Rapid rail talk as Te Huia battles to stay on tracks

Correction

Train services between Hamilton and Auckland are facing hurdles when it comes to staying on track despite Te Huia chalking up its 100,000th customer and hitting a two-year passenger number target.

A Future Proof public transport subcommittee hui heard about the challenges Te Huia faces, including network capacity issues.

Another report talked of a bureaucratic spaghetti junction to be navigated before plans for a new multi-billion dollar rapid rail service between the two cities can proceed.

That process – which will undoubtedly take account of Te Huia – includes a confidential indicative business case currently under wraps while it’s considered by Government ministers.

But the committee’s deputy chairperson, councillor Angela Strange of Waikato Regional Council, was ‘‘quietly confident’’ that Te Huia will at least keep operating for its full five-year trial period ending in 2026.

People she’s talked to ‘‘desperately want it to continue’’. And she also strongly supports the introduction of a ‘‘game changer’’ rapid rail service.

‘‘It would enable people to live within their own communities but still have options for work and study elsewhere.’’

A staff report on Te Huia noted the regional council needs to do a twoyear service review this year and that project partners still hadn’t approved funding beyond June next year.

It also said Te Huia’s operation and timetable paths had only been approved by Kiwirail until a new Auckland City Rail Link (CRL) is opened in late 2025.

‘‘The introduction of a new postCRL service timetable will increase frequency of Auckland’s Metro passenger train services and may restrict access for Te Huia through the Auckland network.’’

A list of options for the future was outlined but most had problems.

It was felt continuing to operate Te Huia between Frankton and the Strand station via the eastern line was preferred, and it was suggested only minor timetabling tweaks might be needed to accommodate this.

But any Te Huia holdups between Wiri Junction and Westfield under this scenario could cause delays for Auckland Metro services and vice versa. Still, the report indicated it was hoped the Frankton-Strand link could be maintained.

Consideration of these issues comes after April’s announcement that driver shortages and the wait for a safety approval had led to a ‘‘bitterly disappointing’’ delay in expanding Te Huia train services.

Acknowledging public disappointment about this delay, Strange said: ‘‘We’re working through that one.’’

Meanwhile, in separate interviews, Strange and her partner Jamie, the MP for Hamilton East, both strongly backed developing rapid rail services between the two cities – a project estimated several years ago to cost around $14 billion.

A briefing to the committee on Friday said an ‘‘indicative business case’’ had been completed late last year but the Ministry of Transport told the Waikato Times this wasn’t publicly available as it was under ‘‘active consideration’’ by ministers.

The ministry said various steps – such as a select committee inquiry on inter-regional passenger rail – were needed before things progressed to a

Regional councillor ‘‘detailed business case’’. There was no timeline for this.

But the committee was told ‘‘findings from the trial of Te Huia service will also influence the future of the rail corridor’’.

Also, the Budget unveiled $10 million to take further rail electrification in the North Island to a detailed business case stage.

Kiwirail said the funding’s focus would include electrification of the Tauranga-Hamilton-Auckland ‘‘Golden Triangle’’ railway links.

Jamie Strange wanted rapid rail and Te Huia operating side by side.

‘‘I would like to see leaders within the region – in both public and private sectors – push towards rapid rail . . . aiming for one hour between the Auckland and Hamilton CBDs.’’

On who would stump up the $14 billion-plus costs, he said that besides the Government he’d like to see funding from the likes of councils, iwi and other local parties.

One idea was to purchase land around stations on the rapid rail line and then sell it as values appreciated due to faster trains, with profits used to retire debt.

Angela Strange said of rapid rail that ‘‘if we could get that journey time [down] then it would be just a serious game-changer.

‘‘We don’t want to be in the situation where we’re looking back wishing someone had done it.’’

‘‘It would enable people to live within their own communities but still have options for work and study elsewhere.’’ Angela Strange

A feature about the Huntly Power Station published in Saturday’s issue carried the wrong byline. It was written by Jonah Franke-Bowell, not Richard Walker. 07 849 9666 news @waikato times.co.nz

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