Weekly Review No.74
This week, Auckland’s newest train enters service, KiwiRail's DFT locomotives get a new life and Te Huia launches new reusable coffee cups.
Welcome to the Weekly Review, did you know we're just a click away? On most platforms, you can find us at @NZTransitBuzz - your go-to hub for all things transport news!
A quick note, in last week’s edition of the Weekly Review we reshared an article from The New Zealand Herald’s Bernard Orsman about ratepayers public transport subsides in 2024.
As noted by Patrick Reynolds, the price in the article is incorrect with ratepayer public transport subsidies in 2024 costing $260m not $750m as stated, we apologise for the inaccurate data we shared.
NZTA will rebuild a section of State Highway 1 through Kawakawa, the project will reconstruct the highway on both sides of the railway tracks, and where the highway crosses the tracks. However, the lane for the railway itself will not be rebuilt.
From 2023 to 2024, Connect - Horizons Regional Transport's Palmerston North and Ashhurst service saw a 41.3% increase in passenger trips.
Te Huia launched new reusable coffee cups and to celebrate they are offering a free coffee when you purchase a new reusable coffee cup at the onboard cafe.
Cups are $15 and can be purchased from the onboard cafe or at the Hamilton Transport Centre.
Metlink announced that buses will replace trains over the upcoming Easter and ANZAC long weekends, as KiwiRail carries out upgrades and rail improvements across all rail lines in Wellington.
The Johnsonville Line will also close for an extended period of 15 days starting from 13 April.
Canterbury mayors say they intend to push for mass rapid transit (MRT) from Rolleston and Rangiora into Christchurch, when they put in a regional deal bid to the government.
A South Dunedin mural (on KiwiRail’s Hillside Workshop) that paid homage to the Asian community that helped build it has been extended to reflect the suburb’s Scottish and Māori heritage.
Invercargill residents may need to cope with the cost of bus fares almost doubling and the Invercargill City Council fears this will further reduce the number of passengers after a request from the government.
By Kasey McDonnell at threesixtysix: Rail runs along the far north and the deep south. A century ago, people travelled towns and cities by train. Now there are barely any trains that take people across regions.
How can a country which used to have trains taking people everywhere lose nearly all of its passenger trains in a lifetime?
KiwiRail failed to follow a decade-old Coroner's recommendation to fence off an area of railway line where a young Matamata College student was killed by a train this week.
It may be hard for Aucklanders to imagine now, but civic leaders say the city centre is about to undergo a noticeably dramatic change as passengers and investors are funnelled into the city by City Rail Link.
The pedestrian level crossing at Sturges Road Station in Auckland has been partially resurfaced, the old asphalt had been ripped and raised where the tracks pass through, this was fixed by adding rubber joints between the track and the asphalt.
Via the team at Greater Auckland: When the City Rail Link opens (circa 2026), all signs point to it immediately being a huge success. It will be transformational for Auckland, with ripple effects across the city.
We took a brief dive into the Government Electronic Tenders Service (GETS) to see what transport-related works are being tendered out.
Taranaki Regional Council (TRC) were requesting proposals for a new operator for the City Link & School bus runs, TRC was also looking for an operator for the Hāwera to New Plymouth Connector.
Wellington Cable Car (WCC) is looking for a provider to seismically strengthen the bridges on the cable car line, WCC are also seeking to replace their visitor control gates which are now at the end of their useful life.
Auckland Transport issued an advanced notice of information for Out of Home Media Services, the request for proposals will open in late March & covers street furniture, transport hubs, vehicular-based media and billboards.
Waikato Regional Council were seeking a Media Services Agency to sell advertising space on buses.
Auckland Transport issued an advanced notice of information regarding their intention to award a new contract for ferry services between the Downtown, Bayswater, Birkenhead & Te Onewa (Northcote Point), West Harbour & Rakino Island.
KiwiRail released a request for proposals for a lead contractor to implement their consented design for a refurbished departures facility for Interislander customers in Wellington.
Auckland Transport is proposing to install bus lanes and upgrade bus stops on Rosebank Road between Great North Road and Blockhouse Bay Road.
AM 1005 took to the tracks and began service on Monday, the unit was spotted by @Zeleksaira (on X/Twitter) at Puhinui Station, 1005 is the first of the ‘CRL’ order of trains for Auckland’s rail network.
Work continues on the vertical seawall on the Ngā Ūranga ki Pito-One section of Te Ara Tupua in both directions from the Kiwirail Traction Station, the traction station is scheduled to go live next month with the wider project expected to be completed next year.
Police data released to 1News under the Official Information Act shows an increase of crime on transport and at transport hubs over the last year, the numbers show reported crimes against victims – whether in transit or at a transport terminal – increased by 6% between 2023 and 2024.
Auckland Transport is proposing to close the Church Street East level crossing later in 2025, AT are working with landowners on an alternative access route for their buildings.
A rise in bus passengers using the Cambridge-to-Hamilton service is being hailed as proof that expanding routes and revamping timetables can lift patronage.
A Wairarapa commuter is encouraging rail passengers to withhold fares in protest because the train service has been frustrating and unreliable for far too long.
One of KiwiRail's former DFT locomotives which was exported to southern Africa in April 2024 has begun service for Traxtion in Africa, DFTs 7008, 7036, 7051 and 7132 appear to have been renumbered 2201-2204.
Emergency open ocean tugs for Cook Strait could be one step closer, after calls from local government for the boats.
Public transport options between Central Otago and Queenstown are being explored by the Otago Regional Council.
Commuters on the Hutt Valley Line and State Highway 2 will start noticing the first traces of a new shared cycle path bridge that will run next to the highway and above the train tracks.
By Benjamin Love on LinkedIn: Is Light Rail in Queenstown a current project/proposal, no. Is it a priority in comparison to other potential rail/transit projects in NZ, probably not. Could it be highly beneficial to Queenstown, yes!
Residents are overwhelmingly in favour of extending a bus route in the Christchurch suburb of Belfast. Belfast Area Residents Association undertook a survey & had 104 responses with 102 of those being in favour of a bus route.
The Marton Rail Hub project was meant to turn an area on the town’s southern boundary into an industrial area. The project was planned for an area between State Highway 1, Makiirikiri Rd, the North Island Main Trunk Line and Wings Line.
Due to work for the TRYP Hotel project the shelters and bus stop pole on Platform 1 at the Main Street Bus Hub in Palmerston North have been removed, Connect was unaware the shelters were being removed on Wednesday night but the stop is still open.
In October about 44 drivers were pinged each day for driving in the Manners St bus lane.
A deeply frustrated ex-Wairarapa train commuter has launched an email campaign aimed at urging the region’s political leaders to address chronic failures in the rail system.
A Dunedin man who fears for the future of his daily trips with his poodle to the park says it is about time dogs were allowed on the bus.
YT_JoshRBX (on X/Twitter) has captured Auckland Transport’s newest train AM 1005 in action, AM 1005 officially began passenger service earlier this week.
@maxie_poo3 on X/Twitter shared photos of the interior of AM 1005, for passengers, the experience will be much the same as the rest of the Auckland fleet with only the 1000+ numbered fleet featuring USB charging ports.
