capacity to the 4,300 car parks at the existing Park & Ride North facility.
Richard Barker, Auckland Airport’s General Manager Retail and Commercial, says the new development will be a welcome asset for travellers from the south.
“We know how popular the Park & Ride service is for travellers. This new development will make things easier for those southern travellers who otherwise have to drive right through the airport to get to Park & Ride North,” says Richard. “It will also help to ease traffic for all road users and keep business around the airport flowing.
“As we begin the transformation of our international terminal to incorporate an expanded arrivals area and a new domestic jet facility, there will be changes to car parking around the precinct. Park & Ride South will give people another easy, convenient option for pick up and drop off.”
At a site blessing on Friday, 29 November, Programme Manager, Tim McKenzie, acknowledged Te Ākitai Waiohua as a mana whenua of the Puhinui area, the sensitivity of the land, and the strong relationship that Auckland Airport enjoys with Te Ākitai Waiohua.
“This site will be a key part of the airport’s infrastructure and its transport system – and a gateway to welcome people and to connect with our communities,” Tim says.
The development complements planned early improvements along SH20B, which include widening the road for priority bus lanes, shared walking and cycling paths and safety upgrades to intersections.
Connections with public transport will be boosted with the completion of an upgrade to Puhinui Station in 2021, with bus travel times of 10-12 minutes between the train station and Auckland Airport.
The Park & Ride South facility is scheduled to open in December 2020.
