Rail Upgrade
This week I had a sneak peek at the new “Matangi” trains which will be rolled out across the Wellington region over the next 18 months.
The first train is fresh off the boat from South Korea, the first of 48 modern new units which will be arriving regularly.
It’s great news for commuters after what has been a tough year. Breakdowns and delays have been hugely frustrating for everyone involved.
These new trains are part of a $500 million package to improve our rail system. It’s much needed, given that we still have trains from the 1940s running on some tracks.
These new trains have decent heating and air-conditioning, public address systems and the latest technology to keep passengers informed about the service. There is also plenty of room for buggies, bikes and wheelchairs.
The first new train enters service on the Hutt Valley line in December with the Paraparaumu line scheduled to receive the Matangi around the middle of next year.
There will be rigorous testing over the next few months, so you might see it doing a few test runs around Kapiti.
Paraparaumu and Waikanae stations are also being upgraded as part of this major programme.
Work is underway at Paraparaumu with a second platform being built on the other side of the tracks, and an underpass will connect the existing road subway with the new platform. There will also be more carparks for commuters.
In Waikanae there’s plenty of activity with a new 200 metre long platform is underway. A second car park will be created to the east of the tracks, with a new pedestrian level crossing connecting it to the new station.
Of course, on top of these rail improvements we have the $2.2 billion roading upgrade of the corridor from Levin to Wellington Airport, including Transmission Gully.
It’s a huge infrastructure programme for our region, and one that is long overdue. I’m proud to see good progress being made and will keep you up to date with all the developments.