Dialogue: City rail access deal sets alarm bells clanging

Too many questions remain unanswered about the Government's deal with Tranz Rail for it to be the green light for Britomart, writes DAVID THORNTON*.

The Government's deal with Tranz Rail for Auckland's rapid transit network could become a huge millstone around ratepayers' necks.

Scanty details released so far are cause for alarm. Ratepayers - either directly or indirectly - will pay almost $3 million a year for the next five years to reimburse Tranz Rail for maintenance and train control services.

Alarm bell one: What standard of maintenance will we get for that money?

Bell two: Does "train control" mean Tranz Rail will dictate the timetable for local train services?

In recent times the standard of maintenance carried out (or not carried out) by Tranz Rail has been the subject of much criticism. Will that improve under this deal - or will ratepayers be forced to top up a maintenance fund to bring the tracks up to acceptable safety standards?

And will maintenance include the existing rundown railway stations?

Or will ratepayers be expected to improve the stations and then allow Tranz Rail to take the income from advertising in these refurbished premises?

Part of the reason for buying back rail tracks is to increase train frequencies and improve services.

But if we do not control the trains, how can anyone guarantee improved services?

Will Tranz Rail, as controller of train services, give priority to local passenger traffic? Or will it give priority to its own freight services from which it derives maximum profit?

The deal also allows councils in the Auckland region to buy the existing commuter trains for another $3 million in 2003 when the present Tranz Rail contract expires.

So what are the councils going to do with these trains? Will the new council-owned Passenger Transport Company own and operate regional rail services?

A report in the Herald claimed that this part of the deal involved only 10 of the present 19 commuter trains. The other nine will have ended their useful lives in two years.

This part of the deal should trigger alarm bell number three: How can an improved train service be offered with only half of the rolling stock now being used?

Obviously, new trains will need to be bought to replace the clapped-out stock that will be retired in less than two years.

Who will pay for the new stock? Where will the money come from?

If the stock is not bought, there will probably be a decrease in service levels.

Or does the Auckland Regional Council or some other body have plans for a new private enterprise operator to come in, take over the trains we are buying for $3 million, add new trains, and have all this running by the time the $200 million-plus Son of Britomart transport centre opens its door in 2003?

Which rings alarm bell four: Will the Auckland City Council, using money from its own ratepayers, from regional ratepayers and from taxpayers, forge right on with its grandiose Britomart project in the face of all these unanswered questions?

Until all the costs for establishing a regional rail network - or indeed justifying such a network - are known, not a cent of the promised $45 million grant should be given by Infrastructure Auckland.

That money belongs to ratepayers of the region and should be used only for projects which contribute to the wellbeing of the whole region.

The case for a rail network centred on Britomart has not been made.

The role that the Government has played in all this is, to say the least, unhelpful. All that has really happened is that we have been given information on the progress of negotiations.

To announce that a "deal" has been done is nonsense.

The deal will not be settled until December - if then, going on the pattern of meeting previous deadlines.

Until a deal is done - and the network justification proved - the prospect of Britomart becoming a huge white elephant grows ever stronger.

* David Thornton is a former member of the North Shore City Council and the Auckland Regional Land Transport Committee.

* Regular columnist Brian Rudman is on leave.

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