Upgrade work has resumed on building a better rail network for the Wellington region and this weekend buses will be replacing trains across the network.

Visit https://www.metlink.org.nz/ to find out about any changes to passenger services in your area.

After more than seven weeks of only being able to carry out essential maintenance work, KiwiRail will this weekend resume its Wellington Metro Upgrade Programme and track maintenance work across all four Wellington lines - Johnsonville, Hutt Valley, Wairarapa and Kapiti.

“Due to COVID-19 and the alert level restrictions, upgrade work and non-essential maintenance work stopped across the network,” says Chief Operating Officer Todd Moyle.

“This weekend people will see a lot more activity as our teams ramp up the work on improving the network and carry out vital work replacing older infrastructure.”

KiwiRail and Greater Wellington Regional Council (through Metlink) are working together to upgrade the Wellington rail network to make services more reliable and to enable more people and freight to travel on trains.

The upgrade programme includes replacing and modernising the overhead power system and signals power supply, renewing the track across the network including inside the four major tunnels, double tracking between Trentham and Upper Hutt and improvements to the Wellington Railway Station and changes at the Plimmerton station.

“Replacing the overhead electrical systems is a big job and includes constructing new mast foundations, replacing the steel masts and structures and installing and electrifying the wiring.

“We will also be carrying out sleeper replacement work and bridge and track maintenance. To carry out this vital work we need both safe access to the tracks and enough space for our teams to work. Unfortunately, this means some disruption for those using train services is unavoidable,” says Mr Moyle.

Wellingtonians and visitors take more than 14 million passenger journeys a year on the Wellington rail network. The Wellington Metro Upgrade Programme is one of the most significant rail projects since major sections of Wellington rail network were built or upgraded between between1930 to 1961.
 

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