|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
KiwiRail and Auckland Transport say “significant upgrades” across the Auckland rail network are happening during the two-week school holidays starting from tomorrow.
They say from Saturday June 28 to Sunday July 13 the works are part of the “final push” to prepare for the more frequent trains the City Rail Link (CRL) will bring to Aucklanders from next year.
“CRL will enable more train services across Auckland – not just the city centre – and shorter journey times,” say KiwiRail and Auckland Transport (AT).
“Upgrades and renewals will happen at priority areas across the rail network to get it ready for this change in 2026.”
KiwiRail says it will progress its ongoing Rail Network Rebuild (RNR) programme, which replaces old foundations under tracks and upgrades drainage, during the 16-day “partial” closure.
“This work has been planned during the two-week school and university holiday period when public transport demand is lower.”
During the partial closure, no trains will run between Puhinui and Pukekohe stations on the Southern Line, and there will be reduced frequencies on all other lines except for the Onehunga Line.
Rail replacement buses, including an express service, will serve closed parts of the Southern Line.
KiwiRail says passengers are encouraged to check the AT mobile app or visit the AT website (www.at.govt.nz) to plan their travel.
“We’re only closing the Southern Line during the bulk of this upgrade period, as that’s the part of the Auckland network where we’ve got the most to do to ensure the network is ready for CRL,” says Dave Gordon, KiwiRail chief metro and capital programme officer.
“We will run a reduced service on the Western Line until the last weekend of the holidays, when trains will only run as far as New Lynn.
“KiwiRail and our partners are always looking for ways we can keep at least some train services operating even while we have intensive works underway.
“Closing parts of the rail network enables our teams to quickly and safely progress major works which sometimes mean lifting entire sections of rail to rebuild the foundations underneath,” Gordon says.
Other work happening across the network includes cable and fibre installations, signalling upgrades, level crossing investigation work and the ongoing construction of the new Drury stations.
“This work over the winter school holidays gets Auckland one step closer to CRL, which is the biggest upgrade to our transport network since the Auckland Harbour Bridge opened in 1959,” says Mark Lambert, AT rail services group manager.
“There will be disruptions for some of our customers at this time, but by carrying out this work during the school holidays we’re reducing the effects of this as much as possible.
“We’re putting on rail replacement buses where trains aren’t able to run on the Southern Line, including an express service to help our passengers travelling from Franklin.”
KiwiRail says it will continue to upgrade drainage around Henderson Station in west Auckland, as AT replaces the old lifts and escalators in the station.
“Trains travelling in both directions will use one track between Swanson and Henderson during the school holidays.
“This ‘single line running’ period allows KiwiRail to undertake work on one set of rails while trains run on the other set.”
AT and KiwiRail say they remind Aucklanders to take extra care when using level crossings near the west Auckland stations these holidays.
“Trains will sometimes be running on a different track to usual, so we’re urging drivers and pedestrians alike to look both ways before crossing the tracks,” says Gordon.
“No trains will run on the Western Line from New Lynn to Swanson during the July 12-13 weekend to allow for more intensive construction work.”
More information about rail improvement work in Auckland is at: https://www.kiwirail.co.nz/our-network/our-regions/amp/
