Auckland Transport is being asked to put safety and heritage ahead of branding, when it comes to the colour of city buses.

The agency is requiring all suburban bus operators to repaint their buses grey and blue.

It means Birkenhead Transport will be forced to change the colour of its buses from the cream colour scheme it has used for most of its 97 year history.

Karen Goa has organised a petition to save Birkenhead's bus colours, which she said are much safer at night.

"A lot of people can't see those bus banners coming from a long way off, so you're either having to jump out in front of all the buses to wave them down, in case it's yours, or you just miss them completely."

Ms Goa said as Auckland continues to grow, communities and operators should be able to maintain a unique identity.

"Operators such as Birkenhead Transport to be able to retain their identity, which actually does means a lot to the community, while still working within the system."

Almost 1,000 people have signed the petition.