The corridor is envisaged as mixed use like the rest of the rail network in Auckland. In practice, this would mean up to 8 metro passenger services per hour, connecting to the western and eastern corridors via Avondale, Mt Roskill and Onehunga.
There will also be space for freight services (most likely up to 5-10 trains in each direction per day, depending on how Northport grows) that would run between Northland and KiwiRail’s freight hub at Southdown (Onehunga) replacing the existing route via Newmarket. Also connecting at Southdown are existing freight services on the southern corridor from Tauranga, Hamilton and Wellington.
It means conventional metro rail. “Heavy” is a term that started to be used to differentiate light rail proposals from the existing conventional or metro rail but seems to be creating confusion. To be clear, the trains and types of services proposed to operate on the Avondale-Southdown corridor are the same as on the rest of the network in Auckland.
Wasn’t light rail going to share part of this corridor?
Yes, Auckland Light Rail (ALR) had wanted to share the part of KiwiRail’s corridor that runs parallel to SH20 between Wesley and Herd Road. Their preferred route then deviated from the corridor, following the motorway as far as Nielson Street rather than continuing to follow KiwiRail’s designation through Onehunga. The ALR project has since been cancelled.
Confirming the route is part of the current scope of work. Our starting premise is the existing designation, not only because we already own this land, but also because the project aims to improve connectivity including through Onehunga. This is less likely to happen if the railway goes around it.
No, the proposals were different and complementary. The light rail proposal was aimed at providing a fast service from the city centre to Mangere (i.e. principally North-South orientation). The principal purpose of the Avondale-Southdown corridor is the creation of a cross-isthmus rail service that connects the existing western and eastern rail corridors via Avondale, Mt Roskill, and Onehunga. It will connect seamlessly into the wider rail network, with routes into the city centre and City Rail Link, not run as a stand-alone corridor.
The Avondale-Southdown corridor will provide great benefits and increase connectivity for Auckland. But it isn’t only about Auckland. The corridor is also part of the national freight and inter-regional network, and will also work for neighbouring regions (Northland, Waikato, BOP) and beyond.
The Avondale to Southdown Railway is not currently funded, so we don’t have any certainty around when this might happen. It has been listed in the Government’s most recent fast-track consents list, which indicates some interest/support.
This is a large-scale project and even if funded in the near future, would be a long-term project – unlikely to be in operation for a decade or two.
The development of a new transport corridor requires a comprehensive planning process, extending over several years before any physical construction can start. Across the next 18-24 months our next steps include: