Dialogue: Plans up and running to get us back on rails

The return of Auckland's rail network to public ownership sets the scene for a huge improvement in service, writes PHIL WARREN*.

The Government's imminent purchase of Auckland's rail network from Tranz Rail is a significant milestone towards a vastly better public transport network for Auckland.

What will this deal mean for Aucklanders?

The deal that the Government and Tranz Rail have made is the critical step we must take before our train services can be improved.

Aucklanders want more frequent rail services and want services to extend beyond 6 pm.

They want to be able to get to the stations easily and quickly, possibly park nearby, and feel safe walking in the area and standing at the station.

They don't want to be standing in the rain. Perhaps they even want a cup of coffee on the way to work.

The rail corridors must be in full public ownership, because of the amount of investment the region is dedicating to upgrading rail into a rapid transit network.

Although it might appear that $81 million is a considerable amount to pay for ownership, the region will be spending much more than that on improvements over the next five years.

Councils must be certain that this public money is not simply being given to a private operator.

Once the deal is complete, who will manage the railway?

After this deal is completed, the Government will own the railway directly, and make it available for use by the Auckland region.

The local councils will manage the railway and station development through their jointly owned company, Auckland Region Transport Network.

The Auckland Regional Council will continue to direct the planning and integration of services across all modes (rail, bus and ferry) and, as part of that, will contract an operator to run rail services.

What about making significant improvements to the rail network?

Contracts to construct a double track for the western line and buy new modern heavy and light rail trains cannot be let until we are certain that the region has access to the railway.

No funding agency in its right mind would grant us funds for new train sets until we have the right to run the trains on the railway.

When will improvements happen?

Ordering new trains and light-rail vehicles takes the best part of three years. They are not the kind of thing you buy off the rack. We have to specify what we want, tender for designers and then for construction, then the things take two years to be built. With the satisfactory conclusion of the Government's purchase of the railway and successful funding applications, we expect Aucklanders to see the major improvements from 2005.

When will service frequencies improve?

Services today are operated by Tranz Metro under a contract with the regional council which expires in June 2003. Tranz Metro receives an annual $7.8 million subsidy to run the services.

Any improvement in services using the existing fleet will have to be arranged between Tranz Metro and the regional council.

This month, for example, two peak train trips from Papakura were extended further south to Pukekohe to enable the passengers who were catching the now-defunct Waikato connection to commute to Auckland.

Who will be paying for rail improvements?

The rail system has been privatised since 1993 and all we have seen the past eight years is the service being downgraded. Private capital does not want to pay for improvements to passenger transport.

Thus, improvements to the public transport system, as with roads, come from the public, whether through rates directly, through taxes or road taxes (Transfund), or through Infrastructure Auckland's pool of funds gained from public assets.

The regional council has forecast transport-related increases in the regional rate take in its 10-year funding strategy.

It is worth remembering that all new roads are also funded from the public purse, and Transit NZ and the local councils are committing some $2 billion to new roads and motorways in the Auckland region over the next 10 years.

Auckland's transport problems will not be solved by roads or public transport alone. We need a mixed approach to improve Aucklanders' choices in the way we move around our region.

When will railway stations be improved?

Responsibility for maintaining stations rests with Tranz Rail. One of the details of the deal still to be determined is when this responsibility will shift to the local councils. In the long term, local councils will have responsibility for local stations and will start work on progressively upgrading stations as soon as they are within their control.

Future station locations and upgrades are an integral part of plans to upgrade the entire local rail network. The work will include building parking facilities, toilets, cafes, news-stands and covered waiting areas where appropriate.

Some local communities have taken the initiative and revamped their stations. Swanson has a beautiful heritage building and cafe; Glen Eden opened its smart station last week.

Local councils will need to go to their communities to determine what people want and need in their area.

What will happen to services after mid-2003?

To run services we need trains. The deal enables the council-owned company, Auckland Region Transport Network, to buy Tranz Rail's Auckland commuter fleet in 2003. The fleet is tired and requires refurbishment and upgrades.

Officers will evaluate the fleet soon to determine how best to use and improve it in the short term.

The specifications being developed now will be focused on Auckland's transport needs and establishing sensible methods to reach them.

The regional council is also committed to improving the frequency of services and to extending services as soon as possible while we work towards much bigger infrastructural upgrades that will eventually give us a range of high-quality trains running on the network.

More services need more trains. In the short term, we have been scouting the world for suitable second-hand trains to determine the options for boosting the fleet temporarily.

What's left to work out?

Many details of the Government's deal with Tranz Rail remain to be settled between now and December.

The region is working closely with the Government to ensure the final agreement allows the region to get on with improving service frequency and quality during this time, and also to begin long-needed infrastructural improvements.

* Phil Warren is the chairman of the Auckland Regional Council.