Intercity buses have since 1996 leased a terminal in the Sky City Casino complex, provided as part of the complexes 1995 resource consent. Photo: RNZ / Todd Niall
The future of long-distance buses through Auckland's downtown area remains unclear, despite weeks of lobbying and a meeting between the council and its transport agency.
Long-distance bus operators want a new location in the CBD, with uncertainty over how much longer the Intercity terminus at the Sky City complex on Hobson Street will remain.
Rival operator Mana and Naked Buses will leave their kerbside space on Quay Street in 2018 when the area is redeveloped.
Sky City is bound by its 21-year-old resource consent to house Intercity buses.
Mana Bus and Naked Bus will lose their kerbside stop in 2018 when Quay Street is redeveloped. Photo: RNZ / Todd Niall
The casino operator said it stood by its publicly-stated view that it does not believe the Hobson Street location is right for the bus terminus.
It has not sought any change to its resource consent, but Auckland Council and Auckland Transport efforts to find alternatives were triggered by Sky City signalling it favoured shifting the terminus.
Sky City would not comment on any intentions it had for the current bus terminus space, which sits opposite the National Convention Centre.
Auckland Transport said it would work with the bus operators. While pick-ups and drop-offs could continue in the CBD, there were no options to replace the current sites for lengthy layovers between services.