By JASON COLLIE transport reporter
Wrangling over the rent for the main trunk rail line may mean more deadlines will be missed in Auckland's long-running negotiations with Tranz Rail.
The Weekend Herald revealed the railway company is now asking for more than the initially announced figure of $2 million a year to rent access on the North Island Main Trunk line for an improved public transport system.
Negotiations are continuing, but yesterday Auckland Regional Council transport director Barry Mein said the issue was taking longer to settle than planned.
He believed it might cause the negotiations to continue past the September 15 deadline to meet all the conditions and the October 2 final settlement date.
The delay stems from a difference between the two sides over how many "slots" are available for rail services each day on the line south of central Auckland.
When the deal - which also includes $65 million for the lease of the isthmus and western lines - was announced in June, Auckland's transport planners wanted to have one-third of those "slots" for passenger services.
"They are saying their interpretation of the number of slots is less than ours, and if we want as many slots as we are talking about we need to pay more," Mr Mein said.
"The parties are still working through exactly how to resolve that.
"It was formally recorded in the heads of agreement it was an outstanding issue which needed to be resolved. It's not new, it's just taking us longer than the parties expected to resolve."
Tranz Rail spokesman Fred Cockram said Auckland had changed the number of slots it wanted.
"It has become clear the requirements of the ARC and other interests are a little different to what was signed up to," he said.
As well as negotiating a higher annual rental, it is understood Auckland's negotiators have offered $47 million to buy the lease of the Main Trunk line in a deal similar to that for the city's other rail lines.
But Mr Mein said Auckland wanted to concentrate on trying to settle the original proposal.
Wrangles put deadline heat on Auckland rail deal
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