Weekly Review No.21
This week Auckland’s train network melts down in mild temperatures, City Rail Link releases new drone videos and new electric buses arrive for Palmerston North.
This week has seen a flurry of news. Keep yourself informed by following Twitter/X for real-time transit updates. And if you happened to miss anything from the past week, don't worry, we've got you covered – catch up on all the details here.
Via Stuff: Public transport users and advocates in South Taranaki have criticised the district council for what they say is its ‘frustrating’ approach, but the council is deflecting the accusations.
Via Newsroom: The Port of Auckland is axing the $7.7 million per year it spends to incentivise freight companies to move containers by rail.
Via Waikato Times: A review that could determine the future of the Te Huia train service is nearly complete, and some promising data is emerging.
The review will influence whether Waka Kotahi keeps funding the trial beyond the middle of the year.
Waka Kotahi have released survey results on the ongoing closure and potential options at the State Highway 1B Telephone Road rail crossing.
Bus patronage is rising in both Dunedin and Queenstown – up 28% and 44% respectively with trips in the second half of 2023 up on the previous two years combined. The Mosgiel (78) bus is boosting passenger numbers with nearly 7,000 passenger trips taken since launch.
Electronic real-time tracking information signs are expected to be installed in Dunedin & Queenstown from March, ten are to be installed in Queenstown, 20 in Dunedin and another 40 across the Otago network with planning underway for Queenstown Airport in addition to this number.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has confirmed his high-level transport priorities for Auckland, in the lead-up to releasing the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport.
On public transport, key priorities will be on the completion of the City Rail Link and Eastern Busway, followed by the Northwest Transit Corridor and the Airport to Botany Busway.
MediaWorks has partnered with Kinetic & Auckland Transport to get behind a double-decker-sized message of inclusivity and celebration of Rainbow communities, Kinetic's NB5001 has been wrapped with a 'You are loved' rainbow wrap for Auckland Pride Month.
Waka Kotahi have released a summary of community feedback on a rapid transit corridor along SH16 from Brigham Creek to the city centre, the survey showed strong support for fast, reliable & efficient public transport in the city.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced in a speech to the Committee for Auckland that the National Government will not "continue work on active mode options or the proposed light rail connection" for a future Harbour Crossing.
Via 1 News: Frustrated Auckland train commuters have faced disrupted services nearly every weekday for the past two weeks after a spate of track faults and other incidents.
Auckland Transport have begun an ad campaign to encourage West Aucklanders to ‘give your buses a go’.
One of the bus stop adverts encourages riders to take the ‘Westie Express’, there is also a large billboard version of this ad campaign at Westgate Mall (Pic via @ScootFoundation)
Nelson’s Route 3 eBus will travel down Toi Toi Street from February 12 after buses were deemed unfit to travel down Jenner Rd.
With stops at:
178 St Vincent Street
110 Toi Toi Street
139 Toi Toi Street
56 Toi Toi Street
With the Regional Fuel Tax set to end Mayor Wayne Brown warns that several transport projects could be on the chopping block, 1 News looks at the major road and public transport projects which could be affected.
In the last 6 years, we have seen more electric buses on our streets in Aotearoa, Shaun Baker from Multimodal Adventures took a look at the rise of the electric bus in Aotearoa.
PayWalled via Wairarapa Times-Age: A train on the Wairarapa Line that left waiting passengers in its wake on Wednesday morning has caused further frustration among the region’s commuters.
Auckland Transport have confirmed the Corban Estate Level crossing will be removed on February 25 with construction works due to start on February 19.
AT says the removal is a requirement to run more frequent trains after the City Rail Link opens to the public.
The level crossing removal will allow for signal and control system changes for the planned upgrades at Henderson Station.
Works have already gotten underway with new fences being installed alongside the tracks between Mt Lebanon Lane and the Opanuku Stream Bridge.
Planned works include landscaping, new fencing (on the Gt North Rd side of the tracks), new wayfinding, upgraded lighting and a mirror on the blind corner of the rail underpass.
AT is also investigating upgrades to the Mt Lebanon Lane crossing surface.
A new render has been released of the Symphony Center which will be constructed above Te Waihorotiu Station.
