Wellington City Council

Bunny Street Connection and the TSB Arena Service Lane

Connecting the places where people want to go

Making it easier for everyone to move around in our growing city 

Reducing our emissions from road transport 

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Projects  > Bunny Street Connection and the TSB Arena Service Lane  >

 

This is a simple map showing that there are two project areas, one around Bunny St and the other around the TSB Arena service lane, which is the small lane that runs between the Wellington Museum and TSB Arena at Queens Wharf

Bunny Street Connection and the TSB Service Lane Improvements  
Improving the connection from Thorndon Quay cycleway to Lady Elizabeth Lane   

Wellington City Council is progressing a key missing link that will help connect the route from the north, making it safer and easier for people walking and biking to move between Thorndon Quay and the northern end of Lady Elizabeth Lane. The proposed improvements will complete a connection from the new Thorndon Quay cycleway and provide a more direct, comfortable, and safer option for people arriving from or heading towards the Hutt Valley, the waterfront, and central city destinations. It will also improve the pedestrian experience around one of Wellington’s busiest gateways. 

Te Ara Tupua is expected to significantly increase the number of people riding between the Hutt Valley and Wellington when it opens in 2026. By 2031, about 2,500 people each weekday are expected to bike or scoot between the Hutt and the city, compared with around 700 in 2024. 

With new cycle routes now complete from the south, west, and north — and the eastern connection almost complete — Wellington is preparing for a substantial increase in people cycling into and around the city. 

Currently there is no clear or safe cycling route to and from Lady Elizabeth Lane via Bunny Street and across Waterloo Quay. Northbound riders are required to mix with faster-moving vehicles or pedestrians, and there is no logical connection to the new Thorndon Quay cycleway.

The crash history of this street illustrates that making improvements will create safety benefits for all users:

  • Bunny Street has recorded 61 crashes in the past ten years, with 16% involving people on bikes and 10% involving pedestrians.
  • These include 6 cyclist–car crashes, 1 cyclist–pedestrian crash, and 3 cyclist-only incidents.
  • Pedestrian safety issues are evident in 8 pedestrian–car crashes and 1 pedestrian-only incident.
  • Motor vehicle conflicts dominate overall crash numbers, with 41 private vehicle incidents, 2 car–bus crashes, and 4 motorcycle or moped–car crashes, highlighting the safety risks created by the current street layout for all users, particularly vulnerable road users.

Decorative image showing a large group of pedestrians crossing Bunny Street

The Bunny Street connection aims to

  • Provide a safer, more coherent link between the Thorndon Quay cycleway, the railway station, and the waterfront.
  • Make it safer and easier to walk into and out of the railway station through slower vehicle speeds, clearer layouts, and a raised pedestrian platform.

Decorative image showing people walking and cycling down the TSB Arena Service lane

Minor Improvements in the TSB Arena Service Lane 

By making some small tweaks, we can improve the safety and experience for the many people who use this shared space, as well as improving the overall experience for people using the waterfront side in this area. The TSB Arena service lane is a direct route adjacent to the road and is already a high-demand area where, during peak times, 46% of users are pedestrians, 38% are people on bikes and scooters, and only 15% are motor vehicles. As cycling numbers grow, we need to make the area clearer so people on foot, scooter or bike have a safer route through and reduce the conflict with vehicles entering from the road. 

The minor safety improvements in the TSB Arena laneway aim to

  • Improve safety through new pedestrian crossings, clearer pedestrian pathways, and slower vehicle speeds.
  • Make navigating the space clearer for all users — drivers, pedestrians, and people on bikes.
  • Protect the busiest parts of the waterfront promenade by offering a safer, easier alternative route for people riding or scooting behind the arena. 

What all these changes will support  
  • Better safety for people walking, biking, and scooting through clearer layouts, slower traffic, and safer crossing points. 
  • A more coherent cycling network connected to major routes such as Thorndon Quay and Te Ara Tupua. 
  • Reduced pressure on shared waterfront spaces, allowing the promenade to remain a place for recreation and relaxation. 
  • Improved travel choices for residents, commuters, students, and visitors. 
  • A more connected and accessible city, supporting the goals of Paneke Pōneke, the Long-term Plan, the Regional Land Transport Plan, and Te Atakura.  

Next steps 

February 2026 

  • Public consultation for proposed Bunny Street connection and proposed minor safety improvements in the TSB Arena service lane.

Late 2026

  • If approved by Council, begin phased installation of the Bunny Street connection and the safety improvements in the TSB Arena service lane.

Early 2027 

  • Target to have Bunny Street operational and TSB Arena service lane changes complete
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This project is part of the wider Cross-City Bike Connections project which will complete missing gaps in the Wellington bike network in the central city. Cycling and scooting facilities in the central city were originally part of Let’s Get Wellington Moving packages but were returned to Council responsibility as part of the 2024-2034 LTP Amendment process. 

The streets within scope of Cross-City Bike Connections are part of Wellington’s bike network plan, Paneke Pōneke, which was consulted on in November 2021, and was approved by Councillors on 10 March 2022.