Funding for the Willow Street Bus Transfer Station has been approved by the New Zealand Transport Agency.
The council applied for a 60 per cent subsidy, or $450,000, to build the $750,000 bus station in Willow Street. The money has been approved and will be made available over two financial years.

Councillor Murray Guy says Willow Street is not the best option for a Tauranga transport centre.

Public opposition to the choice of Willow Street over Durham Street for the bus stops led to the council saying last month that the location question will be revisited when the funding is obtained.
Mayor Stuart Crosby is at a meeting in Otorohanga and is not answering his phone. Council roading man Heni Roux is attending a meeting in Whakatane and chief executive officer Stephen Town is out of town.
Councillor Murray Guy opposes the Willow Street location and says he was absolutely gob smacked when he heard in the committee meeting this week that the funding is approved.
'It raises serious questions about the agency's processes, I would have thought they would have kept an eye on what was happening around the place,” says Murray.
TCC staff advised elected members at the projects committee this week of the subsidy approval by the NZTA.
The subsidy is not transferable to another preferred option, says Murray.
NZTA's approval raises serious doubt as to the integrity of their approval processes, says Murray.
Council staff are to present further information in support of the Willow Street Bus Transfer Station at a 9am ‘workshop' on November 19.
Murray Guy wants previous submitters and the community to attend.
'Previous experience demonstrates that for some elected members subsidy availability determines the outcome, rather than commonsense and best outcomes for our city,” says Murray.