Work on Auckland railway stations back on track

By STUART DYE transport reporter

Work is due to restart this week on building three signature rail stations in Auckland.

A disagreement between rail unions and management shut down construction work at the stations over the Christmas break.

Many commuters were stunned when they arrived at Papatoetoe, Glen Innes and Ranui to find the new stations had "disappeared" just before Christmas.

Contractors were forced to halt construction when Rail and Maritime Union locomotive engineers refused to work, claiming members' safety was being compromised.

The issue centred on the role of protectors, who make sure the line is clear when trains are arriving and leaving a station.

Scott Wilson, the union's Auckland industrial officer, said the concern was legitimate but it had been sorted out with Tranz Rail.

"People could have been injured or killed and members were not prepared to take that risk," he said.

There were now measures to ensure the protector role was safe.

The upgrades are part of a $100 million plan to renew 36 passenger stations around the region over the next four years.

Auckland Regional Transport Network (ARTNL), which is behind the programme, said work would restart this week.

After the signature stations are completed, work will begin on stations at Homai, Middlemore, Puhinui, Panmure, Ellerslie, Morningside and Baldwin Ave.

Six more stations - at Papakura, Manurewa, Otahuhu, Kingsland, Sturges Rd and Sunnyvale - should be completed by the middle of next year.

ARTNL chief executive Martin Gummer said the improvements were vital in achieving the region's goal of boosting patronage to 20 million plus by 2015, and in further integrating passenger rail with other transport modes.

There was still work to be done on social and environmental assessments, obtaining consents and seeking all required funding approvals.