Auckland deserves a rail network that can withstand a warm day Auckland deserves a rail network that can withstand a warm day

Date: 12 February 2024

Please attribute this statement to Stacey van der Putten, AT Director Public Transport Services and Active Modes:

It is enormously disappointing that AT is having to cancel train services today because of speed restrictions put in place by KiwiRail on the Auckland rail network due to hot tracks.

These speed restrictions would be unlikely to be needed today if the Auckland rail network was not vulnerable because of numerous known faults.

We appreciate how enormously frustrating regular disruptions and cancellations are for our customers, and just how much days like this dent public confidence in our rail network.

We remain committed to working constructively with KiwiRail on fixing the underlying issues wrecking the reputation and reliability of Auckland’s rail network.

The issues affecting Auckland’s rail network today have been decades in the making and it will take renewed investment and commitment to ensure Auckland has a reliable rail network in time for CRL.

But Aucklanders deserve better than a passenger rail network that can’t run at capacity on a mildly warm summer day.