Weekly Review No.134
Inside this edition: More DM Locomotives arrive at Lyttelton Port, renovation works start on the Ashburton rail footbridge and KiwiRail shares Marsden Point render.
Kia ora and welcome to the Weekly Review. We are where you are, follow us on X, BlueSky and Instagram @NZTransitBuzz.
Wairarapa-based family-owned transport and tourism company Tranzit Group was named Family Business of the Year 2026 in an Australian business awards gala recently.
Mainland Rail has started seeking finance, including public money, for a year-long commuter rail pilot from Rolleston and Rangiora into Christchurch. The idea has the backing of Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger. The move follows the success of several services feeding greater Christchurch residents into the city for events, like the sold-out Crusader’s Express, and elsewhere in the South Island.
Canterbury Regional Council has decided to increase the number 1 bus service between Rangiora to Cashmere, and 5 - Rolleston to New Brighton. The decision comes as the council is experiencing a 10% increase in PT usage, as rising fuel costs continue to bite. It will be funded from public transport reserves, while the council continues lobbying NZTA to boost its funding.
More Aucklanders are getting back on the bus as rising fuel prices, parking costs and cost-of-living pressures push commuters towards public transport. Fresh figures from Auckland Transport show bus patronage has returned to pre-pandemic levels, with around 7.5 million trips taken in March alone.
A freight train came within about 250m of a passenger service after passing a stop signal, a Transport Accident Investigation Commission report has found. The report stated: “The train stopped in time, but in railway terms, only just.” The near-miss occurred in Westfield rail yards on February 1, 2025.
Ōrākei Local Board member Amanda Lockyer has shared photos from the refurbished Remuera Railway Station. The refurbishment included weatherproofing, structural repairs, repainting, restoration of timber features, and refurbishment of the station’s interior.
Stand Up West Coast has shared a photo of DM8070 arriving at Lyttelton Port on Friday morning. Stand Up West Coast has said 3 DM locomotives arrived in this shipment, with a further 6 more due at the end of next month.
KiwiRail has shared photos and video of the completed murals at Palmerston North Station, painted by Feilding artist Joe Mcmenamin. Joe painted 22 murals on the block walls behind the platform seating, which feature native flora and fauna and rail safety messages.
Bus Shelters and Footpaths near Kaipara College are scheduled for upgrade in September. Rodney Local Board member Mark Dennis identified an abandoned bus shelter at Waimauku train station that Auckland Transport are ‘keen to save’ and reuse as part of the project.
Art in Transit is a trial project that has used art to transform a bus shelter at 523 Main Road, Stoke (in between St Barnabas and Pūtangitangi). Stamps of Isel by Nelson artist Amy Adams is a colourful design of stylised stamp-like panels that celebrate some of the distinctive trees in nearby Isel Park. Amy’s aim is for the artwork to transform a functional space into a welcoming and visually engaging point of interest for commuters and passers-by.
Waikato News Now shared information about the shuttles running for this year’s Fieldays Event. The event will take place between the 10th and the 13th of June, at the Mystery Creek events centre in Hamilton.
BUSIT services will be free during Fieldays for anyone who shows a valid Fieldays ticket to the driver. Simply catch any regional or city bus to the Hamilton Transport Centre or to any of the Park and Ride sites, then hop on the Fieldays Shuttle to Mystery Creek.
Fieldays Shuttles depart Hamilton Transport Centre every 30 minutes 7:00 am–11:00 am and from Mystery Creek between 1:00 pm–5:30 pm. Please wait on Bryce Street at the first bus stop closest to the Transport Centre entrance.
There are also three free Park & Ride shuttles operating from Te Awamutu, Cambridge and The Base Shopping Centre.
Thomas Manch on X has shared photos of the derailed and damaged Matangi unit (FT5275) between Box Hill and Khandallah stations. The train came off the main track and onto a siding before crashing into a concrete buffer. Investigations into the cause are ongoing.
Auckland Transport have installed signage at some stops advising of the upcoming West Auckland bus improvements starting on June 14.
