Work will begin to make Riccarton Rd more bus-friendly on November 22.

New bus stops and traffic lights will be installed on Christchurch's busy Riccarton Rd over the next two weeks.

Earlier this year, the Christchurch City Council decided to give buses dedicated lanes and priority at traffic lights on Riccarton Rd.

The changes were expected to cut journey times and provide a more reliable service for the more than 3000 bus users who rode through the suburb each day.

Riccarton Rd would be down to one lane between Matipo St and Rotherham St for nine days from Sunday to allow the work to begin.

The speed limit would be reduced from 50kmh to 30kmh on the lane that remained open.

The changes would be the first of several projects to give buses priority on Riccarton Rd. The larger projects would start in 2016.

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Over the nine days from Sunday, six bus stops would be installed, a bus priority traffic light would be put in place at the Matipo St intersection, bus and cycle lanes would be painted, and 25 car parks would be removed.

The council expected the work would be finished before a bus lounge opened on Riccarton Rd in December.