Westgate station opens as Auckland's busway begins

Westgate Te Waiarohia station will open to the public on Sunday, becoming the first completed stop on Auckland's planned Northwest Busway.

In Westgate, the facility will replace on-street bus stops on Kedgley Road, Maki Street and Tawhia Drive. It is intended to serve as an interchange between local bus services and express routes to and from the city centre.

Earlier this week, iwi partners Te Kawerau ā Maki led a dawn blessing for the station. Later, Transport Minister Chris Bishop officially opened the site at a ceremony attended by elected representatives, mana whenua partners, community leaders, and officials from NZ Transport Agency and Auckland Transport.

The station is part of the wider Northwest Busway - Te Ara Hauāuru project, planned to run alongside State Highway 16 between Brigham Creek and the city centre. The full scheme is expected to include seven stations linked to the local bus and road network.

According to transport agencies, the opening was delivered on schedule and under budget. They described it as an early step in improving public transport in northwest Auckland and easing pressure on SH16.

Passenger growth

The opening comes as Auckland Transport's Western Express service records stronger demand than expected. The WX1 route logged more than 800,000 passenger trips in its first year after launching in November 2023.

In the 12 months to May 2026, the service recorded more than 1.1 million passenger trips, about 40 per cent above forecast, according to project information released with the station opening.

Westgate Te Waiarohia has been designed as a larger public transport hub rather than a roadside stop. Features include covered waiting areas, seating, real-time passenger information displays, ticketing facilities, public toilets, a customer service centre, space for future retail, walking and cycling access, bike parking, pick-up and drop-off areas, and security measures including CCTV, lighting and emergency help points.

Wider project

Work is continuing on other parts of the Northwest Busway. Current funded activity includes detailed design for Brigham Creek Rarawaru station and a park-and-ride facility, which would extend rapid transit coverage to growth areas including Whenuapai and Red Hills.

Further site investigations and early delivery planning are also under way. Agencies are also examining targeted improvements to the WX1 service while the wider busway is built in stages.

Those measures are aimed at improving travel time reliability, customer experience and operational performance during construction. The broader project remains subject to approvals and future funding decisions for different sections of the route.

Applications for statutory approvals under the Fast-track Approvals Act were lodged in December 2025. A final decision from the Expert Panel is expected in September 2026.

Landowners affected

Transport agencies also acknowledged that some property owners will be affected by the scheme. Delivery will take place in stages over a number of years, with timing dependent on future funding decisions.

As plans are confirmed and funding becomes available, affected landowners are expected to receive direct updates on what the project means for their properties. The project team said it would continue to provide information as more detail becomes available.

The busway is one of the main transport projects planned for Auckland's northwest, where population growth has increased pressure on roads and public transport links. Westgate Te Waiarohia is now the first completed public-facing part of that network, with six more stations planned.