Trench town rock

Work on the New Lynn rail line is right on time but uncertainty over funds means the station is still in doubt. By Joanna Davies
It may not appear so from the road, but New Lynn's railway upgrade is halfway to completion.
Railway tracks are running along the top of the rail trench's north ern wall, giving commuters a view into an 8m-deep hole where the tracks will eventually be laid.
Trucks continually cart away mounds of clay being dug from the trench and diggers work to make enough space to lay more giant slabs of concrete.
``We are still on budget and on schedule for completing the trench in time,' says Peter King, Ontrack's project manager for the New Lynn trench. ``The walls of the trench go 16m into the ground, so they are twice as big as what you can see.
``Some of the tension piles that are in the ground are 45m long and they are anchoring the concrete floor to stop it moving.'
Pillars running between the two walls help to stop them from moving until the floor is in place.
``This kind of rail trench is common overseas, but it's the first of its kind in New Zealand, so it is a very exciting time for everyone working on it,' says Mr King.
But, while the work carries on, questions remain about whether the New Lynn station will ever be completed.
At this stage, there is still no budget for it.
The $13.6 million station was to be paid for by a regional fuel tax, but the tax was scrapped in March.
Auckland Regional Transport Authority has applied for funding to the NZ Transport Agency whose spokesman, Andrew Knackstedt, says a decision will be made this month.
``The agency has agreed to con sider providing funding support for future rail station development in Auckland for the next three years.
``While funding applications will be considered on their merits, the agency considers that new rail stations are legitimate candidates for co-funding, at a 60 per cent financial assistance rate.'
Other Auckland railway stations that have lost funding will also be considered.
Auckland Regional Transport Authority's spokeswoman Sharon Hunter did not say how much funding the authority was seeking.
Waitakere City Council has announced a $443.7 million budget to develop New Lynn and Westgate over the next 10 years, but spokeswoman Fiona Cunning ham says none of this money is going towards the station.
``It is for projects around the town centre, but not the railway station,' she says.
The next part of the project includes building a bridge at the Clarke St and Rankin Ave intersection, which should be completed in August.
The project should be finished in June 2010. joanna.davies@theaucklander.co.nz
02 07 2009