The Tauwhare Pā (27) service & Tamahere / Matangi (28) began on Monday connecting Matangi and Tamahere to Hamilton.
Following 18 months of campaigning from a Bupa Totara Gardens resident, a new bus stop on Wairau Drive, Tikipunga, Whangarei has been installed and become operational on Monday, to coincide with the new stop at Totara Park the Route 3 Kamo via Tikipunga bus has been extended, it will follow Corks Road then onto Wairau Drive, Lake Drive and finally back down Wairau to continue the rest of its run.
City Rail Link have uploaded the latest drone footage showing the construction progress at Te Waihorotiu station, the video shows the recently reopened Victoria Street intersection & skylight construction on Albert Street.
Sticking with the City Rail Link they have shared an update on the escalators being installed at Karanga-a-Hape station.
Metlink have launched an interactive map detailing upcoming, ongoing and completed projects improving public transport in the Wellington region.
Horizons Regional Council are seeking feedback on their mid-term review of the 2021 Regional Land Transport Plan which outlines the future of land transport projects and investment for the next 10 years.
Auckland Transport is expecting about two million trips each week on the city’s buses, trains and ferries from the middle of February until early April as school & tertiary students and commuters return to their normal travel patterns after the summer break.
AT has already added extra trips to routes 22, 27, 30 & 75, and has increased vehicle sizes on routes 195, 209, 309X & 70 to help with capacity risks.
Shaun Baker poked the camera through the fences at the Beresford Square entrance to Karanga-a-Hape Station.
A mid-term review of the Otago Southland Regional Land Transport Plans 2021 - 2031 is underway, and the public are being asked to comment on the proposed changes.
As Tuesday got underway so did a plethora of articles regarding the track issues impacting Auckland’s rail network.
Via NewstalkZB: Auckland Transport's not impressed by heat causing train cancellations, some services were canned on the Eastern, Western and Southern lines Monday, after track steel reached 48 degrees in parts.
Via The New Zeland Herald: KiwiRail says it’s not its fault trains across Auckland were cancelled yesterday, and, apart from a small section of track, the network is strong.
Via RNZ: KiwiRail says it's working hard to upgrade train tracks so they won't be as affected by heat restrictions, KiwiRail executive David Gordon told Morning Report that 4km of the approximate 200km track network were affected.
Auckland isn’t the only city facing rail issues, with Metlink issuing an explainer to Wairarapa Line customers who have been experiencing delays and disruption to their service.
Temporary speed restrictions, rough riding, line renewals & heat restrictions have culminated in delays for the line, KiwiRail is working on solutions to the track issues & Metlink have added an extra locomotive to selected Wairarapa Line services to try and reduce the turnaround time at each destination station.
A Twitter/X account has been set up to monitor the status of the Henderson Train Station lifts (@HendersonLifts), the lifts at Henderson Station have frequently been out of service due to faults, a long-term repair is on the cards but is 6-9 months away.
Via RNZ: KiwiRail told ministers its ill-fated ferry project required "urgent attention", just days before it got axed.
On Monday, Tranzit Group's new electric buses arrived in Wellington from China, they are being cleaned and charged up at the Wellington Tranzit Group depot before making their way to Palmerston North where they'll get their branding & ticketing equipment installed.
Via 1 News: Transport officials say track speed restrictions are expected to continue on parts of Auckland's train network over the next several weeks and into March.
The Te Waihorotiu Station team are marking the end of an era with the disassembly of the station’s tower crane affectionally known as George.
The crane was erected in 2020 and was a Terex CTT541 crane 65m tall with a 50m lifting jib, over the past four years, George conducted around fifty lifts on a busy day, lifting and lowering into place materials for the station building and the underground areas, the crane was dismantled in just one day using a mobile crane and a crew of specialist crane operators.
Mayor Wayne Brown has now formally requested that Auckland Transport immediately stop work on projects funded by the Regional Fuel Tax.
City Rail Link have released a video showing crews lowering a section of the 40-metre-long escalators at the Beresford Square entrance to Karanga-a-Hape Station.
Via NewstalkZB: Auckland Transport have run limited services recently due to 'heat' affecting track steel, the Public Transport Users Association has heard claims some work KiwiRail was meant to do over Christmas to prepare trains for heat wasn't done.
