Mott MacDonald supports Northwest Busway investment case endorsed by NZTA Board in Auckland, New Zealand

The Minister of Transport, Hon. Chris Bishop, recently announced a decision by the NZ Transport Agency Board to endorse the Northwest Busway investment case.

Home to 90,000 people today, the northwest of Auckland is one of the city’s largest areas for growth set to house an additional 100,000 people by 2051. The Northwest Busway will provide fast, frequent and reliable public transport for Aucklanders. The busway includes a park and ride station at Brigham Creek and six other stations alongside State Highway 16 towards the city centre.

The investment case developed by NZTA and the AECOM, Mott MacDonald and Jacobs joint venture (AMJ JV) provides a staged solution and procurement flexibility to deliver the project at pace and cost effectively. The staged construction programme prioritises benefits to West Aucklanders and focuses on getting more people on the bus, as quickly as possible, building on the hugely popular WX1 service that currently uses bus shoulder lanes and interim bus stops.

Mott MacDonald led the transport planning workstream for the investment case, including options assessment, transport modelling, public transport service planning and operations, station access requirements and investment case development. In addition, Mott MacDonald was involved in design development, sustainability and project controls.

Mott MacDonald’s digital platform provided a collaborative environment for the client and project team to visualise options in context, allowing key stakeholders to view options, access information and provide feedback in an accessible way.

The AMJ JV was also appointed to undertake the detailed design for Westgate Station as part of the wider project, with Mott MacDonald leading the transport effects assessment and involved in engineering design. Work is already underway on delivering Westgate Station with construction completion expected by mid-2026.

Mike O’Halloran, managing director for Mott MacDonald New Zealand said: “Providing efficient and reliable public transport is key to supporting Auckland’s growth over the next 25 years. It is clear that Te Ara Hauāuru – Northwest Busway will provide tremendous benefits for the local community and I’m proud to see our work on the investment case contributing to securing this endorsement. We’re looking forward to supporting the next stage of this critical infrastructure.”