Changes include:
154 > Frequent 15
172 > Frequent 17
152 route changes
152, 161, 162, 171 and 195 get improved frequencies
Dunedin is bucking the trend in getting back on the bus. Other centres have recorded increased patronage on buses but Dunedin is not climbing too quickly, if at all. Otago Regional Council regional planning and transport general manager Anita Dawe said for the financial year from July to the end of May, bus patronage was down by 0.8% year on year.
Waikato Regional Council have clarified that Te Huia’s one-way fare from Frankton to the Strand would cost approximately $30 by cash or eftpos, an initial press release said $32.50. The Bee Card one-way fare from Frankton to the Strand is $24.06.
The Ashburton Courier has shared a video of Grant Hood Contracting preparing to remove the Ashburton rail footbridge ahead of renovation works. The 25m central iron truss is due to be removed on Monday morning.
RNZ have shared the first pictures showing damage inside the crashed Wellington train. Photos show seats ripped from the walls and the floor section between the carriages, which was crushed and folded into itself.
By Kasey Mcdonnell via WellyClimateNerd: The Harbour Quays crisscross some of Wellington’s most iconic destinations. So why is there no public transport access on this six lane arterial route that splits the central city from our stunning coast?
BusLink has announced that the new operator for the Hokianga Link is Ritchies, with the first run on June 2. There will be no changes to the current bus timetable or route operated. Rawene passengers are requested to ring 027 238 0629 for any pre-bookings.
Auckland Transport is making some changes to the timetable for the one-way bus service around Warkworth (999). From June 14, services will start later in the morning, from 7.15 am, seven days a week.
TRAINZ says Picton can remain the tourist route while continuing to support regional freight. Clifford Bay, meanwhile, would offer a shorter route for most inter-island road and rail freight.
Metlink appears to have extended the Johnsonville Line closure until June 12, with rail bus posters showing the line closed till Friday. The service alert was updated at 11:02 am on June 9. The Johnsonville Line has been closed since June 6, after a train derailed.
Ashburton District Council has shared a video of Grant Hood Contracting removing the centre truss of the Ashburton rail footbridge. The now-removed section of the footbridge will be restored and reinstalled.
GB5606 has been fitted with Auckland Transport’s new generation BDC (bus driver console). The BDCs feature a HOP-only reader and are not able to process contactless payments and a larger driver’s information screen.
Kaukapakapa Residents Association have announced that Auckland Transport will be upgrading Bus Stop #4969 Opoto Place near Kaukapakapa School to have a shelter as a part of the 2026/27 Budget. They are also hopeful that they will get a positive response for installations for Bus Stops #4970 & #4971 Kahikatea Flat Road near Kaipara Coast Highway, located near the Country Meat Processing facility.
Crews are preparing to re-rail and remove the crashed Matangi train on the Johnsonville Line in Wellington. The train is expected to be rerailed and towed by DSG3046 to the nearby level crossing, to then be craned to a truck and then be driven off-site.
The level-crossing bells and arms, as well as the overhead wires, have been removed from the section of track to allow the works to take place.
Nelson eBus Routes 5 (Motueka) & 6 (Wakefield) now share the same bay at Nelson Bus Hub in Miller’s Acre. The InterCity bus will now use the bay shown in the far left in the pics near River Kitchen.
KiwiRail and Metlink have issued a joint update on the removal of the damaged Matangi train.
KEY POINTS:
Line closure extended to the end of the week
Work will likely take until Friday to complete
KiwiRail’s infrastructure teams will carry out a detailed inspection of the track and plan any needed repairs.
Buses are replacing trains until the line is cleared for operation
The road level crossing at Station Road in Khandallah will remain closed until Friday at the earliest
This consultation is about creating the route stops and safety improvements; giving buses priority through peak bus-only lanes; and changes to parking and loading. Submissions due by 14 June.
Auckland Council will progress plans to reverse widespread housing development up to three storeys and instead focus on allowing high-rise apartments near train stations and along busy bus routes.
