The rail corridor is used by utility companies to install and maintain gas pipes, electricity cables and phone lines. We manage access to railway land for these companies with a permit system.
The aim of the utilities access policy
ONTRACK owns and controls access to the rail corridor on behalf of the Crown. We try to use the corridor in a socially responsible manner and making it available to utility services is seen as both economically and socially beneficial.
Background to our utilities policy
Our top priority when considering applications for access permits from a utilities company is the safe and effective passage of trains. We put each application through a comprehensive feasibility study.
Considerations for granting access
When we consider an application by a utility company to place a service in the rail corridor we consider a number of criteria.
Safety
ONTRACK is required by the Railways Act to take all practicable steps to ensure that no rail activity for which it is responsible causes injury or death.
Access to the area within five metres of the centreline of any track generally requires the complete stopping of trains.
In addition, access from adjacent land or roads to parts of the railway is limited, and in some areas there may be no road access to the rail corridor.
Ability to keep trains runningRail is a commercial operation and access to the track is protected under the National Rail Access Agreement (NRAA). Train operators pay an access charge, which pays for the maintenance and operation of the track.
Utility work must not impede ONTRACK’s ability to maintain the track and provide access for train operators.pace available
The width of the railway corridor varies and determines if and where utility services can be placed. Even in a wide corridor there can be ‘pinch points’ that may make it impossible to place utilities.
Each application is considered on its merits, and on the characteristics of the stretch of rail corridor in question.
National priority
Where there is restricted space in a rail corridor we will give preference to utilities with a high national value. For example, we may decline an application to run a local authority water pipe for 200 metres along a corridor if this would prevent national or long-distance utility access.
There is a prioritisation process for public utilities provided in the national interest.
Top priorities are:
- major electricity transmission and distribution lines where reasonable alternatives are not readily available
- other major utilities of national and regional importance, such as trunk communications cables.
Existing agreements with other utilities
There may be existing agreements with utilities covering some rail corridors. These will be taken into account when access for another utility is considered. Existing agreements may also place constraints on the availability of the corridor for other purposes.
Future-proofing the corridorIt is likely that on some rail corridors rail activity will increase in the future. On the Auckland urban corridor double tracking is underway and electrification of that network will take place. Such activities require additional space in the corridor and may limit the placing of utility services.
Access charge
ONTRACK is a State Owned Enterprise and is expected to recover its costs from those who access the rail corridor. This includes train operators, utilities and those who lease rail land.
Section 35 of the NZRC Act 1981 enables us to charge rent that we think is appropriate. Section 75 of the Railways Act 2005 requires that any charge for access or use should be reasonable. We interpret this as a normal commercial rate of return.
ApplicationsApplications to cross railway land by utilities such as power telecommunications, water, and gas services, must be submitted well in advance of the proposed start date to:
The Grants Administrator
ONTRACK Corporate Property Office
PO Box 593 Wellington
Phone (04) 495 3000
The permits will specify:
- applicable conditions, including site induction, site rules, hazards
- any requirements to contact additional parties, such as KiwiRail.
There will be an administration fee and other fees depending on the services required, such as protection from trains for work teams.
Authority for entering rail landAll third parties must have authority to be on any rail land forming a part of the National Rail System. More about Network access
Time to process requestsWe will endeavour to acknowledge a request for access by a utility within 20 working days.
Applications to cross the railway are usually approved in two to six weeks. This can vary depending on the complexity of the application and the engineering assessment required.
More complex crossing requests for services that will run along the rail corridor will normally be processed within 20 working days, but it can take longer if an on-site inspection is required, or if we need to negotiate with other rail users or those with an existing lease agreement or contract. We endeavour to make a final response to a complex application within three months.