Next stage of Rail Network Rebuild focused on reducing disruption to commuters
The next stage of KiwiRail’s Rail Network Rebuild in Auckland will be a lot less disruptive than previous stages.
Since the start of 2023 KiwiRail has had to fully close rail lines in Auckland for work to upgrade and prepare the metro rail network for the more frequent metro trains to come when the City Rail Link opens.
“It has caused significant disruption and we thank Aucklanders again for their patience and understanding,” KiwiRail Chief Planning & Asset Development Officer David Gordon says.
“We have already upgraded the Southern Line between Ōtāhuhu and Newmarket (Stage 1) and are making excellent progress on the Eastern Line between Ōtāhuhu and Britomart (Stage 2).
“The next stage will focus on replacing formation and upgrading drainage on the Western Line between Newmarket and New Lynn (Stage 3a), with more minor upgrade work on the Southern Line south of Puhinui (Stage 3b).”
“During Stage 3 we are able to work in evenings, on some weekends, and over Labour Weekend and the quiet Christmas period. We will need to work during weekdays on the Western Line for about nine weeks – but we can do this while keeping one track open so that some trains can keep running.”
“This next stage is more complicated, and there will be a level of disruption as we undertake this crucial work - but it will be much less than the disruption experienced by Auckland commuters during previous stages,” Mr Gordon says.
Auckland Transport’s Executive General Manager Public Transport Services Stacey van der Putten says the reduced disruption for Stage 3 will come as welcome news to Auckland’s rail passengers.
“Auckland Transport and KiwiRail have been working hard to find ways to minimise the disruption to our customers from the next stage of the vital Rail Network Rebuild project,” Ms van der Putten says.
“The good news for users of the Western and Southern Lines is that trains will continue to operate at the times when most of our customers are using the network, which is on weekdays when people rely on our services to get to work, school, and hospital appointments.
“The Rail Network Rebuild work is one of several projects designed to prepare our network for the demands of introducing the City Rail Link. Together these projects will provide our customers with faster journey times and more frequent, reliable trains.
“During these works Auckland Transport will continue to provide customers with accurate information and alternative travel options, where they are needed, to ensure that Aucklanders can continue to travel around our city reliably on public transport.”
During the period Western Line trains will run on a single track, service frequency will be affected – timetables will be confirmed in due course.
Details of alternative public transport options will be available on the AT website www.AT.govt.nz/RailRebuild. Customers are encouraged to check their options before travelling using the AT Journey Planner www.AT.govt.nz/JourneyPlanner or AT Mobile app.
More information on the Rail Network Rebuild is at:
www.kiwirail.co.nz/akl/railnetworkrebuild
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