Officials have confirmed a long-touted project to upgrade Wellington’s rail signalling system, which stalled in February due to funding issues, could have prevented the weekend’s train crash.
Via Greater Auckland: With construction wrapping up and testing well advanced, we’re now likely only a couple of months away from the City Rail Link opening. As such, Auckland Transport is starting to get excited to show off the city’s new treasures, and last Friday invited us along to tour the new stations.
Labour is proposing, if elected, a weekly fare cap of $20 in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, and $10 everywhere else in New Zealand. The cap would apply across buses, trains and some ferries in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. The proposed fare cap would begin from July 2027 under a Labour Government.
Labour says it is costed at approximately $65m per year. InterCity buses, Capital Connection, Te Huia, Mainlander and Waiheke ferries are not included.
The train that crashed into a concrete barrier on Wellington’s Johnsonville Line at the weekend was the fourth train on the capital’s rail network to pass a red signal in the past year, rail operators have revealed.
Auckland Transport are running a 3-month trial of converting text-based app alerts for the Western Line into New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) video messages. The videos will translate written disruption messages into NZSL using a digital avatar. These alerts may include train delays, cancellations, replacement buses, track work and other service disruptions.
This pilot is testing whether AI-generated NZSL alerts can provide fast, clear and useful information for Deaf public transport users. With help from the Deaf community in Auckland, AT and Kara Tech have developed a digital human. This digital human will deliver AT’s disruption messages in NZSL in real time. The community have named this avatar Tūī.
Auckland Transport has shared a flyover render of the proposed bridges and cul-de-sacs to be constructed as part of the Takaanini level crossing removal projects.
The Wellington Heritage Multiple Unit Preservation Trust has shared an update from their site, where crews spent the weekend giving D carriage 2411 a good interior clean, which included removing dust, flaking ceiling paint and cleaning the driver’s cab.
As part of KiwiRail’s Northland Rail Programme Newsletter for June 2026, KiwiRail shared the first render of what the Marsden Point Rail Link could look like, where it joins the North Auckland Line at Oakleigh, south of Whangārei.
Fullers360 are launching a Waiheke Weekly Pass, allowing 8 or 10 trips (depending on the pass purchased), which is valid for 14 days from the first scan.
DETAILS:
Weekly 8 = 8 trips for $129
Weekly 10 = 10 trips for $160
Available exclusively in the Fullers360 app
Trips must be used within 14 days of the first scan
Passes expire 3 months after purchase if unused
No refunds - unused trips cannot be used after the pass expires
No extensions – unused trips cannot be extended beyond the 14-day usage window
First scan activates the pass
The pass can only be scanned/used one trip at a time
Fullers360 are also reducing Waiheke off-island traveller Adult fares from $32 to $30, and child fares from $17 to $15. The new price for off-island fares until 30 September 2026 and is for residents travelling ex Matiatia and returning on the same day of purchase.
The fares are available from the Fullers360 Matiatia ticket office and self-service ticket kiosks.
Crews at Henderson Station have finished replacing the fence of the Council building, which backs onto the rail line. The fence was moved back a few metres to allow for the track to Henderson to be shifted around 1m and a new bay platform to be constructed.
The government says it could use its emergency fund on better public transport services, but the opposition says it’s surprising that was now on the government’s agenda given there was no evidence of that in the Budget.
Metlink has partnered with Extraordinary to make tax-free public transport available across the Wellington region. Extraordinary allows employees to pay for the bus, train, or ferry using their pre-tax salary. Employees can ask their employer to consider joining Extraordinary to make public transport more affordable and save on personal fuel costs.
A Wellingtonian whose home was in the potential path of a derailed train says it’s time the network had life-saving technology that’s already in Auckland.
Vintage Views has shared a video of their new bus, Daisy, being driven around ahead of restoration works set to take place over the winter months before entering service.
Complaints about regional bus services in Waipā and the King Country have triggered a review focusing on safety concerns and inconsistent stopping practices.
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