News Story 3

Pictured above is a Kiwirail locomotive. Trains in Auckland have been running at a highly reduced frequency due to a major $330 million rebuild project going along with Kiwirail's Carbon Zero programme. The work is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. Kiwirail Communications Manager, Jo Reeves, says that the work is being done to ensure that the City Rail Link is able to run at “maximum efficiency” by “upgrading and constructing a number of lines”. Some members of the public, like Shamsul Shah, are asking for more frequent replacement buses in the case of future rail closures.

Kiwirail is aiming to reduce carbon emissions from trains by electrifying Auckland's rail network. This is part of a major rebuild project which is estimated to be completed by the end of 2025 and expected to cost $330 million.

This is to go along with Kiwirail’s Carbon Zero Programme, designed to reduce carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2030, and then to zero percent by 2050.

Kiwirail Communications Manager, Jo Reeves, explained to me that some of the work is being done to replace old, faulty lines. “Much of the current work is being done to enable the City Rail Link to run at maximum efficiency. We are also upgrading and constructing a number of lines. We have a third main line being built from Wiri to Quay Park and three new stations along the Papakura to Pukekohe line which is being electrified. All of this work upgrades the network to enable more frequent, faster passenger journeys”. 

The delays and closures caused by this work have been heavily affecting the public. Shamsul Shah is a palliative care nurse, and her main travel is to work at Auckland Hospital and back. Shamsul told me that if the railways were to be closed again, more frequent replacement buses would be ideal. “There were replacement buses but they were only on the hour and not frequent enough”.

Despite the disruptions, Shamsul says she is “all for” trying to reduce carbon emissions by electrifying the railway. “Every little bit helps, I think there is an ergency to it, and if that means there are disruptions, that is fine as long as there is a reasonable alternative. If we don’t do  something now, the future generation will have to deal with it.”. 

Jo Reeves, Kiwi Rail Communications Manager 

Email: jo.reeves@kiwirail.co.nz

MOB: 0227 2543851

Shamsul Shah 

MOB: 0223 944 160