Sense of 'injustice' for Auckland's northwest as rail projects announced elsewhere
Wednesday, 17 February 2021
Northwest Aucklanders advocating for a commuter train to service their community say they feel a sense of “injustice” as rail projects progress elsewhere.
In 2017, the Public Transport Users Association launched a campaign, Trains to Huapai, to push Auckland Transport (AT) to start a diesel shuttle service from either Swanson or Henderson to Huapai.
Despite “strong” support in the Kumeu-Huapai community, AT and the Government have no plans to implement the service.
Recently, announcements have been made of three new stations on the southern train network as the south Auckland population grows.
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April 6 will see a new Hamilton-Auckland passenger rail service launch.
Trains to Huapai spokeswoman Christine Rose said traffic issues in the north-west are becoming “much, much worse” with rapid development happening in the area.
The infrastructure isn't in place to support those developments, she said.
“There’s a real feeling of injustice out here and that it’s a deliberate and political manoeuvre and that we just do not matter to the Labour government,” Rose said.
“People come out to the community, see that it’s got a railway line and assume that we might get train services, and they get a rude awakening.”
Despite the lack of a commuter train to the area, the rail line has been upgraded recently to accommodate freight being moved.
Later in the month, Aucklanders will be able to board a train from Swanson station to Helensville for the Helensville Show.
It will pass Huapai along the train line but not stop there, Rose said.
The experience being offered showed “irony and a double standard”, Rose said.
“We seem to be the only network of communities on a railway line … who are denied the efficient and expedient use of existing infrastructure.”
Transport Minister Michael Wood said cities had gone on for too long without proper transport infrastructure and the northwest was no exception.
“While our Government has made changes to help prevent this in the future, we have to retrofit existing outer suburbs with good transport choices to help ease congestion.
“Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is working with AT through the Supporting Growth Programme to help plan for the north-west's long term transport needs.”
Wood said the Government has upgraded the train line between Swanson and Whangārei in Northland, with a focus on enabling freight be moved rather than passengers.
Auckland Transport spokesman Mark Hannan said rapid transit via the State Highway 16 corridor would better serve the “projected demand” for the area and work is underway to improve bus infrastructure.
“The Supporting Growth Alliance did not recommend investment in passenger metro rail services on the existing rail line (north of Swanson station) due to indirect routes to the key northwest destinations of Westgate, Whenuapai and the city centre, longer travel time and insufficient ridership for both rail and rapid transit modes.
“Investing in two modes/corridors to serve this area is not affordable nor good value for money.”
Hannan said the single track would need to become a double track, the Waitākere tunnel would need further work, and potential electrification would cost about $300 million.
Rose said if Covid-19 alert levels drop and the Helensville Show goes ahead, Trains to Huapai campaigners would peacefully protest at the railway line as the train passes on February 27.