Buses will replace some trains this weekend as upgrade works to Wellington’s rail network continue, in preparation for a major shutdown during the Christmas holiday period.
Wellington Region Rail Programme Director David Gordon said with the new Matangi trains due to start arriving next year, KiwiRail was taking advantage of the quieter holiday period to progress the rail infrastructure upgrade.
“We have a lot of work planned for the time when most people are away over Christmas so we’re disrupting fewer passengers. That will start on Boxing Day and continue through to until trains start running again on 6 January,” David Gordon said.
“To allow us to complete everything we need to do then, we also have two weekends of significant work planned in the lead up to Christmas. During these times we’ll be working around the clock to make the most of the time available.”
Buses will replace some trains this weekend and on 12-13 December. This weekend buses will replace trains between Wellington and Johnsonville, Tawa and Waterloo from 6am Saturday 21 – midnight Sunday 22 November. Train services will still run between Tawa and Paraparaumu, and between Waterloo and Upper Hutt. Wairarapa weekend services will be replaced by buses between Wellington and Upper Hutt.
More information about bus replacements is available at www.tranzmetro.co.nz or via Metlink on 0800 801 700.
Most of the rail upgrade work will take place at the entrance to Wellington Railway Station where a third main line is being installed to reduce congestion. Once complete in mid-2010, the extra line will help reduce delays at peak times for trains coming into and out of the station.
Elsewhere on the network, improvements will continue to the platforms at Petone, Ngaio, and Simla Crescent Stations. Improvements to the overhead power system will continue on the Hutt Valley Line as will work to improve steep embankments on the Johnsonville Line.
The work is part of the Wellington Region Rail Programme, a series of improvements to the Wellington railway system that will give commuters more reliable passenger services. This is a joint initiative between the Greater Wellington Regional Council and KiwiRail (ONTRACK and Tranz Metro).
The Wellington Region Rail Programme includes:
- A fleet of new electric trains – the Matangi trains
- Extension of electrification and double tracked lines to take commuter services to Waikanae;
- Installation of power supply equipment and railway signalling;
Adding another line into Wellington Railway Station to reduce delays;
- Making the Johnsonville Line tunnels larger; and
- Improving a number of platform and station facilities.