Wellington train hits car after it falls down bank on to tracks, causing major disruptions

A Wellington passenger train crashed into a car after it fell down a small bank on to the tracks this afternoon.

Emergency services rushed to Glenside north of the city about 1.05pm after a car came off Middleton Rd on to the tracks.

“The sole occupant of the car received minor injuries and was assisted out of the car by members of the public before a train collided with the car,” a police spokeswoman said.

It was earlier believed the car had fallen off the back of a tow truck and on to the tracks.

A witness who lives near the crash site told the Herald they “heard a big bang noise and looked outside”.

“The train hit the car,” the witness said.

The passenger train hit a car on the Kāpiti line tracks this afternoon, causing service delays. Photo / Supplied

Services on the Kāpiti line have been suspended between Wellington and Porirua.

Metlink’s website states that bus replacements are being arranged but “may be delayed and will not be running to timetable schedule”.

“Due to limited capacity, please seek alternative arrangements where possible,” the service alert states.

Photos supplied to the show police, fire and ambulance crews at the scene and passengers disembarking from the rear of the train carriage.

The passenger train hit a car on the Kāpiti line tracks this afternoon causing service delays. Photo / Supplied.

Yesterday there were also delays on the Kāpiti line after a vehicle driving on SH1 hit a bridge over the motorway.

As a result, all train services on the Kāpiti line were suspended between Porirua and Wellington.

Ethan Manera is a New Zealand Herald journalist based in Wellington. He joined NZME in 2023 as a broadcast journalist with Newstalk ZB and is interested in local issues, politics, and property in the capital. Ethan can be emailed at ethan.manera@nzme.co.nz.