Date set for Dunedin bus hub

Dunedin's bus hub  - the ''final piece of the puzzle'' of the city's public transport network - will cost $4.4 million and is scheduled to be operational in November.

The Otago Regional Council today announced the timeline and cost for the long-awaited project.

Fulton Hogan has been contracted for the hub works, which is planned for a July 16 start.

The centre of the city's bus network will now be in Great King St between Moray Pl and St Andrew St.

The proposal includes 10 bus bays, electronic timetables, public toilets, and a cafe kiosk.

Several tenants on the street have also indicated they had walls where street art could be applied.

Regional council deputy chairwoman Gretchen Robertson said it recognised it was a short time frame between the announcement of the timeline and the start of the project.

"However, we've done our best to balance the need to give notice, with our undertaking to landholders and retailers in the area to be finished before the December Christmas trading period.''

Regional councillor Trevor Kempton said there would be "significant disruption'' during this period, although contractors would try to minimise it as much as possible.

Works would be "round the clock'', with the highest impact works scheduled between 6.30pm and 6am.

At least one road would remain open during daytime hours, and pedestrian access will be maintained to retailers and the police station throughout.

A key benefit of the hub was "increased connectivity'', he said.

"Currently there are seven different bus stops in the central city within a four-block radius.''

This made it difficult for people to transfer between services.

Council corporate services director Nick Donnelly said other bus changes would occur in parallel.

This would include "tag-on tag-off'' ticketing online top-ups and balance checks.

An app would also be released to allow for real-time information for passengers.

As in Queenstown, the brand for the service would be renamed "Orbus''.

Council support services manager Gerard Collings said about 37 car parks would be lost, but there would "be a gain of available space through the removal of existing stops''.

Regional council chief executive Sarah Gardner said the hub was the "final piece of the puzzle'' after vast changes to Dunedin's public transport network.