The North-West Rapid Transit project, a major new rapid bus transit route alongside State Highway 16 in Auckland, has been granted fast-track approval, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop says.<\/p>\n
This is the 33rd project approved through the Fast-track process.<\/p>\n
The project includes a busway alongside State Highway 16 between Brigham Creek and Auckland City Centre, seven rapid transit stations and one Park and Ride facility at Brigham Creek Rarawaru. It will also include connections to the local bus and road network.<\/p>\n
The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) lodged its application in December 2025, with approval taking less than five months from the appointment of the independent expert panel.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis project will provide faster, more frequent and reliable public transport for Aucklanders living in the north-west, one of the city\u2019s fastest-growing areas,\u201d Mr Bishop says.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy 2051, roughly 100,000 more people are expected to call the north-west home. Once completed, the project will have the ability to move up to 9,000 passengers per hour in each direction and provide a reliable 25-minute journey from Brigham Creek to Auckland City Centre.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe recently opened Westgate Station has been designed to build on the success of Auckland Transport\u2019s Western Express (WX1) service, which has experienced high demand since its introduction \u2013 growing faster than the Northern Busway at launch.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe strong demand for public transport in the north-west is already clear. The WX1 has recorded more than 1.1 million passenger trips in the 12 months to May 2026, exceeding forecasts by around 40 per cent.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce fully completed, the Northwest Busway will be a transformational piece of infrastructure for northwest Auckland and, combined with the opening of the City Rail Link, shows this Government\u2019s commitment to improving transport infrastructure across the city.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt will provide a reliable 25-minute journey time from Brigham Creek to Auckland city centre, supporting Auckland\u2019s continued growth and economic productivity for decades to come, and I look forward to further stages being delivered in the years ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n
Notes to editor<\/p>\n
More information about the project: North West Rapid Transit<\/p>\n
Fast-track by the numbers:<\/p>\n
33 projects approved by expert panels.
\n18 projects with expert panels appointed.
\n68 projects are currently progressing through the Fast-track process. 35 active substantive and 31 referral applications.
\n68 projects have been referred to Fast-track by the Minister for Infrastructure
\n149 projects are listed in Schedule 2 of the Fast-track Approvals Act, meaning they can apply for Fast-track approval.
\nOn average, it has taken 118 working days for decisions on substantive applications from when officials determine an application is complete and in-scope.<\/p>\n
Fast-track projects approved by expert panels:<\/p>\n
Arataki [Housing\/Land]
\nAshbourne [Housing\/Land]
\nAyrburn Screen Hub [Infrastructure]
\nBledisloe North Wharf and Fergusson North Berth Extension [Infrastructure]
\nDelmore [Housing\/Land]
\nDowntown Carpark Site Development [Housing\/Land]
\nDrury Metropolitan Centre \u2013 Consolidated Stages 1 and 2 [Housing\/Land]
\nDrury Quarry Expansion \u2013 Sutton Block [Mining\/Quarrying]
\nFoxton Solar Farm [Renewable Energy]
\nGreen Steel [Infrastructure]
\nHaldon Solar [Renewable energy]
\nHananui Aquaculture [Aquaculture]
\nHomestead Bay [Housing\/Land]
\nKaimai Hydro-Electric Power Scheme [Renewable energy]
\nKings Quarry Expansion \u2013 Stages 2 and 3 [Mining\/Quarrying]
\nLake P\u016bkaki Hydro Storage and Dam Resilience Works [Renewable energy]
\nM\u0101hinerangi Wind Farm [Renewable energy]
\nMaitahi Village [Housing\/Land]
\nMilldale \u2013 Stages 4C and 10 to 13 [Housing\/Land]
\nNorth West Rapid Transit [Infrastructure]
\nPound Road [Housing\/Land]
\nRangitoopuni [Housing\/Land]
\nRyans Road [Housing\/Land]
\nSouthland Wind Farm Project [Renewable energy]
\nState Highway 1 North Canterbury – Woodend Bypass Project (Belfast to Pegasus) [Infrastructure]
\nSunfield [Housing\/Land]
\nTakitimu North Link \u2013 Stage 2 [Infrastructure]
\nTekapo Power Scheme \u2013 Applications for Replacement Resource Consents [Renewable energy]
\nThe Point Mission Bay [Housing\/Land]
\nWaihi North [Mining\/Quarrying]
\nWaitaha Hydro [Renewable energy]
\nWait\u0101kere District Court \u2013 New Courthouse Project [Infrastructure]
\nWellington International Airport Southern Seawall Renewal [Infrastructure]<\/p>\n
Expert panels have been appointed for:<\/p>\n
188 Beaumont Street
\nAlternative to the Brynderwyn Hills
\nAuckland Prison Capacity Increase
\nAuckland Surf Park Community \u2013 Stage 2
\nBarrytown Minerals Project
\nBendigo-Ophir Gold Project
\nBream Bay Sand Extraction Project
\nCentral and Southern Block Mining Project
\nHunua Quarry Development
\nMt Iron Junction
\nMt Welcome, Pukerua Bay, Porirua
\n\u014choka Residential Subdivision
\nRemarkables Ski Area Upgrades and Doolans Expansion Project
\nStella Passage Development
\nSouthern Link Inland Port
\nThe Point Solar Farm
\nTwizel Solar Farm
