Georgina Campbell is a Wellington-based reporter who has a particular interest in local government, transport, and seismic issues. She joined the Herald in 2019 after working as a broadcast journalist.
Labour transport spokesman Tangi Utikere said National was so short on ideas it was reheating announcements of projects already under way and budgeted for.
However, Greater Wellington Regional Council Transport Committee chairman Thomas Nash hinted on X, formerly Twitter, that there may have been some nervousness about the project’s future.
“Our plans to at least double passenger rail services between Wellington and Palmerston North and Wellington and Masterton and make them faster and safer have survived the change of government”, Nash posted.
Our plans to at least double passenger rail services between Wellington and Palmerston North and Wellington and Masterton and make them faster and safer have survived the change of government. Funding agreement done, now onto the request for proposals. New trains incoming 2029. pic.twitter.com/xeIRV3qnXf
Putting politics aside, the most important thing is that these rail lines are finally getting some cash after years of delayed maintenance and underinvestment.
The Wairarapa line paints a grim picture of the consequences of not doing more sooner.
Until recently, Wairarapa’s train line had a lot of old timber sleepers and drivers have relied on handwritten instructions for signalling.
Wairarapa hasn’t previously been a priority for investment because it’s not a main trunk line and it’s not carrying the same volume of freight or passengers compared to the likes of Kāpiti.
Tensions boiled over in 2018 when the air conditioning system on board Wairarapa trains became overwhelmed and passengers were handed free ice blocks to cool down. This followed frequent service cancellations and late trains.
Decision makers were warned passengers would be packed into trains like sardines without much-needed government investment. Photo / Georgina Campbell
The punctuality of Wairarapa’s train network continued to be deemed “unsatisfactory” this year. In February, only 5.8% of trains arrived at key stations and their final destination within five minutes of their scheduled time.
Figures showed 96% of trains departed on time in February, meaning slower speeds were to blame for the late arrivals.
The previous Government invested in upgrading the line but even then, things didn’t go to plan.
Buses will replace trains on the line for 46 days between December and February while KiwiRail closes the rail line to continue maintenance work and upgrades.
Wairarapa is a particularly striking example but the whole network is facing looming capacity issues – and not for the first time.
Greater Wellington Regional Council chairman Daran Ponter sent Government ministers and MPs a can of sardines in 2019 to illustrate a looming capacity crisis on the rail network. Photo / Mark Mitchell
About 15 years ago, Wellington’s train network was in disarray after years of underinvestment.
There were regular points and signal failure, trains were breaking down and those that were running were so full that people were left stranded on platforms.
The regional council got so desperate it bought old electric English trains from a museum and a workshop to boost capacity on the Hutt Valley line.
The network was handed a lifeline when Helen Clark’s Labour-led Government injected half a billion dollars into rail.
It paid Toll Holdings $690m for its company to bring rail assets back into New Zealand hands.
At the time, the Government admitted it paid a premium to buy back the former state railway company and said further huge investment would be needed in the newly named KiwiRail company.
Clark justified the deal, saying rail could not have survived without substantial Government subsidies.
Her Finance Minister, Sir Michael Cullen, said there was no question the Government paid a premium.
“But the alternative is continuing to subsidise a foreign-owned company failing to invest sufficiently in basic infrastructure, increased expenditure required on roading, increased accidents on the road and increased greenhouse gas emissions at a direct cost to the taxpayer.”
Among other improvements, the council was able to buy 48 new two-car electric trains, double-track the line from MacKays Crossing to Waikanae, and widen the Kaiwharawhara “throat” where trains still come into the main station.
Patronage still dropped off in the ensuing years after such a diabolical period for public transport.
But eventually, it picked back up and patronage was expected to increase by 2% each year.
Now, the whole system has gone gangbusters.
Before Covid-19, year-on-year patronage growth increased by about 8% in peak travel periods.
It was regional council chairman Daran Ponter who sent the sardines to politicians in 2019, warning history could be about to repeat itself.
It was part of the pitch to get the Government to fund new trains and rail upgrades before passengers were “packed in like sardines”.
About 60 tins of sardines were paid for out of Ponter’s own pocket to make the point. He took advantage of a sardine special at Pak’nSave Masterton, with brands ranging from Pams to Brunswick.
Ponter can consider it money well spent after the Government’s announcement this morning that it’s full steam ahead for the new trains.
