Auckland rail patronage leaps 30pc

By MATHEW DEARNALEY

Auckland rail services enjoyed a 30 per cent leap in patronage in the year to June 30 - to 3.241 million passenger trips - but difficulties upgrading trains point to a tight time ahead.

Rail project director Elena Trout told the Auckland Regional Council's transport committee yesterday that Toll NZ was having problems in tracking down parts "worldwide" to develop a prototype in order to refurbish Auckland's nine oldest trains.

The project is necessary to reduce breakdowns and improve service frequencies to cater for extra patronage, but she indicated expansion plans would be well back on track by 2006 after the delivery of 10 rebuilt SA trains as well as the nine refurbished ADK sets.

Reliability had also improved with the refurbishment of eight out of 10 middle-aged ADL trains.

Mrs Trout also said officials were preparing a tender document to evaluate electrifying the region's rail network, seeking detail on costs and benefits before decisions on what type of new trains to buy.

She said the $23 million project to link Mt Eden and Morningside with a second set of rail tracks and build a new Kingsland station had slipped by a month, partly because of difficult ground conditions, but she still hoped it could be completed on time in January.

Auckland City Council's passenger committee has meanwhile decided to work with rail authorities to eliminate 16 level crossings at an estimated cost of $51.6 million, which it says should be covered within regional rail upgrade budgets.

Committee chairman Greg McKeown said that this was necessary for safety, in view of the increases in road traffic, plans to treble the frequency of peak rail services, and the possible introduction of quieter electric trains.