Via TheSpinoff: Simeon Brown has responded to Wayne Brown's stop work letter by saying a law will be passed to ensure funds are spent on the government's transport priorities in Auckland.
KiwiRail have started discussions with Hyundai Mipo Dockyard to enter a termination agreement for the contract for the build of two new Interislander ferries.
The Maritime Union of New Zealand issued a statement following that news saying “There is a danger that New Zealand will end up with a cheap, sub-optimal ferry option that will see ongoing disruption and safety issues.”
City Rail Link have uploaded the latest drone footage showing the construction progress at Maungawhau station, this is the first drone footage we have seen of the site since 2023.
3 of Connect - Horizons Regional Transport’s new electric buses which arrived in Wellington on Monday have begun the journey from the Wellington Tranzit Group depot to Palmerston North.
As the Hillside workshop redevelopment advances recycling takes centre stage, 90% of the site's demolition material has been recycled, including 30+ tonnes of native timber, 2965 tonnes of metal, and 8280 tonnes of concrete.
Via New Zealand Railway Observer: KiwiRail is installing the European Train Control System (ETCS) in 53 DL locomotives with a prototype due this year, new locomotives will be ETCS ready from the factory and it will be installed in the new DM class.
KiwiRail will be carrying out an "aggressive plan" to fix a section of track on Auckland's rail network, Mayor Wayne Brown has announced.
Over the next week, KR will be carrying out a plan to fix the 4.4km sections of rail that were subject to heat restrictions
Auckland One Rail will resolve crew shortages by March 11, 2024
All agencies are to work over the next week to identify ways to mitigate delays caused by the new signalling system at Britomart and report back
All agencies to consider whether temporary adjustments to train timetables are required to ensure reliable and predictable services
A joint Auckland Rail Operation Centre will be opened on 14 March with all parties involved in running the Auckland rail network located there
All parties have agreed that they will adopt joined-up communication to customers
All agencies noted the importance of completing the Rail Network Rebuild by the go-live date for City Rail Link
Auckland Transport to develop better customer-centric metrics for the rail system to understand the performance of the network and the impact of delays on customers
All parties committed to putting the customer first and to continuous improvement and making changes as necessary
The first batch of Nelson’s new bus shelters have been installed at:
Broadgreen House Nayland Road
191 Songer Street
665 Main Road Stoke (Kensington Court)
113 Muritai Street
426 Main Road Stoke
Nelson City Council are investigating the potential of LED lights inside some of the bus shelters and will announce more details once they have completed their inquiry.
Aucklanders saw another day of delays and cancellations across the train network, particularly on the Western Line which had been reduced to a 20-minute frequency during peak times.
Participants in Wellington’s Round the Bays are advised to plan ahead for buses to replace trains on all lines this weekend.
KiwiRail advised Metlink that the closures are necessary for pre-planned maintenance and further inspections of overhead power cables.
Via Otago Daily Times: A concerned bus driver says the Dunedin to Mosgiel bus schedule does not cater for the after-school rush.
Between 3-4 pm, there are only 2 regular buses that transport pupils and the regular public from town to Mosgiel.
Via Scoop: The Rail Advocacy Collective issued a statement following the cancelled order of rail ferries.
"The cancellation of the KiwiRail rail ferries will have serious consequences and the Government have been fool hardy and reckless."
By Oliver Lewis PayWalled via BusinessDesk: KiwiRail has spent at least $424 million on the doomed Interislander replacement project, not counting break fees from exiting a ship-build contract.
Via The New Zealand Herald: Finding second-hand ferries to replace KiwiRail’s ageing Interislander fleet won’t be easy either. Shipbrokers estimate just 22 ships in the world would be suitable and none of them is for sale.
By Oliver Lewis PayWalled via BusinessDesk: KiwiRail has engaged global management consultants McKinsey & Company to undertake a strategic review intended to lift performance across its business.
City Rail Link have uploaded the latest drone footage showing the construction progress at Karanga-a-Hape Station.
The team at NZ Rail Photos recently went on a Te Huia adventure from The Strand station in Auckland to Frankton station in Hamilton and shared some of their highlights on YouTube.