Locals slam KiwiRail over condition of underpass

DISGUSTING: Residents say something needs to be done about the state of the KiwiRail-owned underpass at Marton Junction. 160215WCBRCMAR07

The underpass at Marton Junction has provided a place for schoolchildren to safely cross the train tracks on the way to school for more than a century.

But neglect has left it littered with overgrown weeds, broken glass and rubbish, while dirt seeps through the walls that have been heavily tagged.

Fiona Reid hit Facebook to raise concerns about the poor state of the underpass last week and she has been inundated with support from the Marton Junction community and further afield.

"Our tamariki have to use it to get to school," she said. "We didn't have to put up with this when we were growing up."

She's asking KiwiRail, which owns the underpass, to come to the party and said it needed to take advice from the words on its own website, "Safety is paramount."

Marton Junction School principal Vanessa Te Ua said the state of the underpass was a concern for the school, which has many pupils living on the other side of the tracks.

"Our expectation is that our kids use the subway for their safety because it is a busy railway," she said.

"The alternative way around would be three times as long."

Pupil Joseph Kumeroa walks to school through the subway and has been cut by glass before.

"One morning I walked over a puddle and then I got something in my foot," he said.

Now KiwiRail appear to be coming to the party.

"KiwiRail is aware of the state of the underpass and accepts that work needs to be done to tidy this area up," communications manager Jenni Austin said. "We have already taken initial steps to scope the work needed to give the underpass a facelift."

She said the work would include water blasting, painting, clearing out the drains, improving the fencing on the approaches to the underpass and lighting and would get under way soon.

Project Marton coordinator and Rangitikei District Councillor Cath Ash said it was great the issue had been raised again. "This is the face of Marton. It's one of the things I've always found really disappointing. I would like to see KiwiRail step up."