\nWaikanae North Development<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The North-West Rapid Transit project, a major new rapid […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_10164628679967220_110360201440802":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12422","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":10100,"url":"https:\/\/nzchinesedailynews.co.nz\/?p=10100","url_meta":{"origin":12422,"position":0},"title":"First Northwest Busway station opens","author":"\u7f16\u8f91\u90e8","date":"11\/08\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The first station completed as part of the Northwe\u2026","rel":"","context":"\u7c7b\u4f3c\u6587\u7ae0","block_context":{"text":"\u7c7b\u4f3c\u6587\u7ae0","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nzchinesedailynews.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/SNyaVCNZZf-e1777865245464.jpg?fit=245%2C217&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":10002,"url":"https:\/\/nzchinesedailynews.co.nz\/?p=10002","url_meta":{"origin":12422,"position":1},"title":"Delmore residential development Fast-tracked","author":"\u7f16\u8f91\u90e8","date":"10\/08\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The Delmore residential development in Auckland ha\u2026","rel":"","context":"\u7c7b\u4f3c\u6587\u7ae0","block_context":{"text":"\u7c7b\u4f3c\u6587\u7ae0","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nzchinesedailynews.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/SNyaVCNZZf-e1777865245464.jpg?fit=245%2C217&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":10001,"url":"https:\/\/nzchinesedailynews.co.nz\/?p=10001","url_meta":{"origin":12422,"position":2},"title":"Open ocean salmon farm Fast-tracked","author":"\u7f16\u8f91\u90e8","date":"10\/08\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The Fast-track approval of the Hananui Aquaculture\u2026","rel":"","context":"\u7c7b\u4f3c\u6587\u7ae0","block_context":{"text":"\u7c7b\u4f3c\u6587\u7ae0","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nzchinesedailynews.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/SNyaVCNZZf-e1777865245464.jpg?fit=245%2C217&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5518,"url":"https:\/\/nzchinesedailynews.co.nz\/?p=5518","url_meta":{"origin":12422,"position":3},"title":"The Point Mission Bay Retirement Village Fast-tracked","author":"\u7f16\u8f91\u90e8","date":"12\/06\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The Point Mission Bay retirement village project i\u2026","rel":"","context":"\u7c7b\u4f3c\u6587\u7ae0","block_context":{"text":"\u7c7b\u4f3c\u6587\u7ae0","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nzchinesedailynews.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/SNyaVCNZZf-e1777865245464.jpg?fit=245%2C217&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":10005,"url":"https:\/\/nzchinesedailynews.co.nz\/?p=10005","url_meta":{"origin":12422,"position":4},"title":"First solar farm fast-tracked","author":"\u7f16\u8f91\u90e8","date":"10\/08\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A Canterbury solar farm is the first in New Zealan\u2026","rel":"","context":"\u7c7b\u4f3c\u6587\u7ae0","block_context":{"text":"\u7c7b\u4f3c\u6587\u7ae0","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nzchinesedailynews.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/SNyaVCNZZf-e1777865245464.jpg?fit=245%2C217&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":8546,"url":"https:\/\/nzchinesedailynews.co.nz\/?p=8546","url_meta":{"origin":12422,"position":5},"title":"\u57fa\u7763\u57ce\u5317\u90e8SH1\u9ad8\u901f\u6269\u5efa\u83b7\u5feb\u901f\u5ba1\u6279\uff1a11\u516c\u91cc\u65b0\u9053\u8def\u52a9\u529b\u4f4f\u623f\u4e0e\u7ecf\u6d4e\u53d1\u5c55","author":"\u7f16\u8f91\u90e8","date":"29\/07\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"\u3010\u65b0\u897f\u5170\u534e\u4eba\u6bcf\u65e5\u8d44\u8baf\u7f51 7\u670831\u65e5\u62a5\u9053\u3011 \u65b0\u897f\u5170\u653f\u5e9c\u5ba3\u5e03\uff0cState Highway 1\uff08SH1\uff09B\u2026","rel":"","context":"\u5728\u201c\u65b0\u897f\u5170\u534e\u4eba\u6bcf\u65e5\u8d44\u8baf\u7f51\u201d\u4e2d","block_context":{"text":"\u65b0\u897f\u5170\u534e\u4eba\u6bcf\u65e5\u8d44\u8baf\u7f51","link":"https:\/\/nzchinesedailynews.co.nz\/?cat=26"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nzchinesedailynews.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/SNyaVCNZZf-e1777865245464.jpg?fit=245%2C217&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nzchinesedailynews.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12422","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nzchinesedailynews.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nzchinesedailynews.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nzchinesedailynews.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nzchinesedailynews.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12422"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nzchinesedailynews.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12422\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nzchinesedailynews.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12422"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nzchinesedailynews.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12422"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nzchinesedailynews.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12422"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}